In a surprise move, Don Cheadle will replace Terrence Howard as Robert Downey Jr’s best friend in "Iron Man 2," the sequel to the superhero saga.

In the Marvel Studios summer smash, Howard played Jim Rhodes, Tony Stark/Iron Man’s future armor-clad hero War Machine. One scene featured Howard looking at a silver suit of armor and saying "Next time," a line that caused great delight for fans.

But there will be no next time for Howard.

Marvel had no comment, but sources close to the deal said negotiations with Howard fell through over financial differences, among other reasons. Marvel, which had wanted to work with Cheadle, then decided to take the role in another direction and approached the actor, who is shooting Antoine Fuqua’s "Brooklyn’s Finest" with Richard Gere and Ethan Hawke.

The Rhodes character is expected to play a larger part in the sequel, which is rumored to go beyond high-tech villains. Justin Theroux is writing the screenplay.

Jon Favreau is returning as director, and Downey is expected back as billionaire industrialist Stark/Iron Man. Gwyneth Paltrow also is expected to be back as Stark’s assistant, Pepper Potts. "Iron Man 2" is scheduled for release on May 7, 2010;

Cheadle most recently starred in "Traitor," a thriller on which he was also a producer. He will next be seen in DreamWorks’ "Hotel for Dogs."

SOURCE: yahoo.com

Wow this is really upsetting, I was really looking forward to a Terrence Howard War Machine... I hope they can work something out, I like Don Cheadle as much as the next guy but it’s pretty sketchy to change a person playing a key character with another person. It’s like if they would have swapped Chong for another actor in Cheech & Chong’s Next Movie... lame..

Look, I loved Iron Man, LOVED IT, but Terrence Howard didn’t quite do it for me as Rhodey. Personally, I don’t know if its his voice or his demeanor in the film, but he didn’t strike me as career military. As a soldier myself, it was outside the realm of believability. Cheadle on the other hand is an underrated actor, the guy is terrific in everything he does and he has a way of dominating every scene he is in. I think he is a great addition/substitution to the next film. Jon, I can’t wait man.

I think the "other reasons" must be serious ones if Howard turned down the role...
I wonder if the "change" of "face" will be explain in the movie or not..
It will be weird that’s for sure, but I prefer Cheadle to Howard so I really don’t mind, but still..

i peronally think that denzel washington wood be good as war machine

ryal phoenix wrote:
Look, I loved Iron Man, LOVED IT, but Terrence Howard didn’t quite do it for me as Rhodey. Personally, I don’t know if its his voice or his demeanor in the film, but he didn’t strike me as career military. As a soldier myself, it was outside the realm of believability. Cheadle on the other hand is an underrated actor, the guy is terrific in everything he does and he has a way of dominating every scene he is in. I think he is a great addition/substitution to the next film. Jon, I can’t wait man.

The way I see it Terrence Howard had really good chemistry with Robert Downey Jr. I mean it just clicked for me just like the chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow. If other people wouldn’t have felt the same the movie wouldn’t have had such favorable reviews, so I’m sure the amount of people that feel the same way as you is very small.

And as far as Cheadle, I agree with you he is indeed an underrated actor but he’s more of a serious actor, he has this really strong presence with a very serious demeanor I just can’t see him as Rhodes. And not just that but to go and change an actor like that after already having established his presence and the possibility of having him take on a bigger role and putting on the War Machine suite just flat out ruins the movie for me not just as a Terrence Howard fan but a movie fan. Also casting changes in between movies just flat out suck, specially considering the first movie was so great...

Will Jon comment on this situation? Is it even 100% accurate?

I don’t like the re-cast, I thought Howard did a good job. If a re-cast is needed, I’m not sure how I feel about Cheadle. I like him as an actor, but these two don’t look or act anything like each other so it’s going to come across as two totally different characters.

I just want to say, I have read Marvel comics fo 35 years. Terrence Howard was not Rhodey Jones. Still not quite a true believer in Jr. although he did suprise me and did a great job. I think if Marvel is going to change Rhodey Cheadle is not the answer. We need a bad ass. If you have seen Criminal Minds then you know this guy is a kick ass. He could be a super hero.

Shemar Moore

Wow. It definitely will put a pinch in the box office receipts. There are many-a-lady that digs Howard that could care less about Cheadle, for one thing. As far as acting goes, I’ll give the push to Cheadle, but that doesn’t mean much here... why? Because Cheadle always plays Cheadle so far as we have seen. And maybe Howard only played Howard as well, but the "Howard character" fits better than the "Cheadle character".

I mean, I am in total agreement that Rhodes was the weakest part of IM... to me, there were 2 reasons for this: Howard and the script. While Howard did nothing wrong IMO, he did not appear like a career military man. They bumped him up to Colonel, but he really couldn’t convince me he was a colonel. For one, he was a DAMN YOUNG COLONEL. For two, he seemed like he was trying to overly convince us of the fact that he was career military and the worst lines in the movie were when he was drunk talking about how everybody has got his back... I don’t know who came up with this, but I wish they would have changed the exposition.

