Unlike the comics, Hulk has to stay a core member of the Avengers in the movie-verse.

[drastic_quench]

He's too big of a hit with audiences to write him out of the story, right? I think there'd be a backlash if they attempted it.

I also don't think we'll see Hulk as a third act bad guy for the Avengers in any sort of take on WWH. He'd make a fine 1st act temporary villain owing to mind control, rage, or any other excuse a writer could dream up, but I don't think the general audience would ever want to see him as anything other than one of the main heroes.

[cherokeesam]

I'm conflicted on Hulk's status.

The MCU has painted Hulk into a corner he's *never* been in before....a legitimate, "authorized" superhero. That takes away the whole Frankenstein's Monster vibe he's always played for his whole career. And I've got a feeling that future writers/directors --- and maybe even Whedon himself --- are going to revert to that formula again.

But regardless of how they play him --- as an Avenger or as Monster on the Run again --- you're absolutely right that his popularity in film has soared again after two less-than-stellar solo movie attempts. People *want* to see Hulk again, and he needs an action plan, Marvel.

[AvengeME]

Keep him out. Over exposure will kill the character. What worked in Avengers was Banner and the "limited" action Hulk saw. I say limited because it wasn't Transformers where it was for an hour and change. But when he was on he kicked butt. If you do that for every film it loses effectiveness.

Ant-Man on the other hand... I can picture some of those set pieces. People think he is lame off the bat. How about when a million bullets and missiles fly at him and he shrinks to insect size to dodge everything and let the the wind carry him, only to morph back into regular size once he lands on his target. You are talking Matrix level action. If they also have his Giant Man phase, he can be as effective as the Hulk. He is the perfect sub for Banner.

[Silvermoth]

Just because he has left the Avengers, doesn't mean he has to leave the Avengers film series.

I'm open to the idea of Hulk cracking the ****s and storming off. It's a good moment for tension and a changeable roster is part of the fun of the Avengers.

If he stayed with The Avengers, I certainly won't have a problem with that. Especially in Joss's hands!

[Oberon sexton]

The Hulk has often been a team player in the comics despite his reputation, The pantheon, the defenders, The new fantastic four, the Warbound and yes occasionally on the Avengers.
You'll often find that these stories are among the best, and Earth's mightiest heroes tv show also features Hulk as a full time Avengers, so yeah I could see Hulk working well as a permenant member of the Avengers.
Also you wouldn't need him to be Hulk all the time, Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner has enough charisma and charm that he can work well with the rest of the guys.

[DrCosmic]

They won't write him out of the story. He's just too much fun, and too fulfilling. He's a monster, and he's one of the good guys. They might put him on a TV show, but they're done trying to make a film work.

They may use him as villain, they almost certainly will. People like the fact that he's a monster and unpredictable. There are a few comics fans who like their Hulk to be this oddly anachronistic virtuous anger machine, and they'll be a bit of that. But that storyline where Black Widow is legitimately afraid of him, that will likely continue.

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

It's definitley going to be interesting how they handle him as a character. Does he choose to stay as an Avenger? I think the sequel needs to show Hulk doing something really detrimental to the team.

[metaphysician]

Why? Who says he has to be on the run?

Its a nice change of pace to have a cinematic Hulk who *isn't* just a monster. I think they should run with it. Not like there aren't stories you can tell without him being hated and feared.

[dbxkilla]

in the avengers banner intentionally transformed into the hulk and was an assets to the team which means banner is learning how to not control the hulk but influence his personality so he's not so dumb but actually a team player so in the movie-verse he can stay as a member

[MarvelKnight]

I don't see why after predominately painting him in a heroic role(there was the little mind gem influence that made him go nuts in helicarrier), they'd just undo it. Wouldn't make sense at all.

[Donnie Darko]

I think the man on the run aspect has kind of run its course anyway. Not all Hulk comics go with that. There are plenty where he is a full fledged hero. Let the movies do that. I would actually like to see a movie where, at least at the beginning, Banner and Hulk have found a way to coexist, with Hulk filling his time in a Mr Fix-It type role.

[dbxkilla]

i think they kind of did that in the movie when banner transformed into the hulk willingly and he was a more calm and intelligent hulk

[Donnie Darko]

But he also started out as the man on the run. I want a movie where it's full on in control the whole time.

[dbxkilla]

yeah it would be interesting but the whole concept of the character is that there is always that factor that he won't have control of so its more that he would be guiding the hulk to do the right thing instead of being in control

[RockSP]

Originally Posted by drastic_quench

He's too big of a hit with audiences to write him out of the story, right? I think there'd be a backlash if they attempted it.

I also don't think we'll see Hulk as a third act bad guy for the Avengers in any sort of take on WWH. He'd make a fine 1st act temporary villain owing to mind control, rage, or any other excuse a writer could dream up, but I don't think the general audience would ever want to see him as anything other than one of the main heroes.

I was thinking similarly. We haven't seen Cap and Iron Man fight him yet, heh.

[OsGom]

It seems to me that people are just assuming that because Banner was able to direct the Hulk in a single battle against a common enemy, he is all of a sudden a giant green boyscout.

It was one transformation that followed hard on the heels of the Hulk rampaging on the helicarrier almost killing BW and putting a whoopin on Thor. Yes Loki released the beast but after that, the Hulk just did what Hulk does . . . SMASH! I'm pretty sure BW and Thor wont be high-fiving the Hulk anytime soon.

