Although Marvel Studios’ has officially announced its long list of superhero flicks lined-up all the way till 2019, no mention has been made for bringing Bruce Banner’s big, bad green alter-ego, Hulk in an independent movie. While Hulk’s been around with us since the early TV series, The Incredible Hulk (1978-1982), it was Mark Ruffalo’s reinterpretation of Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the Avengers (2012) that stirred the fans all-over. Be it smashing the notorious Loki and spitting out, “Puny God!” or jolting Tony Stark back to life by a terrifying yell or simply Banner stating “That’s my secret, Captain – I’m always angry”, the Hulk’s character was truly cherished.
To everyone’s delight, audiences will once again see Mark Ruffalo as the not-so-jolly green giant in Avengers 2 – Age of Ultron which is slated for release in India on 24 April 2015 (a week prior to the worldwide release). The trailers too have caught the fan’s eye and have some amazing ‘Oh-My-Ghosh’ scenes with Hulk unloading on the Ironman’s Hulk-Buster, which will be an epic, high-octane and city-destructing battle for sure. Even the suspected romantic angle between Bruce Banner and Black Widow (Scarlet Johansson) has kept the masses wanting to know more about the monster’s softer side (If any).
In a recent interview with IGN Mark Ruffalo teased the idea of an independent Planet Hulk movie which surely is on his to do list. Comic fans would know that the Planet Hulk comic series death primarily with the Marvel heroes’ decision of sending the Hulk away in space. While wandering on other planets, Hulk conquers and fights on the unearthly lands and endeavours to return to Earth to take his revenge. Additionally, Hulk wasn’t in Civil War in the comics’ continuity, as he was already in space. So that story thread may make sense for what’s ahead in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
So we’ve seen the Hulk smashing around and fighting off aliens in the first Avengers, possibly taking on an army of robots in the upcoming sequel and what’s next could surely be Hulk pounding alienated creatures in space. Ruffalo went on to say that he hadn’t been involved in active talks for an independent Hulk project but would gladly be interested in playing Bruce Banner again outside the Avengers franchise if an opportunity arises.
However to fans’ disappointment, last July, during the Guardians of the Galaxy’s release, Marvel head Kevin Feige announced that there were no plans for a Planet Hulk movie anytime soon, and spoke about the challenges of adapting that particular storyline as a film.
In the upcoming Avengers tent-pole, Mark Ruffalo not only plays the scientist, Dr. Bruce Banner but is also acting out some great action and smashing sequences using motion-capture technology wherein Ruffalo’s movements would be translated into the green monster’s rage on-screen. In an interview with Empire, Mark stated,“ I can make The Hulk as real as any other character I’ve ever played and in ways more nuanced, more interesting. The technology is at such a place where I can do that in real time. There’s a big giant screen and a bunch of them all over the place and I’m in my stretchy motion-capture suit and there’s The Hulk right in front of me, doing everything I do.”