I had a friend that was like that when he got drunk... he was an Army Ranger. While this is fitting for the character, it didn’t serve the purpose of the script without seeming like "Hi, my name is Rhodes, and I have to literally explain my character to you in exact words." My guess is that Howard, while spending time with the airmen, got them drunk and they said this... either that or they went to their military adviser and either got him drunk or just asked about drunken airmen. Regardless, it really took me out of the movie and seemed like an odd piece from a different jigsaw puzzle.

Besides, here were women dancing erotically in front of him... he was never that much a stick in the mud in the comics. Unless he was at the point of recognition of Tony’s drinking problem, Rhodes wouldn’t be that big of a stick in the mud to me. Even though they played this up a bit with the whole "Fun-vee" and "Hum-Drum-vee" thing, the lighter portrayal was shining through in Howard’s performance. Which is why that scene didn’t fit... it didn’t fit the tone of the movie or the rest of the performance that Howard was giving. Howard was the liaison... he was a friend... but the tight ass watchdog was always from the angle of a friend first and military strictness second.

So you saw a lighter Rhodes (except that drunken scene) than a more military Rhodes. While this didn’t serve the term Colonel very well, it was what better served the movie. It fit with the comedic Downey and gave you a person that you could see as being Tony’s friend regardless of the fact that Rhodes saved his ass.

Cheadle is going to have a tougher time convincing audiences of that fact. He isn’t an easy to laugh guy. When you look at him, you think serious. It makes everything HARDER to do because you have to buy him as a friend first. Make it all that much harder because anything you could build upon in the first movie is sort of out the window now. Even if the character is established as Stark’s friend, the actor isn’t. Now, you have to add 5 more minutes to the script to remind people that they are friends. With Cheadle it won’t be easy. My advice to Cheadle is to look at Howard’s performance and copy it, because outside of 1 scene, he was where he needed to be.

No one should have made Rhodes career military in the first place. He should have been the lowest rank for a pilot possible. He should have been a pilot and then promoted to liaison after he rescued Stark. By doing the liaison and pilot thing at the get go, they needed a higher rank... thus a colonel. It’s not horrible, but Howard doesn’t scream colonel... a captain would have been more believable.

Cheadle will appear more career military for sure, but I doubt he will scream a lot of other things. Sex idol. War Machine. Stark’s best friend.

Marvel has screwed the pooch big time.

I know what the negotiations were PROBABLY about.

Marvel: Here - it’s X, which is about what the guy is getting for Punisher.

Howard: Have you seen IM’s box office? Hello?

Marvel: War Machine isn’t as big... look at the comic sales. He is a secondary character at best... probably third tier.

Howard: But we are building off a blockbuster movie...

Marvel: Yeah, so was Catwoman.

Howard: but we got good teams in place, we’re building something different from IM.

Marvel: Where’s Cheadle’s number... he’s Oscar too. He’ll do fine. I’ll just replace one widget with another. (Imagines in head: Marvel Studios CEO is cost cutter! Will have another bigger CEO job soon!).

Why is money men never understand the arts?

I think Jon is in the moment of "If you can’t say anything positive, don’t say anything at all."

Good luck to Jon and Don.... I love you both and I hope you figure it out... it won’t be easy. Terrance, for the most part, I was with you and I was sold.

I’m going to wait for a comment from Jon before I freak out over this. I hate it when parts are recast. It worked in the Dark Knight though, so maybe...

Never Working Man Man wrote:
i peronally think that denzel washington wood be good as war machine

Yeah I think most people would agree, but he is way to expensive. He may be more expensive than Downey.

I thought Howard did a great job in Iron Man and I was looking forward to seeing him in the sequel. I think Cheadle is a great actor and I’m sure he’ll do a great job but Terrance Howard needs to do this sequel. I’m sure he can get a spin-off movie off of IM2.

"Forget about it Jake it’s Chinatown".
Never be surprised by Hollywood/Actors etc, when it comes to money.
Anyone that is a true movie fan knows that Don’s gonna bring his "A" game.

No reason to be hating on Howard that’s just the movie biz for ya.
Iron Man 2? BRING IT ON!

T.LEE wrote:

Never Working Man Man wrote:

i peronally think that denzel washington wood be good as war machine

Yeah I think most people would agree, but he is way to expensive. He may be more expensive than Downey.

fuck !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you got a point i hope they get money to cast him he is like the best actor ever

I’m sorry..I really dislike the idea of recasting Rhodes..Cheadle is a good actor but Howard already owns the role I think..I really saw him as Rhodes...his presence will be missed in the sequel if he is not in it...

Please say it aint so Mr. Favreau..

DRzFiNe$T wrote:
I’m sorry..I really dislike the idea of recasting Rhodes..Cheadle is a good actor but Howard already owns the role I think..I really saw him as Rhodes...his presence will be missed in the sequel if he is not in it...



Please say it aint so Mr. Favreau..

i think terrence howard was the worst part of the iron man movie. Not to say that he was bad, more to say that everything else was just so good. Im fine with this either way (if its true or if it isnt). and i really dont think he "owns" the role. when i watch iron man and i see RDJ on screen i think "thats tony stark." for me it was the same with everyone in the movie except for rhodey..