“I’m Calling Robert Downey Jr…” – Joe Rogan’s Guest Was Betrayed by Marvel for the Iron Man Role, Claims Terrence Howard

Terrence Howard‘s role in Iron Man 1 initially brought him recognition among movie enthusiasts. This was partly due to the surprising news that he was paid more than Robert Downey Jr. in the film. However, Downey Jr.’s later success in the role eclipsed Howard’s initial fame.

Contract disputes resulted in Terrence Howard’s fallout with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He did not return for the Second Iron Man installment, causing him to be replaced by Don Cheadle in the role of James Rodhes. During his appearance on The Joe Rogan Podcast, Howard unveiled a trove of previously undisclosed behind-the-scenes details, shedding light on Robert Downey Jr.’s role in the situation.

Terrence Howard recalls Marvel’s backstabbing

In the JRE during episode #2152, Terrence Howard recounts a timeline of events. He recalls when Susan Downey who also produced “The Brave One”, approached him about Robert Downey Jr.’s struggle to secure an audition for Iron Man due to restrictions by Marvel Studios. At that time, Howard was already cast as War Machine in Iron Man 1 and was filming “The Brave One”.

Later, Downey Jr.’s success with Iron Man was a major breakthrough for both him and Marvel. However, this success came at a cost for Terrence Howard. His initial pay of $8 million allegedly dropped to $1 million for the sequel. he said, “I was doing Iron Man, out of nowhere, you know that gets taken away. We did a three-picture deal with Marvel, a three-picture deal,$4 million for the first one, $7.5 to $8 million for the second one, and $12 million for the third. We signed it, they came back to me that week after my mother died. ”

Howard further stated that his agent received a disrespectful phone call, “They  [Marvel] said, “Yeah, we want Terrence back, but we want to come back for a million dollars instead of the $8 million we agreed to.” Howard’s agent Charles King responded with “F**k you” and hung up the phone.

Further, Terrence Howard recounted, “I’m calling Robert Downey Jr…I called him 27 times and I am like, leave a message. I’m calling his assistant. I’m like, I need the help I gave you.” However, Robert Downey Jr. has never publically responded to these claims right now. This isn’t the first time Howard has spoken about Downey Jr. publically. In the past, he’s also alleged that Downey Jr. owes him around $100 million.

Did Downey Jr. owe Howard $100 million?

Terrence Howard was reportedly one of the highest-paid actors in the Iron Man cast. At the time, Robert Downey Jr. wasn’t the initial favorite for the Iron Man role. However, Howard himself has claimed that he advocated for Downey Jr.’s casting.

In a 2015  interview with Rolling Stone, Oscar-nominated actor Terrence Howard claimed he repeatedly tried to reach Robert Downey Jr., leaving messages “like 17 times a day”. Howard alleges Downey Jr. never responded. He further claimed the money originally allocated for him in the sequel was redirected to Downey Jr., who became the face of the Iron Man franchise. Howard estimates this cost him around $100 million, but maintains his action stemmed from his helpful nature.

Moreover, Howard echoed these same sentiments in an interview with Andy Cohen, stating the person he helped ultimately betrayed him. He felt forced into a situation where he could either accept a significantly lower salary or leave the project entirely. Back then, Robert Downey Jr, told MTV he was focused on making good movies and respected Howard’s talent. However, Howard has remained quiet on the issue since then.

Who do you support in this civil war, Iron Man or War Machine? Comment your thoughts below.