Terrence Howard Reveals That His One-Sided Contract Stopped Him From Starring in ‘Iron Man 2′

Being that Marvel Comics — which is now owned by Disney — has created an ongoing connected universe of franchises with its Avengers movies, it’s become clear now that once you sign up to play a Marvel character your character will potentially pop up in other films.  For example, Robert Downey, Jr. does not only star as Tony Stark in the three Iron Man movies, but he also has appeared as Stark in The Avengers and The Incredible Hulk.  And it’s well-known that if the film has anything to do with the Avengers, it’s pretty much guaranteed that Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury will be showing his face.

However, one actor in particular seemed to have escaped the Avengers franchise — Terrence Howard, who played Stark’s friend James “Rhodey” Rhodes in Iron Man, was replaced by Don Cheadle for Iron Man 2 and 3 (which allowed Cheadle to step into the armor of Rhodey’s superhero alter ego, War Machine).  There were many rumors about why Howard didn’t reprise the role in Iron Man 2, including ones that claimed Howard was the highest-paid actor in Iron Man and that he caused problems on the set. Read more

Terrence Howard on ‘Dead Man Down’: “The whole thing for me in the character was the hair”

Terrence Howard knows that it’s all about swagger when playing a villain.  In his new film, Dead Man Down, the Oscar-nominated actor used his style to depict a true bad guy.

“The whole thing for me in the character was the hair,” he said in an interview with Moviefone.  “That was my decision with the director.  When he’s trying to conduct business, he wants to be a goody-goody boy, so he combs his hair and gives it a little Superman swirl and all of that.  But when he gets ready to go and be a bad guy, he goes back to that slicked-back hair and that monster he was when he was 19, 20 and making his bones on the street.”

So, while Howard (Hustle and Flow, Iron Man) uses his style to help fully flesh out his characters, he’s not one of those actors that believes in writing a back story for his characters. Read more

5 Clips for George Lucas’ ‘Red Tails’ featuring Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Bryan Cranston

Here’s 5 clips from George Lucas‘ War Would II action flick, Red Tails.

Directed by Anthony Hemingway and starring Terrence Howard, Tristan Wilds, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Bryan Cranston, the film follows the story of the Tuskegee Airmen as they take to the skies to fight for their country — and the fate of the free world.

The film has a huge cast; also starring Nate Parker, David Oyelowo, Brandon T. Jackson, Ne-Yo, Method Man, Kevin Phillips, Rick Otto, Lee Tergesen, Andre Royo, Elijah Kelley, Marcus T. Paulk, Michael B. Jordan, Jazmine Sullivan and Gerald McRaney.

It’ll be release on January 20th. Check out the clips below! Read more

Trailer #3: ‘Red Tails’ starring Bryan Cranston, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard

Here’s the 3rd trailer for Red Tails, the film based on The Tuskegee Airmen. The effects look great but I’m not sold and I think the reason is because Terrence Howard looks like he’s hamming it up. Check it out and tell me I’m not right.

Synopsis: 1944. As the war in Europe continues to take its toll on Allied forces, the Pentagon brass has no recourse but to consider unorthodox options – including the untried and untested African-American pilots of the experimental Tuskegee training program. Just as the young Tuskegee men are on the brink of being shut down and shipped back home, they are given the ultimate chance to show their courage. Against all the odds, with something to prove and everything to lose, these intrepid young airmen take to the skies to fight for their country – and the fate of the free world. courtesy of trailers.apple.com

Director: Anthony Hemingway

Cast: Bryan Cranston, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, David Oyelowo, Kevin Phillips, Nate Parker, Daniela Ruah, Michael B. Jordan, Tristan Wilds, Cliff Smith, Rick Otto

In Theaters: January 20th, 2012
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Terrence Howard & Cuba Gooding, Jr. Praise George Lucas and Lament the Current State of African-American Cinema

Red Tails isn’t just a vanity project for producer George Lucas — the story of the World War II Tuskeegee Airmen is something Lucas has wanted to tackle for years — but a film that fills a void that is all-too-often ignored: a drama with a predominantly African-American cast. 

They’re a rarity in Hollywood, and Think Progress caught up with two of the film’s stars, Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding, Jr., to discuss with them the current state of African-Americans in Hollywood.  Their thoughts?  It’s difficult to break through.

