Thursday, October 1

• Don Cheadle and Gwyneth Paltrow's Iron Man 2 Set Visit Interviews

  Entertainment Tonight's set visit to Iron Man 2 has already revealed footage of Mickey Rourke as Whiplash, Scarlett Johansson and her reaction to the Iron Man 2 "boys' club," and the casts' enthusiasm over working with Rourke. The latest clip talks specifically to Don Cheadle and what it was like for him to "step up" and wear the "60-pound" armor of War Machine that Cheadle describes as "based off a prototype that Tony Stark developed that Rhodey procures through the course of this movie."

  Watch the full interview below:.

  Gwyneth Paltrow also sat down before the ET cameras to talk about how her character of Pepper Potts will change in the sequel and how great it was to have another woman on the set.

  It's great to have another girl on the set. I love all the boys, but, it's nice to, you know, just to have a girlfriend there to talk ... she cooks a lot and I cook a lot, we talk about cooking, and husbands ... it's just nice to have another female around.

  Paltrow's comments run contrary to rumors about her and Johansson's on-set catfighting, which supposedly stemmed from Paltrow's jealousy over the attention Johansson was getting from the crew. However, Paltrow claims she will show more "skin" in the sequel. Watch the entire interview below.

  
  
  Next Showing: Iron Man 2 opens May 7, 2010

  Posted 10/01/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Don Cheadle | Gwyneth Paltrow | Iron Man 2

Tuesday, September 29

• Scarlett Johansson's Iron Man 2 Set Visit Interview

  Entertainment Tonight previously revealed some Whiplash footage from its Iron Man 2 set visit, but now they've added an in-depth interview with Scarlett Johansson. The topics she covers include her Iron Man 2 stunt work, the Black Widow costume she kept away from husband Ryan Reynolds, and the Iron Man "boys' club."

  It was, yes at times, a little bit of a boys' club but I think I imbued enough femininity to quiet them down a little.

  Indeed she did. Don Cheadle described the crew's reaction to Johansson's costume to as "hushed reverence." Watch the rest of Johansson's interview below.

  
  
  Next Showing: Iron Man 2 opens May 7, 2010

  Posted 09/29/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Don Cheadle | Scarlett Johansson | Iron Man 2

Friday, September 25

• Iron Man 2 Set Visit Reveals Whiplash in Action

  Entertainment Tonight got an exclusive Iron Man 2 set visit and revealed a few sneak peeks into the anticipated sequel. The video contains interviews with Robert Downey Jr., Gwenyth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, and Jon Favreau about the em>Iron Man love triangle, the fitness regimes of the cast, and, most importantly, a few seconds of Mickey Rourke as strong>Whiplash using his whips to destroy a car on the Monaco Grand Prix. The scene is from the initial meeting between Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man, and Whiplash, explained Downey Jr.:

  Tony Stark has come to Monaco, supposedly to observe the race, but then, as it happens, he is racing in it. This is where he meets his nemesis, and this big kind of action sequence unfolds on the track. This is probably about my favorite thing in the world to do professionally because you get the free adrenaline rush and it's all safe.

  Watch the complete video below:

  
  

  Posted 09/25/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Don Cheadle | Gwyneth Paltrow | Jon Favreau | Scarlett Johansson | Robert Downey Jr. | Mickey Rourke | Iron Man 2

Friday, August 21

• Don Cheadle Admits Half of His Iron Man 2 Performance is CGI

  The big surprise at San Diego Comic-Con was the reveal that Don Cheadle as Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes would appear as War Machine in Iron Man 2, but what Cheadle didn't realize is how much CGI would go into his performance, as he revealed to ComicBookResources:

  I didn't expect the "Rhodey CGI" character to work more days than me. I didn't think my stuntman would work as many days as I did. But you know, really it's a combination of your work. You're in this motion capture suit, then stuntmen do some stuff, you get to do some stuff, then they don't need any of you and they draw it themselves. In a movie like this, you do your performance and then you hand it off. Then teams of people flesh it out and create what we saw, so you have to trust a lot. But wearing the suit, it's heavy this is true.

  Despite his surprise, Cheadle is thrilled to be playing a superhero:

  You fantasize about it as a kid and think it would be a lot of fun. Then you're 40 and you're like, "Nah." But I saw the first Iron Man and I just really enjoyed it. I thought they did a great job. They were able to really combine the CGI and the pyrotechnics with some real character stuff going on, so I thought it was a very interesting mix. When I got the call I had to ponder it for a while but ultimately I thought, "Yeah, this is a good thing to do."