Well if you want to disregard TIH and the Hellicarrier sequence, yeah, he's a great guy. However even when he was in a "controlled state" in the comics, teammates and friends were still wary of when the Hulk might bust loose again. It created a barrier which prevented the character from being fully embraced in any team.

THE most compelling aspect of the character is the struggle with the inner-monster. Yes, he was cast in a more heroic light in the Avengers but the underlying theme was that Shield and his teammates were concerned and uncertain of his stability. Not including these conflicts is essentially neutering the chaotic nature of the character and removing a potentially dynamic story element.

It's not like General Ross went away or anything. One uncontrolled transformation brought on by pain, fear or rage and some collatoral damage (the Hulk's bread and butter) would be sufficient to start the hunt again.

I say make the Hulk an antagonist is the next Avengers! The Hulk CANNOT be controlled. Directed yes. Controlled NO WAY. Furthermore, the Hulk does not WANT to be controlled.

I am not saying to make him evil, I am saying make him the Hulk.

Those saying the GA wouldn't accept the Hulk in an antagonistic role, need to look back at the boards when people said the GA wouldn't accept the fantasy of Thor or aliens in The Avengers.

The incredible success of The Avengers, that interwove SO many varied scifi and fantasy elements in a single movie, proves that there isn't a lot that the GA wont accept if adapted well.

[MarvelKnight]

Why, Hello, OsGom. I wondered how long it would take for you to post here

[OsGom]

Hehe! Gotta preach the gospel!

[Oberon sexton]

Originally Posted by OsGom

It seems to me that people are just assuming that because Banner was able to direct the Hulk in a single battle against a common enemy, he is all of a sudden a giant green boyscout.

It was one transformation that followed hard on the heels of the Hulk rampaging on the helicarrier almost killing BW and putting a whoopin on Thor. Yes Loki released the beast but after that, the Hulk just did what Hulk does . . . SMASH! I'm pretty sure BW and Thor wont be high-fiving the Hulk anytime soon.

Well if you want to disregard TIH and the Hellicarrier sequence, yeah, he's a great guy. However even when he was in a "controlled state" in the comics, teammates and friends were still wary of when the Hulk might bust loose again. It created a barrier which prevented the character from being fully embraced in any team.

THE most compelling aspect of the character is the struggle with the inner-monster. Yes, he was cast in a more heroic light in the Avengers but the underlying theme was that Shield and his teammates were concerned and uncertain of his stability. Not including these conflicts is essentially neutering the chaotic nature of the character and removing a potentially dynamic story element.

It's not like General Ross went away or anything. One uncontrolled transformation brought on by pain, fear or rage and some collatoral damage (the Hulk's bread and butter) would be sufficient to start the hunt again.

I say make the Hulk an antagonist is the next Avengers! The Hulk CANNOT be controlled. Directed yes. Controlled NO WAY. Furthermore, the Hulk does not WANT to be controlled.

I am not saying to make him evil, I am saying make him the Hulk.

Those saying the GA wouldn't accept the Hulk in an antagonistic role, need to look back at the boards when people said the GA wouldn't accept the fantasy of Thor or aliens in The Avengers.

The incredible success of The Avengers, that interwove SO many varied scifi and fantasy elements in a single movie, proves that there isn't a lot that the GA wont accept if adapted well.

Seems like a bit of a regression to me.
The fans, and the GA have wanted a Hulk that is a character and not just an antagonistic force of destruction, otherwise they would have connected with the two previous films. The cinematic character has reached a point where he can be allowed to be an actual character that makes the choice to be an Avenger, hell he already made that choice when he saved Tony.

[OsGom]

Originally Posted by Oberon sexton

Seems like a bit of a regression to me.
The fans, and the GA have wanted a Hulk that is a character and not just an antagonistic force of destruction, otherwise they would have connected with the two previous films. The cinematic character has reached a point where he can be allowed to be an actual character that makes the choice to be an Avenger, hell he already made that choice when he saved Tony.

No reason he can't both a character and a force of nature like he's always been.

But let's water him down and make him just another super strong thug. Maybe they can get him a pair of purple undies with a big A on the crotch and the team can start each battle with a group hug?

I'll keep an open mind if that's the way Marvel chooses to go but it's a step backward for the character to me.

[Oberon sexton]

They made Hulk a destructive force in the first two films, neither was successful.

But also in the comics Hulk has been part of team dynamics quite a bit, the Warbound and the Pantheon come to mind, both times worked great and they didn't water him down at all, he's still that wild,uncontrollable beast. The team doesn't control him, he CHOOSES to fight alongside them, and he's still chaotic, whatever you like to think.
He's always been heroic, it's just that in the comics ( again, totally seperate universe from the MCU) the other Heroes never saw that, here they do.
You want Hulk to be an unredeemable monster then go read the Ultimates

[OsGom]

Well you clearly have your fingers on the pulse of the General Audience so I defer to your experitse.

[Oberon sexton]

Well atleast you know when to bow out

[MarvelKnight]

Originally Posted by OsGom

Hehe! Gotta preach the gospel!

Haha, more power to you. We had our bout last night, so I'll just sit this one out.

Just got back from seeing Avengers again tonight. Even better than the first time, lordy lord.

[OsGom]

Originally Posted by Oberon sexton

Well atleast you know when to bow out

Yep, I know when I'm when I'm beating a brain-dead horse!

Originally Posted by MarvelKnight

Haha, more power to you. We had our bout last night, so I'll just sit this one out.

Just got back from seeing Avengers again tonight. Even better than the first time, lordy lord.

Have you seen it in 3-D? I was thinking about checking it out this weekend and was wondering if it was worth it.