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Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors What Marvel character who isn't in the Thunderbolts belongs on the team? That's what DiscussingFilm asked the cast during an interview. After briefly humoring the idea of Ebon Moss-Bachrach's Ben Grimm/The Thing, a consensus was reached: Don Cheadle's James Rhodes/War Machine, they said, would make for a perfect fit.
You can see them discussing it below. The cast of ‘THUNDERBOLTS*’ tell us which MCU character they’d like to add to the team: “Don Cheadle! He seems like cranky enough!
We’re gonna go with Don Cheadle/War Machine!” pic.twitter.com/OvsQniz4Na — DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 29, 2025 Read More: 'Superman' Releases New Look at Classic DC Superhero "Cheadle, maybe?" Wyatt Russell says. "Oh, Cheadle would be great," David Harbour answers.
"Cheadle would be amazing," Hannah John-Kamen agrees. "He seems like cranky enough," Harbour says. "We're gonna go with Don Cheadle/War Machine.
Don, if you're avail." Promotional image for "Thunderbolts*" Promotional image for "Thunderbolts*" DISNEY The cast members seem to have a lot of fun choosing Don Cheadle, but he honestly wouldn't be a bad choice. He has a military background like most of the Thunderbolts, and while he's no former assassin like Yelena or Bucky, he is the first person in "Avengers: Endgame" to suggest the dark course of finding baby Thanos and murdering him.
There would also be plenty of potential for unresolved issues that Rhodey has, including those about being wounded during the events of "Captain America: Civil War" and the death of Tony Stark. He'd also lend what seems like some much-needed muscle to the Thunderbolts. Along with his suit's arsenal of weaponry, he can fly, and his suit gives him super strength.
Unfortunately, the truth is that it may be a while before Marvel fans get to see Cheadle return to the role of War Machine. Cheadle's name was missing from the long list of stars named as part of the cast for next year's "Avengers: Doomsday". Cheadle was going to lead his own film, "Armor Wars", but development on that seems to have hit some roadblocks.
To be fair, Kevin Feige has said more names are going to be added to the cast list of "Avengers: Doomsday", so it could be that War Machine will make an appearance. When it comes to Marvel, Cheadle last appeared in a supporting role in "Secret Invasion" – and played a Skrull disguised as Rhodey for most of that series – and before that in "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier". "Thunderbolts*" hits theaters May 2, 2025.
The film is directed by Jake Schreier and stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Edward Price, Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. More Comics: 'Thunderbolts' Early Reviews Overwhelmingly One-Sided Blade Reboot Costume Designer Confirms Wildest Theory About Failed Film
