The Avengers Jon Favreau and Joss Whedon Talk New Hulk

[Aesop Rocks]

By far biggest panel and one of the biggest news-generating events at this year’s Comic-Con was of course, Marvel Studios’ presentation for Thor, The First Avenger: Captain America and The Avengers. Of the revelations and announcements made by Marvel, the most controversial is Mark Ruffalo’s taking over of the character Bruce Banner from The Incredible Hulk star Ed Norton.

Marvel Studios directors Jon Favreau and Joss Whedon were both questioned on the matter of replacing Ed Norton and the challenge of breaking continuity. Favreau talks about having to experience a similar issue with Iron Man 2 and Whedon shares his feelings on Ruffalo joining his cast for The Avengers.


At Comic-Con, IGN had a chance to speak with Iron Man director Jon Favreau about the Norton-Ruffalo situation where he gave his honest thoughts about replacing actors and breaking that continuity:

“It’s tricky… I know Edward, and I dig the guy’s talent tremendously. He’s always been a very great guy… I’m sure that however this comes out, it’s going to be something that’s amenable to both the filmmaker and the studio. I know that we faced the challenge of recasting with Don Cheadle and Terrence Howard, and although I think breaking continuity is always a challenge and should be avoided whenever possible, it is the reality of the movie business that sometimes things don’t work out.”

The Terrence Howard replacement did cause a lot of fury from a segment of the online community but in the end it did work out and Don Cheadle was a solid choice to play James “Rhodey” Rhodes. The Mark Ruffalo situation is exactly the same and he’s just as talented – folks will see that once they see him on screen as Banner in The Avengers.

As for the director of The Avengers who will directly be working with Ruffalo, Joss Whedon is nothing but excited and happy at the chance to work with the actor and he’s grateful they were able to bring him into the fold. At the Saturday night Syfy party, MTV got a quick word from Whedon on the red carpet on the subject:

“I’m stunned that we landed that, just stunned… He has what I remember loving about the show, that quality of, you just look at him and you go through it with him, he invites you in in a way that [no] other performer has since Bill Bixby. He is a guy who’s been beaten up by life, but not defined by that. That’s what I want from Bruce Banner, is a guy who’s still getting it done, even though he has his problem.”

It’s nothing but a positive attitude from geek icon Joss Whedon who I was fortunate enough to meet the night before the Marvel presentation took place. He’s a great guy to be around and a great director to work with – I’m excited to see what he’ll do with such a large-scale project that’s tailor-made for his own interests and that of his fanbase.

Even though I was very disappointed that Norton wasn’t able to come to a deal with Marvel to reprise the role of Bruce Banner, I know Ruffalo will do a solid job in the part and as time goes by, the reality of this change settles in comfortably.

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[ArtTeacher]

When you combine what Joss Wheadon said,

“He has what I remember loving about the show, that quality of, you just look at him and you go through it with him, he invites you in in a way that [no] other performer has since Bill Bixby. He is a guy who’s been beaten up by life, but not defined by that. That’s what I want from Bruce Banner, is a guy who’s still getting it done, even though he has his problem.”

with what Mark Ruffalo said,

"He’s a guy struggling with two sides of himself — the dark and the light — and everything he does in his life is filtered through issues of control. I grew up on the Bill Bixby TV series, which I thought was a really nuanced and real human way to look at The Hulk. I like that the part has those qualities."[FONT=&quot]

[/FONT]it makes me feel a little better about things.

Bill Bixby brought an absolute pathos to Banner. You really felt for Banner and wanted to see him find happiness...yet never hated the Hulk for cursing him. You rooted for Banner AND the Hulk.[FONT=&quot]


[/FONT]

 

[Gamma Goliath]

That makes me feel better about Ruffalo.

 

[Norm3]

That's the Banner I've been waiting all these years to see. I hope he has his hidden desert Laboratory.

 

[Aesop Rocks]

So it sounds like Banner will be on the run in The Avengers.

 

[Norm3]

As long as he runs to his lab. I don't want him wandering from city to city. Like the tv show.

 

[Doctor Jones]

They should at least be following that continuity yeah. Like I said, I hope he's still in his log cabin from TIH. If not, it's understandable. I wouldn't expect him to be too cozy for too long.

 

[Aesop Rocks]

What lab?

There's no implications of him having any labs.

 

[Aesop Rocks]

They should at least be following that continuity yeah. Like I said, I hope he's still in his log cabin from TIH. If not, it's understandable. I wouldn't expect him to be too cozy for too long.

That'll be a very hard continuity to follow though. With Ruffalo's character coming out of the cabin instead of Norton's.

 

[Norm3]

What lab?

There's no implications of him having any labs.

i gues i'm going back to far. I remember him going to a desert hidaway lab place in the 60s or 70s. to cure himself.

 

[Aesop Rocks]

Yeah, but I don't know/highly doubt that'll be in this marvel universe.