Howard maintains that Hollywood is unwilling to invest in films with African-American casts because of the perceived low earning potential.  He explains, “Now, Hollywood, for a number of years has maintained the status quo by saying black films do not have an international value. Therefore we’re able to pay black actors less, we can give them less money to make their films…If this film, if George Lucas, who is basically the Parrish of the film industry, as Col. Noel Parrish did for the Tuskeegee Airbase, he put his entire career on the line and stood behind these black pilots, these American pilots. What George Lucas did, he put his entire career on the line…when they wouldn’t distribute it, he put $30 million into distribution. If this film is not successful, it will become a stumbling block for all time where they can say that black films do not have value or merit. It’s important that this film is supported…if George Lucas does not profit from this, then the rest of the industry will see no profit in black people.”   Read more

2 Trailers: ‘Red Tails’ starring Bryan Cranston, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard

Red Tails: 1944. As the war in Europe continues to take its toll on Allied forces, the Pentagon brass has no recourse but to consider unorthodox options – including the untried and untested African-American pilots of the experimental Tuskegee training program. Just as the young Tuskegee men are on the brink of being shut down and shipped back home, they are given the ultimate chance to show their courage. Against all the odds, with something to prove and everything to lose, these intrepid young airmen take to the skies to fight for their country – and the fate of the free world. from trailers.apple.com

Director: Anthony Hemingway
Cast: Bryan Cranston, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, David Oyelowo, Kevin Phillips, Nate Parker, Daniela Ruah, Michael B. Jordan, Tristan Wilds, Cliff Smith, Rick Otto

In Theaters: January 20, 2012

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Trailer: “The Ledge” starring Liv Tyler, Patrick Wilson, Charlie Hunnam, Terrence Howard

The Ledge: One step can change a life forever in THE LEDGE, a sexy and suspenseful thriller, starring Charlie Hunnam, Liv Tyler, Patrick Wilson and Terrence Howard. After embarking on a passionate affair with his evangelical neighbor’s wife (Tyler), Gavin (Sons of Anarchy’s Hunnam) soon finds himself in a battle of wills that will have life or death consequences. As a nonbeliever, Gavin is lured by his lover’s husband (Insidious’s Wilson) to the ledge of a high rise and told he has one hour to make a choice between his life or the one he loves. Without faith in an afterlife, will he be able to make a decision? It’s up to police officer Hollis (Howard) to save both their lives, but the clock is ticking in this edge-of-your-seat film that will leave you gasping until the final frame. from trailers.apple.com

Director: Matthew Chapman
Cast: Liv Tyler, Patrick Wilson, Charlie Hunnam, Terrence Howard, Christopher Gorham

In theaters: July 8th, 2011

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Terrence Howard talks about being dumped

Since Iron Man 2 started filming today, its kind of fitting that Terrence Howard finally comes out and tells his side of the story on why he was canned in the role of Jim Rhodes.

I think Howard is an incredible actor (have you seen Hustle and Flow?) and hate the fact that he was replaced but…you can never go wrong with Don Cheadle.

From SciFiWire.com

We were really looking forward to you continuing in Iron Man 2 and 3. What happened?

Howard: Iron Man happened with that. Marvel happened with it. They made a choice. They made a very, very bad choice. They didn’t keep their word. They didn’t honor our contract. They sent everyone out into a field and told them to work and produce a great bounty. You produce a great bounty, and then when it’s all in the storehouse, you are not allowed into the storehouse.

Does that have anything to do with what went on with Samuel L. Jackson and Nick Fury?

Howard: They did the same thing with Gwyneth [Paltrow], from what I’ve been told. They did it with almost everyone, I think, except Downey throughout the thing. One of the things that actors need to learn to do is take a tip from Friends [whose cast members all held out for higher pay]. You always choose to stick together. One for all and all for one. Our Gang, you know? Let Spanky be our rule.

Does that teach you a lesson about Hollywood politics?

Howard: Yeah, make sure your Ts are crossed twice.

Aren’t you dangerous to them now, since you know the plans for the trilogy?

Howard: Nah, when someone does something wrong, you don’t have to get them back. Everything right will return the favor for you.

Will you be eagerly awaiting Iron Man 2 in theaters?

Howard: Yeah, I’m definitely looking forward to it. I want to see what happens with that. I want to see Don Cheadle become me. I want him to do better than me. That’s what I really want to see. I think he can. Don Cheadle is the reason I got on Crash. He was one of the producers on Crash, and he called and got me in there. So it’s like Don is good by me, anything he does. He’s given me the greatest gift I could ever imagine having. Don gave me that, so anything I have, I’ll share with him.

What really went down with Terrence Howard on Iron Man 2?

Insiders believe the exit stems from Terrence Howard’s difficult behavior on the set of Iron Man. But those with intimate knowledge of the situation suggest a far more dramatic backstory: Howard was the first actor signed to the film and, on top of that, was the highest-paid.

Terrence Howard in shock over Iron Man 2

“It was the surprise of a lifetime,” he said. “There was no explanation. [The contract] just…up and vanished.”