  With that much CGI being poured into Cheadle's role, it must mean that War Machine plays a very significant part in the movie. Will it be enough for War Machine to get his own movie?

  We haven't discussed that. I have no idea. Maybe. Potentially. But, he's an integral part of the Iron Man 2 story, for sure. His relationship with Robert [Downey Jr.] is a big part of the story, what happens with Tony Stark and me.

  
  
  Next Showing: Iron Man 2 opens May 7, 2010

  Posted 08/21/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Don Cheadle | Robert Downey Jr. | Iron Man | Iron Man 2

Monday, August 17

• Are there Too Many Villains in Iron Man 2?

  It's a common problem for comic book-movie sequels: too many villains. In Iron Man, director Jon Favreau kept things simple by having Robert Downey Jr. square off with only one major villain, Jeff Bridges. For Iron Man 2, Downey Jr. will face off against Mickey Rourke as Whiplash, Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, and possibly fighting with best friend Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Don Cheadle) as War Machine, whose appearance was confirmed at the San Diego Comic-Con.

  Cheadle told MTV that his time in the War Machine armor was "significant" and that there will be tension between himself and Downey Jr.:

  We kept asking ourselves: How does that play out with Tony Stark being an independent contractor doing what he wants to do, and Rhodes actually being in the military. There's a real chain of command he has to follow. What's the conflict that creates?

  Will featuring so many potential adversaries in Iron Man 2 weigh down the movie? Favreau seems aware of the potential villain overload and doesn't see it as a problem:

  We had to walk a fine line. I think you're good for number two. Two seems to be the charm because you got your origin story out of the way. You can add some complexity to it and you have room, because you don't have to tell the origin story, to introduce the characters. When you get to number three, you can get hidebound. You're like a beached whale sometimes because you have so much, you collapse under the weight of the complexity that you've created.

  Favreau has suggested that a potential Iron Man 3 will likely focus on arch-nemesis Mandarin. Thus far, no other villains have been named. That ought to keep the "complexity" down.

  
  
  Next Showing: Iron Man 2 opens May 7, 2010

  Posted 08/17/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Don Cheadle | Jeff Bridges | Jon Favreau | Scarlett Johansson | Robert Downey Jr. | Mickey Rourke | Iron Man | Iron Man 2 | Iron Man 3 | Iron Man | Iron Man 2 | Iron Man 3

Monday, August 3

• Don Cheadle Discusses His Role in Iron Man 2

  

  

  Actor Don Cheadle's addition to the cast of Iron Man 2 as James "Rhodey" Rhodes/War Machine was one of the most controversial decisions made in pre-production because fans were very fond of the actor who played Rhodey in the first movie, Terrence Howard. During a series of Iron Man 2 roundtable interviews at the San Diego Comic-Con, we asked Cheadle if there was any "bad blood" between the two actors, and he said:

  I didn't take a role from Terrence, you know. It's potentially weird between he and them because, you know, that was their deal. But, by the time I came on, he was already not doing the movie.

  Terrence has been a friend for a while. I produced Crash and put him in Crash. And I was his friend before that, too, so he knew there was no beef. I didn't snake a part from Terrence. He was cool with me.

  When asked about how he prepared himself to play Rhodey, a Marvel Comics character that's been around since the late 70's, Cheadle said:

  

  I went back and looked at a lot of different... there's so many different iterations of James "Rhodey" Rhodes in comic books, so it was hard to go, "Well, I want to be the one in 1982..." It's like, which one am I picking? So...what's the common denominator here? The common denominator was really his friendship with Tony. And, that's what we really tried to track. How is their friendship impacted once Tony comes out and owns, "I am Iron Man," and now I'm in the military and there's a chain-of-command that I have to follow but you're working outside of the military and basically you're a live weapon that can do whatever it wants ... that was the strain, that was the tension that was between their relationship that drives the whole movie, for our characters.

  Cheadle said that he was happy to sign a multi-picture deal in order to win the role of Rhodey, but that if he had the opportunity to play any "superhero" he wanted, he would choose the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama.

  I mean, that's a crazy answer, but it's true. Comic books, you know, I really liked Swamp Thing. I loved that comic. And, I loved The Dark Knight. I was a fan of that comic book.

