Terrence Howard is kicking himself so hard right now. By allegedly demanding more money to reprise his role as Jim Rhodes in Iron Man 2, he threw away not just a sequel, but a franchise. Don Cheadle, the actor chosen to replace Howard as Rhodes, and Robert Downey Jr. have been the first of a large superhero cast to sign on for Avengers. Jon Favreau, of course, will be back, too.

The men in (and behind) “Iron Man” will be sticking together for more than just the anticipated sequel. Marvel Studios has officially announced that Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle and Jon Favreau will be teaming up for not only “Iron Man 2,” but also the company’s much-anticipated superhero battle royale “The Avengers.”

Downey will reprise his role as Tony Stark in “Iron Man 2″ and again in “The Avengers,” while Cheadle will pick up the part of James “Rhodey” Rhodes previously played by Terrence Howard in “Iron Man.” The latter announcement confirms earlier reports regarding Cheadle’s replacement of Howard, with the additional note that Cheadle will play the character in both “The Avengers” and subsequent “Iron Man” films.

Marvel also confirmed that Favreau will not only return to the director’s chair for “Iron Man 2,” but will also serve as executive producer for “The Avengers.”

[From MTV Movie News]

No one is giving out any clues into what’s going on in the movies leading up to Avengers. Favreau has hinted at Samuel L. Jackson returning in Iron Man 2 and a 2010 opening for Iron Man 2 and Thor, leading up to the 2011 release date for Captain American and Avengers. Edward Norton was The Incredible Hulk, but things didn’t end well between Norton and the studio. There has been no word on whether he would come back for Avengers, or if the Hulk will actually be hero or villain.

There’s been some disagreement on the choice of Don Cheadle for the role of Jim Rhodes, who will become War Machine, because he’s always been a more understated, less superhero type actor. But I propose that maybe that’s because he’s not been put in such a role before. I look forward to seeing what Cheadle can do with the character. And if he fails, we’ve seen how easily replaceable the part can be.

Here is Robert Downey, Jr. jumping from a window on the set of Sherlock Holmes on 10/29/08. Credit: Bauergriffinonline. Don Cheadle is shown with his girlfriend, Bridgid Coulter, and their daughters Ayana Tai Cheadle and Imani Cheadle in Hawaii on 8/9/08. Credit: Fame

As we reported last week, Terrence Howard is reportedly being replaced as Jim Rhodes in Iron Man 2 by Don Cheadle. The Hollywood Reporter inferred that Howard was asking for more money to come back to the role and instead of meeting his demands, he was simply replaced. The awkward part? The news apparently came to Howard the same way it came to the rest of us.

“It was the surprise of a lifetime,” Terrence tells NPR, sounding none too pleased. “There was no explanation. [The contract] just…up and vanished. I read something in the trades implicating that it was about money or something, but apparently the contracts that we write and sign aren’t worth the paper that they’re printed on, sometimes. Promises aren’t kept, and good faith negotiations aren’t always held up.”

[From OK! Magazine]

At first glance, one might think that was bad form on the part of Marvel Studios. There are some things you really should discuss personally with people, and axing them from a plum role in a blockbuster movie is probably one of them. But Marvel Studios President of Production, Kevin Fleige, says not so fast.

“As is the policy with most people, when you talk about dotting I’s and crossing T’s, certainly that isn’t the case yet on a number of things we’re doing,” he says. “But that [Hollywood Reporter story] was not an announcement. That was, as it tends to happen in the business, is rumors and leaks and things like that. I do think there will be clarity soon.”

[From OK! Magazine]

In other words, someone at Marvel Studios told The Hollywood Reporter before they told Terrance Howard. Either way, it lacked professionalism and Howard has the right to be a little pissed off. No one enjoys it when the rest of the office sees their getting a pink slip before they even know they’re getting fired, in this case the office is the whole movie-going public and the pink slip is an article in an industry publication.

Terrence Howard is shown performing in NY on 8/21/08. Don Cheadle is shown outside The Late Show on 8/26/08. Credit: Bauergriffinonline.com. Cheadle is also shown golfing at “Kiki’s 1st Annual Celebrity Golf Challenge Presented by ALIZE” in Tarzana, CA on 10/13/08.

Iron Man was a bona-fide summer blockbuster and Terrance Howard, who was star Robert Downey Jr’s best friend in the film, was all but guaranteed a sequel in the story line, to come back as War Machine. The only way to foul that opportunity up is to take it for granted that you can’t be replaced, and Howard appears to have overestimated his irreplaceability.

