1. In the nerd equivalent of heaven, James Cameron and Peter Jackson attended their first Comic-Con, and did a panel together where they talk about the future of film-making and Jackson reveals that a script for The Hobbit, his Lord of the Rings prequel, will be finished in a month. [Zap2It]

2. Lost isn't known for parting with information easily, but they did have some good tidbits at their panel. Characters Juliet and Daniel Faraday will be back for the final season. Also in season six: no more time travel, the return of Charlie and Boone, the backstory for the enigmatic Richard Alpert, and some allusions to what may be alternate timelines. Damn, that shit makes our brain hurt. [EOnline]

3. Warner Bros. tried to roll out the new Patricia Heaton comedy The Middle at their Mom-A-Con. No one showed for the counter programming. Everyone said, "Mom, stop embarrasing me!" [THRFeed]

4. Hayden Panettiere is going to get some girl-on-girl action for the new season of Heroes. Yeah, cause that is what is going to fix this show. [io9]

5. Two scenes from the upcoming Twilight sequel, New Moon, were screened. Lots of girls screamed. [CelebrityCafe]

6. Iron Man 2 is going to fucking rule. Fans were excited by footage that shows Samuel L. Jackson's return as Nick Fury, Mickey Rourke playing new villain Whiplash, and a bunch of awesome special effects. Robert Downey Jr, director Jon Favreau, and new additions Scarlett Johannson (who plays sexy spy Black Widow) and Don Cheadle (replacing Terrence Howard) were all in attendance. That's either an A-List Comic-Con panel or a night at The Waverly Inn. [EW]

7. Ok, Iron Man gets two entries because the sequel is laying the foundation for Marvel's much anticipated (among comic geeks) Avengers movie (not the crappy Uma Thurmond one, this one has Captain American and shit). [EOnline]

8. We haven't seen the last of Battlestar Galactica, Edward James Olmos' career to continue. [io9]

9. You're probably not going to see Family Guy's "Abortion Episode," at least on the air, but it will probably be on DVD. What? Fox suddenly has standards? [LAT]

10. Alien invasion drama Vis back and the geeks love it. Is there anything left from the '80s for us to bring back? Alf, maybe? [THRFeed]

According to a police report obtained by The Smoking Gun, the Iron Man star had a heated exchange with Lori McCommas over the phone, which led to him making threats on her safety:

According to a Whitemarsh Police Department report...the actor warned, "Don't disrespect me by hanging up on me or I'll come over and hurt you." McCommas then "hung up and contacted 911 fearing Howard was serious."

While McCommas was speaking with a police dispatcher, Howard "showed up at the victim's residence and began breaking the door down." McCommas ran to the rear of the house and into the backyard. Howard then "broke the front door down and ran through the screen door in the kitchen. Howard then grabbed the victim's left arm and punched her twice with a closed fist in the left side of the face."

The attack was broken up by Howard's brother, who responded to McCommas's house after he "saw Howard storm out of their house to go to the victim's house." When a Whitemarsh cop responded to the scene, Howard admitted, "I broke the door down and hit my wife." A second officer noted there was "fresh damage to the front door and marks on the victim's face and arm from being struck."

It's an indefensible crime, made no less excusable by Howard's indignant demands to know "how many times dp=o you have to remind them to refill the Wet Ones dispenser before they FINALLY LEARN TO LISTEN?!" as he was led away by Whitemarsh law enforcement in handcuffs.

• Terrence Howard's Fists Of Fury [The Smoking Gun]

Caught outside of Mr. Chow by an inquisitve Hollywood.tv paparazzo, Howard commented on the Rihanna/Brown situation with a sighed, "It's just life, man." he then added, "Chris is a great guy, man. He'll be all right. And Rihanna knows he loves her, you know? They'll be alright. 'Cause everybody gotta get out of their way, you know what I mean?" Yes, we do—it means that the Howard-mocking Jamie Foxx has a lot more material now. [Celebuzz]

Appearing this month on Big Boy's radio show, Foxx sought the opportunity to escalate a feud started by his former Ray costar, who had once critiqued Foxx's music career in the press (no doubt saying "Jamie, Jamie, you don't need to do this. You have an Oscar" like the rest of America). Claiming Howard played the same fey, quavery character in every movie, Foxx then launched into an extended impression of the actor that sadly culminated before he could reenact Howard's musical tribute to the colorblind love shown by Project Runway hostesses. Don Cheadle, we love you, but we're beginning our own fanboy campaign: Jamie Foxx as Terrence Howard as War Machine in Jon Favreau's Iron Man 2! [Big Boy]

When asked if he had anything to do with the Howard/Cheadle switch, Downey immediately responded, “I had nothing to do with that decision. I love Terrence very very much. That’s all I’ll say because I haven’t talked to him yet.”

Furthermore, the Iron Man star makes it clear that he will not play favorites between the two equally talented actors, so if you’re looking for a juicy “good riddance” quote from Downey [...] you won’t find it here.

“I’ve always admired Don [Cheadle],” said Downey. “It’s one of those situations where I still don’t quite know what happened or why. Here’s what happens too: things happen and you wind up commenting on them before you’ve actually talked to the people and it’s in poor taste.”

Of course we're nothing if not helpful, so here's Howard's account, and here's Marvel's (we think). Please file your response in the comments below; we have a rally to get to!

• EXCLUSIVE: Robert Downey Jr. On Terrence Howard/Don Cheadle ‘Iron Man 2’ Swap [MTV]

Those with intimate knowledge of the situation suggest a far more dramatic backstory: Howard was the first actor signed to the film and, on top of that, was the highest-paid. 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. It didn't help that, according to one source, Favreau and his producers were ultimately unhappy with Howard's performance, and spent a lot of time cutting and reshooting his scenes.

...As such, when Favreau and screenwriter Justin Theroux went to map out the sequel they found themselves minimizing Howard's story line. Once Marvel learned that Favreau was thinking of curtailing the role, the studio went to the actor's agents with a new and drastically reduced offer — a number that's similar to what supporting cast members were paid for the first movie. The agents, according to sources, were so taken aback by this new figure — estimated at somewhere between a 50 and 80 percent pay cut — that they questioned it.

Yes, it's hard to believe Howard wouldn't take Marvel up on their awkward offer. "Hey, uh, Terrence! So, we're going to start the sequel with you already in the War Machine suit. And, uh, you never come out of it. Plus, no musical number. So, how about $500 grand and a few net points?"

• 'Iron Man 2': How Terrence Howard Lost His Metal [EW]

ARE YOU A FAN? THEN YOU SHOULD BE OUTRAGED AT MARVEL! [...]

Marvel is under the impression that just any person can play Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes. They are sadly mistaken. Marvel asked Terrence Howard to be Rhodey. He signed on to play Rhodey. Terrence Howard became Rhodey.

We were under the impression that when you signed a contract with someone, it was their word. "That's how Dad did it. That's how America does it. And it's worked out pretty good so far."

Signed,

Future Ticket Holders

And outrage is mounting at the petition site, where nearly 900 of those angry FTH's have stormed the barricades with pickets screaming, "Marvel you're going to pay for your wretched treachery," "I support this petition With all my power and right to the death," " Ya lol i agree! down with Cheadle! Up with Howard!" and — in the equivalent of a dirty bomb thrown in Marvel's lobby — "Terrance [sic] Howard o nada! mejor cancelen Iron Man 2." Surely whenever the SWAT team is finished over at MGM Tower, they'll be on the spot in Beverly Hills.

• Terrence Howard as War Machine in 'Iron Man 2' [HowardNotCheadle.com]

TH: It was the surprise of a lifetime, you know? It really was. I was like, "Wait a minute, How did this take place?" There was no explanation, but it was gone. It was gone like life; it up and vanished. Then I read something in the trades that implicated it was about money or something. But apparently the contracts that we write and sign aren't worth the paper that they're printed on. [...] And now the challenge is not to be angry, but you just keep moving forward. You keep moving forward. Like a lot of Americans, I lost my 401(k), basically, because that was a very promising thing. But to have to keep working, that's even more promising.

NPR: You've played pimps. Is there a difference between their business principals and the ones in Hollywood?