  Iron Man 2 also stars Robert Downey Jr., Sam Rockwell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke, and Samuel L. Jackson. There are also rumors that Edward Norton will reprise the role of the Hulk in the film, but Norton has refused to comment.

  
  
  

  Iron Man 2 Update

  Don Cheadle replaces Terrence Howard as War Machine.

  Posted 08/03/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Don Cheadle | Jon Favreau | Scarlett Johansson | Robert Downey Jr. | The Iron Man | Iron Man 2

Saturday, August 1

• Jon Favreau Discusses the New Characters in Iron Man 2

  

  Writer, actor, director Jon Favreau understands the importance of winning over the core comic book fan base, which is why he debuted footage of both Iron Man films at the San Diego Comic-Con. About the über-zealous fans, Favreau said, "The geeks have inherited the Earth, and that's good news for us."

  In a roundtable interview after the Iron Man 2 footage was shown, Favreau explained why Whiplash (played by Mickey Rourke) and War Machine (Don Cheadle) were featured instead of Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), the original choice for the teaser.

  The jury was out on Scarlett for a while ... and when those pictures came out online everybody was like, "Wow." So, I was like, "Okay, that's not the big one," you know? And, with Whiplash, we kind of wanted to show a little bit more of what we're doing with the technology of that character and explain how it fits into the story.

  Favreau explained that the character of Whiplash is very much a dark version of Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.).

  

  We want to unify the technology of what's going on with Iron Man, what's going on with Whiplash, and ... when ... (Rourke's character is) building Whiplash, it's mirroring in a lot of ways the assembly of the (Iron Man) armor, except under different circumstances. So, it's almost like the shadow version of Tony Stark coming from a different place going through a similar journey as him.

  The part of the Iron Man 2 teaser that seemed to most electrify the audience in Hall H was the footage of War Machine, a souped-up, Iron Man-on-steroids hero. Favreau explained:

  The thing that's fun about War Machine is it's over-the-top ... Iron Man is the sleek, elegant version where everything is contained under the airframe and War Machine is, you know, the over-the-top, everything hangin' out and ... it creates a little bit of a rivalry between the two of them in that respect. So, we use guns ... there's lots of gun porn in this movie, lets put it that way. And it's not just with that character, there's a lot — we're living in that world and it's the extreme version of the military industrial complex. That's the pool that we spawn from.

  Iron Man 2 also stars Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer, Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. There are also rumors that either Bruce Banner or the Hulk will make a cameo appearance in the film, but Edward Norton has refused to comment.

  
  
  Next Showing: Iron Man 2 opens May 7, 2010

  Posted 08/01/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Don Cheadle | Jon Favreau | Scarlett Johansson | Robert Downey Jr. | Mickey Rourke | Iron Man | Iron Man 2

Monday, July 27

• War Machine to Appear in Iron Man 2

  

  

  Terrence Howard's prophetic utterance of "next time" from Iron Man is the key to Jon Favreau and company's biggest surprise revealed at San Diego Comic-Con. During an Iron Man 2 panel discussion, Favreau told the crowd that War Machine will indeed appear in the movie:

  We wanted to use Comic-Con as our venue to have the first images of War Machine come out. There's been talk of whether it was [in the film] or not, and we've been holding back. We haven't talked officially about it. We wanted to show the fans some of that.

  For those unfamiliar with the character from the comic books, Favreau explained:

  War Machine is another character that's based on the Iron Man technology. James Rhodes, or 'Rhodey,' the character in this film played by Don Cheadle [replacing Howard], he has his own suit. It looks different, different coloring, different weapons on it. War Machine and Iron Man, typically in the books, are at odds. And so, it's Iron Man facing up against someone of equal power and stature using the same technology.

  Favreau then showed a 5-minute clip of the movie that featured Cheadle being offered the armor by Tony Stark rival Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) and ended in an action shot of War Machine firing weapons from his armor.

  With Mickey Rourke looking to complicate things as nemesis Whiplash and Scarlett Johansson possibly working to bring down Tony Stark as well, the addition of War Machine is sure to give Robert Downey Jr. a lot to deal with in the sequel. After seeing the footage of War Machine, Downey Jr. was not pleased.

  "I can't believe your rig is better than my rig," Downey Jr. said to Cheadle.

  "It was a contractual thing," Cheadle responded.