In moviemaker Jon Favreau’s sequel, Iron Man 2, Terrance Howard’s character, Jim Rhodes, has been given to Don Cheadle.

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.

Rhodes 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 Robert Downey Jr. is expected back as billionaire industrialist Stark/Iron Man. Gwyneth Paltrow also is expected to be back as Stark’s assistant, Pepper Potts.

[From The Hollywood Reporter]

I may be in the minority, but I think Terrance Howard is overhyped, and worse still, seems to totally buy into his own hype. There are some Hollywood types who take what they do entirely too seriously, like acting is on par with neurosurgery, and it comes across in interviews. Howard comes off as one of those to me. I can’t say I’m particularly shocked that he saw himself as invaluable and in turn demanded more money.

Don Cheadle, on the other hand, does more than play pretend in front of the camera, and even that he does with conviction. The first time I saw Don Cheadle was on “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” in a guest role. Even that performance made such an impression on my teenage brain that when I saw him in a movie I recognized him instantly. He’s one of those guys who isn’t drop dead gorgeous, but his intensity is sexy. Don Cheadle only pumps up the star power of Iron Man 2.

Don Cheadle is shown on 2/28/08 at a Poker party at PURE. Credit: PRN/PRPhotos. Terrence Howard is shown performing in Chicago on 9/20/08. Credit: Adam Bielawski/PR Photos. Photo below is a still from Iron Man thanks to Allmoviephoto

George Clooney has adopted (pun intended) a sound strategy for diverting questions about his personal life – he makes jokes about Brad Pitt’s family instead. For instance, he recently told Star, “Brad is a great comic actor. You have to have a sense of humor when you’re the father of 15 kids – have you heard how many he and Angie have now? – and your pockets are filled with rattles and Legos.”

But Brad doesn’t mind. He jokes back: “No, he [George] hates children….Are you kidding? I love the twins too much to subject them to George.”

Now their Ocean’s 11 co-star Don Cheadle is joining in on the fun.

I think it’s a wrap on the Ocean’s movies, although I hear that Brad [Pitt] may do an Ocean’s movie with just his family.

[From People, print edition, September 8, 2008]

He even jokes about adopting some of Brad’s kids, telling People, “There will be enough of them pretty soon. I’m calling two through four.”

Don has two daughters of his own with actress Bridgid Coulter, his co-star in Rosewood. He tells People that he enjoys when he doesn’t know the answers for his daughters’ homework.

Don’t act like you know something when you don’t. The best thing is when both of you struggle to figure it out together. That’s the most fun part.

[From People, print edition, September 8, 2008]

While Don garnered good reviews for his performance in his current movie Traitor, the film itself received relatively mediocre reviews and didn’t do well at the box office.

Don received an Oscar nomination for Hotel Rwanda, but has yet to become a box-office hit-maker in his own right, somewhat inexplicably for such a versatile actor.

He tells People that if he wasn’t an actor, he’d follow in the footsteps of his Ocean’s 11 character, Basher Tarr.

I would be robbing people, which would really stink because everybody would be like, “Hey, Don Cheadle just robbed me! He was wearing his costume from Ocean’s Eleven!“

[From People, print edition, September 8, 2008]

Besides kidding Brad and George, like them he also participates in extensive global charity efforts. He is especially interested in alleviating atrocities happening in Darfur, and he has enlisted famous friends like Pitt and Clooney to help. He told People magazine, “People ask me, ‘So do you guys really sit around talking about Darfur?’ Yeah, we actually do. What do you think we talk about? How many cars we have?”

He is a member of Not On Our Watch, which “generates lifesaving humanitarian assistance and protection for the vulnerable, marginalized and displaced. Where governments remain complacent, Not On Our Watch is committed to stopping mass atrocities and giving a voice to their victims.”

Don even went so far as to say he’d leave the country if John McCain is elected.

I mean it depends on this next election whether I’m going to stay in this country….I’m pretty serious about being pretty concerned. I wish I could say for sure I knew what was going to happen. But I think we’re in a mess right now and I don’t know why anyone would want to be President right now to begin with. If you are going to take that on, you’ve got a lot of stuff to untangle. To me right now, we’re in bizarre-o land with all of it.

[From OK! Magazine]

Traitor is in theaters now. Cheadle’s next projects include a comedy, Hotel for Dogs with Lisa Kudrow and a gritty drama, Brooklyn’s Finest with Richard Gere.

Don Cheadle is shown outside The Late Show on 8/26/08. Credit: Dan Jackman/WENN