Avengers: Endgame was a huge game changer for the MCU. It not only saw the demise of some of the franchise’s most beloved characters, it showed us several more in an entirely new light. And according to one of the film’s writers, there was one more twist that didn’t quite make the cut. And it gave one Marvel hero a hugely important role: that of Vice President of the United States.
According to Christopher Markus, who co-wrote Avengers: Endgame with Stephen McFeely, at one point they floated the idea of making Don Cheadle’s James Rhodes, a.k.a. War Machine, the POTUS’ right hand man. He explained to ComicBook.com why they ultimately didn’t go there:
We took it out because it didn't have any story weight, but I believe that during one draft, in the five year jump, Rhodey became vice president. Vice President Rhodey.
It may not have fit into Endgame’s already complex story, but it would have been a plausible development for Tony Stark’s longtime friend and ally. After all, he’s always had great leadership qualities. He played a vital role in helping his fellow Avengers navigate some murky internal politics in Captain America: Civil War. Oh, and he did save the president that one time, too. But, if he had been stuck behind a desk in the White House, he probably wouldn’t have had a chance to help bring Thanos down -- or bid Tony goodbye.
In the years since Iron Man, and Rhodey’s first appearance in the MCU, the ensemble has expanded considerably, but he’s remained a relative constant. Still, we don’t know what the future holds for him or any of his fellow Avengers. Rhodey’s political ambition wasn’t the only storyline that never made it to the screen in Avengers: Endgame. The creative team also cut a big moment between Tony and his daughter, among many others. Christopher Markus made it clear that the many ideas they considered but ultimately did not include in Infinity War and Endgame were only meant to factor into those films’ story arcs. When discussing whether or not they’d revisit abandoned plotlines in future films or Disney+ series, Markus said told ComicBook.com:
I don't know what all the streaming shows are, but it feels like they might come off of Endgame in some ways, but at no point did anybody say, 'That's what we should do, so therefore, sprinkle that in.'
It will be a while before the MCU revisits another epic story like Endgame. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for more great stories for the remaining Avengers, including Rhodey. We’ll just have to wait and see what they have planned for Phase 4.
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