  
  
  Next Showing: Iron Man 2 opens May 7, 2010

  Posted 07/27/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Don Cheadle | Jon Favreau | Scarlett Johansson | Terrence Howard | Sam Rockwell | Robert Downey Jr. | Mickey Rourke | Iron Man | Iron Man 2

Thursday, July 23

• More Iron Man 2 Photos

  USA Today released a gallery of Iron Man 2 photos, days after a photo of Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow hit the Interwebs.

  The photos sweep through most of the cast, starting with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) on a racetrack after a crash has occurred, Don Cheadle as Col. James Rhodes, another shot of Johansson, and one of Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts.

  The cast talks briefly about the expectations for the big-budget sequel, something that Downey Jr. takes very seriously.

  We know now [the audience] gets the jokes. They get what we're trying to do with the story. Now we have to tell a better one.

  You can find the photo gallery here.

  
  

  Posted 07/23/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Don Cheadle | Gwyneth Paltrow | Scarlett Johansson | Robert Downey Jr. | Iron Man 2

Friday, July 17

• Iron Man 2 Will Feature a Cockatoo and Other Spoilers

  Entertainment Weekly's coverage of Iron Man 2 did more than just show Scarlett Johansson in her Black Widow costume. It also revealed a few spoilers about the upcoming sequel. WARNING: If you'd like your Iron Man 2 viewing to remain unspoiled, time to stop reading.

  Most superhero movie sequels are given the "double villain" treatment and Iron Man 2 is no different. However, this time villains Mickey Rourke as Whiplash and Sam Rockwell as weapons-manufacturing rival Justin Hammer won't be working alone. They'll be joined in their fight against Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) by ... a cockatoo? Rourke explains the need for his new right-hand, er, shoulder, man.

  I told [director Jon] Favreau, "I don't want to just play him as a one-dimensional p----." He let me have a cockatoo, who I talk to and get drunk with while I'm making my suit.

  Johansson's Black Widow will be complicating matters, specifically for Stark's former assistant, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). "The men want it to be, like, 'Ooh, the girls are fighting over Tony,' but it's not as standard as that," explains Paltrow. Downey Jr. agrees that there's a "a weird male catfight fantasy" to contend with between the two women, but this is the Iron Man franchise, as Downey is quick to point out.

  We're horny. Not, like, can't-bring-your-kids horny, but just ... horny.

  The replacement of Terrence Howard's Colonel Rhodes with Don Cheadle will also be addressed "in one exchange," says Cheadle. "We're not trying to fool people."

  Considering the pressure put on a sequel whose predecessor was as successful as Iron Man, there are likely plenty more suprises in store. No one is more aware of that, however, than Downey Jr.

  There are a lot more invisible eyes on us now. People are going to be more critical. That's their prerogative.... In a way, there's no way to win, except to win. Big.

  
  
  Next Showing: Iron Man 2 opens May 7, 2010

  Posted 07/17/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Don Cheadle | Gwyneth Paltrow | Jon Favreau | Terrence Howard | Robert Downey Jr. | Iron Man | Iron Man 2

Friday, May 1

• First Official Iron Man 2 Image

  USA Today has the exclusive first official photo from Iron Man 2. It shows "out-of-the-closet" superhero Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, sitting at his high-tech workstation contemplating his next armored adventure.

  Is it just me, or does Robert Downey Jr. look a little like a wax mannequin from Madam Tussaud's?

  If you look closely, you can see four of his alter-egos in the blurry background. Mark I-IV are there, but unfortunately, no War Machine armor can be seen. More than likely, that suit will be kept under wraps as long as possible to build anticipation among the fanboys. But mark our words, the heavily armed armor will make its live-action debut in this movie. Otherwise, side-kick Don Cheadle will be naked part of the time!

  This super sequel to last summer's blockbuster is sure to be a huge hit, especially with director Jon Favreau's cutting edge connection to comic book movie fans. He's a hit on Twitter -- enthusiastically tweeting his daily experiences on the set.

  
  

  Posted 05/01/2009 by Jim

  Related: Don Cheadle | Jon Favreau | Robert Downey Jr. | Iron Man 2

Thursday, April 9

• First Day Filming Iron Man 2 Reveals... Garry Shandling?

  Director Jon Favreau has started shooting Iron Man 2 and we've got the first footage showing the actors making their way to and from the set. Admittedly, it's not much, but only exciting because it showcases many of the key characters. From this, we even learn that comedian Garry Shandling is in the movie!

