Don Cheadle Says Marvel Costars Feel Like Family After Working with Them 12 Years: We 'Really Have Fun'

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When the Avengers assemble, it feels like a family reunion to Don Cheadle.

In the new issue of PEOPLE, the Oscar-nominated actor, who has played Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes, aka War Machine, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since joining the cast of 2010's Iron Man 2, says, "It's always like home when we go back."

Since taking over the role from Terrence Howard, Cheadle, 58, has appeared in several MCU titles including Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War. Each time a project comes up, he says he looks forward to reuniting with the cast, which includes Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans.

"We don't see each other for many years, and then there'll be an opportunity to come together in Avengers or something. There would be another kid, or someone's newly married or newly divorced. Everyone's situation continues to change," says Cheadle.

"So I've kind of grown up over the last 12 years with this cast who I really have fun with," he continues.

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Cheadle will get the opportunity to collaborate with some of them again when he films Armor Wars, a movie centered around the Rhodes character. No production date has been set, but Marvel has reportedly been looking at 2023.

"Hopefully, with this new movie, I'll have the opportunity to really play with this character in a way that we haven't seen before, and really try to build out who Rhodey is and give him a real backstory, and find out what's the beating heart under this character," he says.

"To have this opportunity this late in the game to still explore and play and figure out who this guy is — I'm looking very forward to that," continues Cheadle.

The actor is also looking forward to cutting back on his work schedule for a little more balance next year. "I've been working nonstop for over 30 years," says Cheadle, who plays an Elvis Presley–obsessed professor in the upcoming Netflix dark comedy White Noise.

"We're so used to being on the hamster wheel," says Cheadle, who shares children Tai, 28, and Imani, 26, with wife Bridgid Coulter Cheadle, 54. "So taking a minute to step back and take care of yourself is important."

White Noise streams on Netflix Dec. 30.

For more on Don Cheadle, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE.