Checking back in with next summer’s most anticipated movie, Iron Man 2, we have some new updates about War Machine, the armored battle suit worn by Jim “Rhodey” Rhodes, who will be played by Don Cheadle in the sequel, taking over the role from Iron Man’s Terrence Howard.
The first update comes from Cheadle himself, talking about his performance as Rhodey/War Machine armor and hinting at how much screen time the actual armor will get. The second update comes our way via Sam Rockwell, who stars as Iron Man 2’s evil mastermind industrialist Justin Hammer, the man who (we now know) will be responsible for creating the War Machine armor and sticking Rhodey in the cockpit.
Both of these updates come our way via MTV Splash Page, who have been diligent about keeping up on all things Iron Man 2.
First let’s check out what Don Cheadle had to say about playing Rhodey/War Machine:
“I think the character that I play, my CGI character worked as much as I worked,” he said. “The stuntman worked as much as I worked. It’s a huge undertaking. It was great. It was a really different experience than I have worked on before.”
And what about snagging the role from Terrance Howard – were there any hard feelings between the two actors?
“Terrence is a friend of mine…But the actual playing [of Rhodey], I just felt like it was my role. I wasn’t made to feel like I had to sort of take care of what was done before. I really feel like I could make it my own.”
I like what Cheadle says about his CGI and stuntman counterparts ‘working as hard as he did’; it at least suggests that we’re going to get some good War Machine sequences in the movie. As for the Terrence Howard thing… no offense to Howard but I think people quickly got over the re-casting “scandal” once they learned an actor the caliber of Don Cheadle was being tapped as a replacement…
Onto the interview with Sam Rockwell, from which we have this lovely video:
In case you didn’t catch the vid, here’s the quote you want to pay attention to:
“Don’s character, Rhodey, needs to work with me. He has no choice…So we team up and we build this fabulous War Machine.”
We already know from earlier reports/photos that Iron Man 2 will focus (in part) on Tony Stark’s attempts to keep the Iron Man technology out of the hands of those who might misuse it (including the government), while simultaneously trying to fulfill his obligations as a newly-outed hero. An MTV interview with Don Cheadle during Comic-Con this past summer also hinted at growing friction between Tony and Rhodey, as the former sets off down his own path, while the latter has to honor his obligation to the military.
Just check out this video from that Comic-Con interview and then tell me if YOU think we’ll be seeing an Iron Man vs. War Machine showdown:
Finally, some big news: Splash Page’s most recent talks with Cheadle revealed that the actor will indeed have a starring role in The Avengers! Will War Machine be joining in the adventures of Captain America, Thor and Ol’ Shellhead? Will he be an obstacle in their path? Either way, we’re all eager to find out!
What do you think about the latest word on War Machine in Iron Man 2 and The Avengers? Are you on ‘Team Cheadle’ or are you still cheerleading (in vain) for ‘Team Howard’?
Source: MTV Splash Page
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