‘The White Lotus’ Scene-Stealer, 56, Confirms He Prior Talks of an MCU Return in ‘Armor Wars’

Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) tried to ruin Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) life during the events of Iron Man 2. Since then, the character hasn’t been relevant in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But all that could change if the previously announced Armor Wars movie is ever produced. During a recent interview, Sam Rockwell confirmed that there were talks for Hammer to return during the story. Whether the villain will make an appearance at some point in the near future remains uncertain. Here’s what the actor had to say about the project:

“There was talk of a [ARMOR WARS] series, but I think the movie thing would be exciting… He (Justin Hammer) was in prison so it could get weird.”

Armor Wars was originally announced as a television series meant to be released on Disney+. The project was pushed down the production timeline, with the studio focusing on the development of Secret Invasion and the second season of Loki. When the series was first announced, Rhodey (Don Cheadle) was supposed to be the protagonist of the story. Marvel Studios has moved on towards titles such as Agatha All Along and Daredevil: Born Again, which led to a major announcement regarding Armor Wars.

Marvel Studios announced that Armor Wars is now supposed to be a theatrical release. Beyond that, the studio hasn’t disclosed any details regarding the story in recent months. Sam Rockwell’s comments indicate that the movie would have followed the legacy of the Iron Man franchise. Rhodey was Tony Stark’s best friend and Justin Hammer was one of his biggest rivals, alongside a fake version (Sir Ben Kingsley) of the Mandarin (Guy Pearce) and the billionaire’s own creation, Ultron (James Spader).

Upcoming MCU Movies

While the fate of Armor Wars is decided over at Disney, Marvel Studios is working on some of their biggest crossovers to date. This year’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps will lead to the events of next year’s Avengers: Doomsday, which will mark the return of Robert Downey Jr. to the franchise. The performer that brought Tony Stark to life for over a decade will now portray the evil Doctor Doom, the main villain of the movie.

Marvel Studios is also working with Sony Pictures on the development of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Destin Daniel Cretton, the director of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, will helm the sequel that allows Tom Holland to return as the world’s favorite wall-crawler. It was recently announced that Jon Bernthal will reprise his role as The Punisher in the upcoming film as well. Will Marvel Studios produce Armor Wars at some point? Viewers will find out after the release of Avengers: Secret Wars.

A release date for Armor Wars hasn’t been set by Marvel Studios. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.