10 Characters Cruelly Recast Before They Made It Big

9. James Rhodes (Iron Man 2)

Originally Played By: Terrence Howard played Tony Stark's best buddy Rhodey in the original Iron Man, and though Howard did a perfectly good job, his role in the movie was clearly just the beginning, the build-up to a far more important and action-packed role in the sequels. However, Howard would never get the chance, as reportedly due to his high salary demands (he was paid more than Robert Downey Jr. for the first film, and Marvel balked at paying him the same for Iron Man 2), he was let go. Other reports suggested that Jon Favreau was unimpressed with Howard's performance, but whatever the real reason, he was given the boot. Recast As: Don Cheadle took over the part for both Iron Man sequels, and did a spectacular job making the role his own. Getting into both the War Machine and Iron Patriot suits and helping Iron Man out, it's a part Howard is surely gutted he lost, all the more considering Rhodes is being penciled in for a part in the upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron.