With Samuel L. Jackson's 30-second eye-patched cameo at the end of Iron Man, Marvel Studios made fans the implicit promise of a Jackson-starring Nick Fury movie, as well as an eventual Avengers movie in which several top-name actors would band together to fight evildoers, regardless of their various back-end demands and up-front salary requirements — but now comes word that Marvel is apparently not married to the idea of paying Jackson to play Fury!

Following October's replacement of Terrence Howard as Iron Man's War Machine with (reportedly cheaper) Don Cheadle, and last summer's near-replacement of Jon Favreau as that film's director, Jackson tells the L.A. Times, "There seems to be an economic crisis in the Marvel Comics world so [they're saying to me], 'We're not making that deal.'" And, if the studio does make an Avengers movie, "somebody else will be Nick Fury or maybe Nick Fury won't be in it."

Clearly the casting of anyone else in the role would be cause for a fan uprising, especially since the latest comic-book incarnation of the character is actually based on Jackson's likeness. But, while Marvel's is one of the few stocks that actually went up last year, we certainly wouldn't underestimate their ability to save a few dollars wherever they can. We wonder who they'll get to replace him? We have a couple suggestions!

Nick Fury no more? Samuel L. Jackson says 'Maybe I won't be Nick Fury' [Hero Complex/LAT]