TH: No. Promises aren't kept, and good-faith negotiations aren't always held up. You know? Even friendships, people you support. When it comes down to it, the only true support you have is the work that you've done — the laurels of your work and the ethics by which you stand.

For Marvel's part, president of production Kevin Feige first offered no comment to MTV News, later implying that even Cheadle isn't necessarily booked for the sequel: “As is the policy with most people, when you talk about dotting I’s and crossing T’s, certainly that isn’t the case yet on a number of things we’re doing. But that [Hollywood Reporter story] was not an announcement. That was, as it tends to happen in the business, is rumors and leaks and things like that. I do think there will be clarity soon.” No rush, Kev — only 18 months until Iron Man 2 opens, and Justin Theroux was desperately hoping to cut Howard's climactic, contractually obligated musical number anyway.

• Terrence Howard Talks Tunes, Family, Science [NPR]

• Terrence Howard Calls ‘Iron Man’ Casting Switch A ‘Surprise’ [MTV News]

· The National Assn. of Theater Owners is abandoning ShoWest, and starting its own convention beginning in 2011, where they'll award the NATO Breakout Star of the Year Award—the closest Chace Crawford will ever come to actively contributing to world peace. [Variety]
· French-Canadian comedy hit Taxi 0-22, about an Archie Bunkerish cab driver with a gay son, is being shopped around to American TV studios. [THR]
· Two new CW series, Easy Money and Valentine, Inc., have been put on hiatus "to give writers time to catch up on scripts." Take your time, guys! [THR]

Jennifer:

Terrence, I was wondering if you could comment further on your remarks in Elle regarding baby wipes and your feelings about them.

I stated my position pretty clearly. More people need to use them. This is a very serious subject. What more is there to say?

How many women have you tried to convert?

Ok, and that's it. No more questions. Time to end.

Fin.

Update: Looks like baby-wipes weren't one of Terrence's smarter suggestions. That, or he has a plumber on retainer!

Earlier: Terrence Howard Thinks Women Are Unclean And Dressed Like Whores
Related: The Hunting Party

"I like women who look like me. Generally, you're attracted to women who look like you, because the most beautiful thing in nature is your own reflection."

"If a relationship is built on sexuality, it won't last long. Now I'm completely chaste through a relationship unless I get married. I don't believe in premarital sex. It enabled me to date three or four women at the same time, because as long as I wasn't having sex with them, I could always just walk away. There were some [past girlfriends] who pushed for sex, and sometimes they won. Afterward, I would feel unclean, like I'd compromised my own values. So I would have to let them go because they didn't help me to be a stronger person."

On his deal-breaker:

"Toilet paper - and no baby wipes - in the bathroom. If they're using dry paper, they aren't washing all of themselves. It's just unclean. So if I go in a woman's house and see the toilet paper there, I'll explain this. And if she doesn't make the adjustment to baby wipes, I'll know she's not completely clean."

"I was in love with her, but she was not in love with me. I can't be upset because she doesn't find me the most beautiful thing on the planet."

Howard's Zen [Elle]

"Just seeing the way they performed, it kind of broke my heart though. Not the way Three 6 Mafia did it, but everything I tried to escape in my portrayal of that role, it seems that they went right to the stereotype that I wanted to assassinate. The people who had choreographed it apparently hadn't seen the film."

Perhaps, but at the end of the day they each have an Oscar to wave in Howard's face as they peel off in Hilton's skankmobile. Less easily laughed off is the matter of the lawsuit from a fan who claims he was pummeled by concert goers and suffered a broken jaw as the Mafia sang "Let's Start a Riot" at a Pittsburgh gig in 2003. They may have to make a deposition as early as next month look for the traditional swearing in to be given some Mafia flava when in place of his right hand, Crunchy Black proudly balances his trophy on the Bible and tells the court, "C'mon, G. If the Academy can trust me, can't you?"

• Three 6 Mafia May Be Deposed in Lawsuit [ABCnews.com/AP]
• Pimp Hard [AOL Black Voices via SOHH.com]
• Paris' Wild Night [TMZ.com]
• Beastie Boys: Dolly Was Robbed At Oscars [Reuters]