  
  

  Posted 04/09/2009 by Jim

  Related: Don Cheadle | Gwyneth Paltrow | Jon Favreau | Scarlett Johansson | Sam Rockwell | Robert Downey Jr. | Mickey Rourke | Iron Man 2

Monday, November 3

• Dollar Dispute Behind Iron Man 2's Howard/Cheadle Controversy

  Details are finally beginning to emerge regarding actor Terrence Howard's rather ignominious departure from Iron Man 2. Confirming what many of us had assumed, Entertainment Weekly is reporting that money was at the source of the dispute that led Marvel to recast Don Cheadle in the role of Tony Stark's loyal wingman Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes. But wait, there's oh, so much more:

  "Howard was the first actor signed to the film and, on top of that, was the highest-paid," claims EW. "That's right: more than Gwyneth Paltrow. More than Jeff Bridges. More than Robert Downey Jr. And once the project fully came together, it was too late to renegotiate his deal."

  Once again, the Notorious B.I.G.'s prescient words ring true: Mo money, mo problems. And what genius had the bright idea to sign an actor to a supporting role in a high-profile movie before even a director had been hired, you ask? Why, it was former CEO of Marvel and arch-nemesis of fanboys everywhere, Avi Arad. Thanks Avi!

  
  

  Posted 11/03/2008 by reelz

  Related: Don Cheadle | Terrence Howard | Iron Man 2 | Iron Man

Wednesday, October 15

• Cheadle Replaces Howard in Iron Man 2

  In a surprising turn of events for the Iron Man franchise, Terrence Howard has reportedly been replaced by Don Cheadle as Rhodey/War Machine in Iron Man 2.
  

  According to the generally reliable gossip site Defamer, Howard's deal fell through because the actor wanted more money than the studio was willing to pay. Defamer also claims that Howard was stipulating that his single with Seal and Heidi Klum become the sequel's "love theme."

  We may never know what happened for sure, but either way, Howard's role as Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes has come to an end after one pic and it will be Cheadle who gets to step into the hotly-anticipated War Machine costume.

  We'll bring you more on this new Iron Man 2 casting news as we hear it.

  
  

  Posted 10/15/2008 by reelz

  Related: Don Cheadle | Jon Favreau | Terrence Howard | Iron Man 2

Wednesday, August 27

• Traitor a Bright Spot in Dark August
  

  Okay, so a 55 percent on Rotten Tomatoes for Traitor can't exactly be considered rave reviews by any means, but considering the 40 percent and under all of last weekend's releases received or the staggering 0 percent this week's Babylon A.D. has from the first six reviewers, Traitor should at least be decent, right?

  Ty Burr of The Boston Globe called Don Cheadle's Samir Horn character "one of the more maddeningly, gratifyingly complex lead characters seen in movies lately" and A.O. Scott of The New York Times calls Traitor "a somber, absorbing and only moderately preposterous new thriller."

  
  
  Next Showing: Traitor opens nationwide today.

  Posted 08/27/2008 by reelz

  Related: Don Cheadle | Traitor

• Cheadle and Pearce Hand Over Details on Traitor

  Traitor -- a spy movie about international espionage -- is being marketed as "this year's Bourne Ultimatum." Don Cheadle stars as a Samir Horn, a former Special Ops soldier who now aids terrorists. Guy Pearce is Roy Clayton, the federal agent tasked with tracking him down...and trying to understand Horn's decision to work against his country. We recently spoke to both stars about Traitor. For more details and clips from the movie, see our interview with Don Cheadle and our interview with Guy Pearce.

  
  

  Posted 08/27/2008 by reelz

  Related: Don Cheadle | Guy Pearce | Traitor | The Bourne Ultimatum

Tuesday, September 11

• Movie news: Hudson & Cheadle

  Don Cheadle, who may be best known for his dramatic turns in movies such as Reign Over Me, Talk to Me, and Hotel Rwanda has signed on to join Emma Roberts in the family movie, Hotel for Dogs. Perhaps Hotel for Dogs wil be a message movie after all. Or perhaps Cheadle just needs to be in something light for a change.

  Also,Sex and The City: The Movie has a new character in the form of Jennifer Hudson. The Oscar-winning Effie will play Carrie Bradshaw's assistant. Say, we're writers living in a big city. We could use an assistant. Maybe she wants to work for us instead?

  Source: Variety.

  
  
  

  Reign Over Me

  Interview: Don Cheadle On The Balance Of Comedy And Drama

  Posted 09/11/2007 by reelz

  Related: Don Cheadle | Jennifer Hudson | Hotel for Dogs | Sex and the City