Actor Terrence Howard, famous for his role as James Rhodes in the initial Iron Man film, did not return for the second installment. The actor was replaced by Don Cheadle in the subsequent films, while Robert Downey Jr. And Gwyneth Paltrow returned for their respective roles in the MCU.
Terrence Howard chose not to reprise his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) despite being offered a $1 million contract. Even Robert Downey Jr. said he had nothing to do with the recasting. But what’s more surprising is the fact that Downey Jr. wasn’t the highest-paid actor in the first film.
Robert Downey Jr Wasn’t The Highest Paid Actor In Iron Man
Terrence Howard played Colonel James Rhodes, Tony Stark’s close friend, in the first Iron Man film. At the time of release, it was reported that Howard was the highest-paid actor in the film, with a payday of $4.5 million.
Business Insider reported that the actor signed a deal with Marvel for three films, claiming he was set to rake in a sum of $8 million for the sequel. As per the actor, a portion of his expected paycheck was trimmed and given to Robert Downey Jr., whom he claims he helped to land the coveted role of the superhero.
Howard told Andy Cohen on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live:
“It turns out that the person that I helped become Iron Man, when it was time to re-up for the second one, took the money that was supposed to go to me and pushed me out,”
The actor also alleged that Marvel Studios informed him that the movie would be successful with or without him.
Howard told Sway Calloway:
“The second time, they came and they said ‘We think the movie will be successful with or without you. So, instead of the $8 million that we said we were gonna pay you, we’re going to let you come back for a million dollars.'”
Howard thought that it was better for him to move away from the second installment. Don Cheadle was eventually chosen for the role and was given a short time to accept a six-film deal with the studios.
Is Robert Downey Jr. Returning To The MCU?
Recently, an online insider dubbed MyTimeToShineHello suggested that Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. have agreed to return to the MCU; however, there isn’t much information available on the same, so it’s safe to assume that these are just rumors. If it’s true, Marvel Studios can easily make this happen, given their history of playing with timelines to incorporate characters and narratives.
It has been speculated that Marvel is planning a reunion of its original Avengers for an upcoming film. Considering the Jonathan Majors controversy, the situation at Marvel seems tense, prompting the need for quick action.
