The Hulk is one of the most popular and enduring comic book characters of all-time, maintaining a constant spotlight presence in Marvel’s stable for over five decades. In that time, the modern Jekyll-and-Hyde story has captured the imaginations and sympathy of generations of comic book fans time and again.
Thanks to 2012’s The Avengers, the Hulk character might be experiencing an all-time high level of popularity, comparable to the heyday of the live-action Incredible Hulk television show from the 70s and 80s. Mark Ruffalo’s well-received turn as Bruce Banner in the blockbuster film, combined with the success of the 2008 film Incredible Hulk and the anticipation for Avengers: Age of Ultron has a different kind of Hulkamania at a fevered pitch. Luckily for fans of the big green guy, there are all kinds of stories making the rounds concerning Marvel’s mauler.
First off, word broke a few weeks back that motion capture man par excellence Andy Serkis had been brought in to help Ruffalo prepare for the CGI aspects of playing the Hulk in Age of Ultron. Now Ruffalo has started giving fans a better look at the process, Instagramming a picture of the improved facial effects from the set. The mix of technological improvements combined with Serkis’s involvement looks to bring the most realistic Hulk yet to the screen.
Those advances could become even more relevant if the other major Hulk rumors coming out recently are true. Earlier this month Lou Ferrigno, the man that portrayed the Hulk in the television series, told a Minnesota radio station that another stand-alone Hulk movie was being planned thanks to the positive reception of the character in the first Avengers film. Ferrigno has voiced the Hulk in each of the last two movies featuring the character and will be doing the same for Age of Ultron, so it is not inconceivable that he would have this kind of insider knowledge.
It would not come as a surprise if that rumor turned out to be true. Incredible Hulk was a well-received movie by fans and critics alike, and was the second film produced by Marvel Studios on their own, coming out less than two months after the first Iron Man. Since that time, Tony Stark has gotten himself two sequel films, and Captain America has gotten both a first and second movie, while films about more obscure Marvel properties like Ant-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy are in various stages of development.
It seems strange, on it’s face, that Marvel would focus on those kinds of characters instead of a pantheon property like the Hulk. Edward Norton’s departure from the series can almost certainly be seen as the major reason for that stall in development, as he starred in the 2008 film and was slated to appear as Bruce Banner in The Avengers before deciding to drop out of future Hulk films. Ruffalo, however, is signed to a six movie deal with Marvel and is thus far only confirmed for the two Avengers films. That leaves a number of possibilities for future Hulk appearances, and a stand-alone film or two could prove beneficial for the studio and the character.
Tracy Stewart