 

[Doctor Jones]

That'll be a very hard continuity to follow though. With Ruffalo's character coming out of the cabin instead of Norton's.

True. But imagine Fury knocking on the cabin door. Banner freaking out with SHIELD agents trying to be as calm as possible, but he still transforms. Then Thor and Iron Man battling Hulk in the front of it all.

 

[Aesop Rocks]

Thor and Iron Man? I doubt Thor would go help them with that. Maybe Iron Man, Hawkeye, and SHIELD agents.

 

[Doctor Jones]

As said in the other threads, Hulk has defeated Thor before. Maybe in their first battle, Hulk gains the upper hand.

If they are going with the Loki controlling Hulk angle, I'd love to see Thor to want a rematch with Hulk. Someone had a great idea of Hulk and Thor battling across a different dimenstion from the cause of Thor's powers. That would be awesome.

 

[Rich Santoro]

I would really like to see TIH 2. TIH was a VAST improvement over Hulk 2003, but they still missed the mark on the jeckyl-hyde, ID-Ego internal struggle. I think they tried to touch on it (in watching the extras), but it didn't come through enough... Whereas they overdid the psycho-analytical aspect in 2003. TIH 2 could be an opportunity to turn it up a bit. They might be able to foreshadow this in Avengers (understandably there will be quite a bit of other things going on in that film).

On Ruffalo... I think that he does a great job selling sullen, withdrawn, melancholy... with loads of frustration just below the surface. This is what I am looking for in the character.

 

[misjuevos]

end of TIH stark shows up. after seeing iron man 2 maybe it was on shields behalf. or maybe stark showed up as an avenger and offered to catch the hulk. so in the avengers they are going after him thinking he is just a monster, but maybe the hulk will talk and they will actually come to an understanding, till loki shows up and takes over the hulk's mind.

 

[Gamma Goliath]

I would really like to see TIH 2. TIH was a VAST improvement over Hulk 2003, but they still missed the mark on the jeckyl-hyde, ID-Ego internal struggle. I think they tried to touch on it (in watching the extras), but it didn't come through enough... Whereas they overdid the psycho-analytical aspect in 2003. TIH 2 could be an opportunity to turn it up a bit. They might be able to foreshadow this in Avengers (understandably there will be quite a bit of other things going on in that film).

On Ruffalo... I think that he does a great job selling sullen, withdrawn, melancholy... with loads of frustration just below the surface. This is what I am looking for in the character.

nicely put bro, i agree on all levels.

 

[Aesop Rocks]

Well now that he controls The Hulk, it shouldn't matter, should it?

 

[ArtTeacher]

That'll be a very hard continuity to follow though. With Ruffalo's character coming out of the cabin instead of Norton's.

Maybe Banner will say he had plastic surgery to keep the authorities off his trail.

Kidding! I'm kidding!
(Maybe I should delete this post--I don't want Marvel getting any ideas!)

 

[TheVileOne]

I'm fine with all the positive attitudes its just that . . . I mean we've already been here before twice already. It's just like ugh. I get why they had to replace Norton, I just wish they didn't go with Norton several years ago.

 

[Norm3]

I'm fine with all the positive attitudes its just that . . . I mean we've already been here before twice already. It's just like ugh. I get why they had to replace Norton, I just wish they didn't go with Norton several years ago.

I agree. I never wanted Norton to begin with either. But there seemed to be this fanboy push for him to be Banner. He was able to get everything he wanted in TIH. Even if he wasn't happy with the final cut. He thought he could lobby the fans to force Marvels hand, but it didn't work & I'm glad.

 

[Rock Sexton]

I agree. I never wanted Norton to begin with either. But there seemed to be this fanboy push for him to be Banner. He was able to get everything he wanted in TIH. Even if he wasn't happy with the final cut. He thought he could lobby the fans to force Marvels hand, but it didn't work & I'm glad.

Will you guys give up the "fanboy" nonsense. It's a tiring argument. It's something you say when you don't have a legitimate gripe against what somebody else likes. I realize you're looking for ways to plop yourself up on a pedastle, but give it a rest already.

 

[Norm3]

Will you guys give up the "fanboy" nonsense. It's a tiring argument. It's something you say when you don't have a legitimate gripe against what somebody else likes. I realize you're looking for ways to plop yourself up on a pedastle, but git it a rest already.

Put myself on a pedestal. I could care less about that. I'm just sick of this one side argument that Norton is a god when it comes to acting & he's the only one that can play a nerd scientist. Which btw he didn't even do well in the movie.

 

[Rock Sexton]

Put myself on a pedestal. I could care less about that. I'm just sick of this one side argument that Norton is a god when it comes to acting & he's the only one that can play a nerd scientist. Which btw he didn't even do well in the movie.

In your opinion, which is certainly among the minority from all comments gathered. So that means you have to make accusations that people who enjoyed Norton's performance were some feeble-minded fanboys? Again, give it a rest.

 

[Stripesy Strip]

Lord, they are really intended on Banner being Bill Bixby.