Terence Howard blames Robert Downey, Jr for being dumped from 'Iron Man' movies

March 4, 2011. Actor Terence Howard poses at the NAACP Awards in Los Angeles, California. (Reuters)

Terence Howard is blaming co-star Robert Downey, Jr for being dumped from the hugely successful "Iron Man" trilogy.

The "Hustle & Flow" actor was a guest on Andy Cohen's show, "Watch What Happens Live," when a viewer called in to ask why he didn't appear in the second and third installments of the "Iron Man" series.

"Would you like to really know?" Howard answered. "It turns out in order for - this is going to get me in a lot of trouble - it turns out that the person that I helped become Iron Man ... when it was time to re-up for the second one, took the money that was supposed to go to me and pushed me out."

Howard appeared in the original 2008 movie as Air Force Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes but was axed from the next two super hero films.

"The word was that you wanted the same money as Downey," the Bravo host volunteered.

“We did a three picture deal, so that means that you did the deal ahead of time," explained the 44-year-old actor. "There was going to be a certain amount for the first one, a certain amount for the second, and a certain amount for the third.

“They came to me with the second and said, "Look, we will pay you one eighth of what we contractually had for you, because we think the second one will be successful with or without you

“I called 'my friend' that I helped get the first job, and he didn't call me back for three months,''' he added.

When asked how their relationship is now, Howard replied, "Oh I love him, God's going to bless him."