One of the biggest reasons behind the rapid growth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the early 2010s was Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige’s tendency to hit a bullseye with nearly all of his casting decisions. In particular, the casting of Robert Downey Jr. to lead the franchise as Iron Man when he wasn’t the most popular face in Hollywood was a masterstroke, to say the least.
Decisions to cast Chris Evans as Captain America, Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange are equally lauded by many fans. However, even the best miss at times. Many Marvel fans can’t seem to get their head around Feige’s decision to rope in Terrence Howard to portray James Rhodes.
Fans Name The Casting Decision That Marvel Got Wrong in Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man
Iron Man (2008) sees Robert Downey Jr. portraying Tony Stark, a charismatic billionaire industrialist who’s keen on becoming a hero known as Iron Man. While exploring weapons tests overseas, Tony is kidnapped by terrorists and ends up needing the help of his best friend, James Rhodes. Terrence Howard‘s character leads a mission to rescue his friend before coming across his larger-than-life plans.
Rhodey is a very crucial character in Marvel Comics, wherein he took over for Stark as Iron Man and eventually became a War Machine. However, despite his importance, when Marvel Studios replaced Howard with Don Cheadle, only a few fans showed any discourse.
A Reddit thread discussing Marvel’s casting decisions saw many fans discussing how Cheadle should have portrayed Rhodey from the get-go instead of Howard. ccReptilelord noted, “… he might have done a great job, but Cheadle should have played the role from the start.”
Howard is an Oscar nominee, so the issue really isn’t about his acting prowess. Rather, it’s Howard and Cheadle’s ability to bring different on-screen personalities to the table. Before War Machine, Rhodey is Tony’s charming ally. It’s Cheadle’s friendly dynamic with his on-screen actors that made him a much better fit than Howard.
Read more: Robert Downey Jr.’s Demand Made Avengers: Endgame Co-Stars Utterly Miserable
Why Terrence Howard Didn’t Return for Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man 2
Having said that, Howard’s departure from the MCU had to do with behind-the-scenes issues between him and the studio rather than his performance in the 2008 hit.
During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live in November 2013, the Empire star suggested money played a big role in the development. He said:
“It turns out that the person I helped become Iron Man … when it was time to re-up for the second one, (he) took the money that was supposed to go to me and pushed me out.”
It is understood that while Downey Jr. took a huge paycheck for Iron Man 2, his co-stars were lowballed by the studio. Howard supposedly didn’t accept such a move and left.
