The Curious Case of Spider-Man & Hulk Rights (Or Keep Hope Alive That the Rights Will Revert)

[The Infernal]

I would agree. Hulk was stellar in the first Avengers film, but going into Endgame they really fumbled with the character.

 

[Originalavenger]

They really need to rehab the character. MCU Hulk has gone downhill. I honestly don’t really enjoy Ruffalo’s portrayal at all. I think he’s the worst live action Banner we’ve had.

Bana, Bixby, and Norton are all far superior IMHO. I wish they would’ve been able to snag their original choice Joaquin Phoenix for Banner. Ruffalo doesn’t cut it for me. But I could get past his performance if the writing and characterization improved on the Hulk. I don’t like the way they’ve neutered the character.

This is all IMHO of course but MCU Hulk is a huge disappointment. It is probably time to move away from the whole smart Hulk angle. It’s awful IMO.

 

[Originalavenger]

Actually fuffalo was always marvels 1st choice!! Universal pushed for Norton at marvel caved!! Bixby of course was best!! iMHO. Ruffalo 2nd and Norton/nana are 3rd/4th interchangeable!! But I’m do agree professor hulk has run its course

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

Professor Hulk has run its course, but I would love to see a World War Hulk movie, or even just a straightforward angsty Hulk story with The Leader and Gargoyle.

But what I really want to see is a Hulk/Wendigo/Wolverine movie that would introduce Wolvie to the MCU. That would be ****ing AWESOME!!

 

[Dark Raven]

Actually fuffalo was always marvels 1st choice!! Universal pushed for Norton at marvel caved!! Bixby of course was best!! iMHO. Ruffalo 2nd and Norton/nana are 3rd/4th interchangeable!! But I’m do agree professor hulk has run its course

Bixby was easily the best and the most charismatic. He also had the most intense performance and when he was angry and on the verge of hulking out, sometimes he seemed scarier than the Hulk himself.

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

Hulk is a dramatic angsty character and the MCU Hulk is not at all. I loved Norton’s portrayal, it was in line with the classic Bixby version which I prefer.

Bring back the darkness to the character please! That’s Hulk at his most interesting. When the 1997-1997 animated series has more angst than the films you know something has gone wrong!

I think it’s a shame that we never got that Guillermo Del Toro Hulk show. I think that would’ve provided the contemplative, angsty Banner/Hulk that I like to see.

 

[Iceman]

Quoting @Detective Conan, thanks.

 

[Boom]

She-Hulk Episode 2 Spoilers:

Spoiler

Hmmm... Bruce returning to Sakaar...

 

[SirStrangefolk]

It does feel a bit like they're setting up for a more savage Hulk returning

Spoiler

It really seems like Banner has been more supressing Hulk than actually working together with him, especially with him making the device to be banner permanently. And now he's returning to Sakaar.

And of course right after I posted this I see this:
She-Hulk: Mark Ruffalo on Hulk's Future and That Sakaar Trip - Variety

Interviewer: "Should we expect to see more of Hulk on Sakaar in the future?"

Ruffalo: "I don’t know. It certainly does suggest that. There has been some conversations about what happened in the two years where Hulk abandoned Banner and the Avengers [on Sakaar], and the emergence of Smart Hulk, which hasn’t ever fully been answered. I think maybe we’ve given four sentences to that time period since then. It’s really an interesting, exciting part of the Hulk story and Banner story. I do think that the trip to Sakaar is a good place to start and what that means to the idea of what the fans have been asking for — this idea of Planet Hulk or World War Hulk or just the journey that Banner and Hulk have to make to come to peace with each other. That’s really interesting to me, and I do feel like there is some interest in exploring that down the line."

 

[Gamma Goliath]

Finally feels like the ball is moving on a Hulk project. The rumor about that contract ending may just be true...

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

Marvel has surely heard the criticism of Smart Hulk. I’ve seen a ton of discussion about where they’ve taken the character. This is the perfect opportunity to introduce Savage Hulk and reintroduce the duality of Bruce and Hulk.

I don’t know how they could combine these elements but some of the major things I’d like to see would be the introductions of Wolverine, Wendigo, Rick Jones, and The Leader in addition to story elements from World War Hulk.

 

[Boom]

Probably too late to introduce the Joe Fixit and Devil Hulk personas. Ruffalo's in his mid-fifties and one wonders how much he's got left in the tank.

 

[Iceman]

Marvel has surely heard the criticism of Smart Hulk. I’ve seen a ton of discussion about where they’ve taken the character. This is the perfect opportunity to introduce Savage Hulk and reintroduce the duality of Bruce and Hulk.

I don’t know how they could combine these elements but some of the major things I’d like to see would be the introductions of Wolverine, Wendigo, Rick Jones, and The Leader in addition to story elements from World War Hulk.

I would like Smart Hulk to be the upgraded equivalent of calm human Bruce and for him to change to Savage Hulk when angry (so no more human Bruce at all lol). I wanted Wolverine’s debut to feature Hulk and Wendigo too.

 

[Iceman]

Probably too late to introduce the Joe Fixit and Devil Hulk personas. Ruffalo's in his mid-fifties and one wonders how much he's got left in the tank.

If it’s not a physical role then maybe he will be up for staying longer. Seems to be enjoying himself in the MCU still.

 

[Boom]

Episode 1 of She-Hulk kinda flirted with the idea, but there's an opportunity to explore whatever coping mechanisms Bruce used in order to "survive" his own Hulk experience - especially in the early years. The simple truth is we really don't know all that much about MCU Bruce Banner. One of his coping mechanisms may have been bottling up and suppressing his emotions, which lead to a fracturing and creation of various Hulk personas.

Savage Hulk - fear and anger
Joe Fixit - desire
Devil Hulk - hatred
Guilt Hulk - guilt

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

Joe Fixit would be such a perfect fit for the MCU. I would love to see it. I think they should just go for broke with this next Hulk movie. Give us everything fans have asked for.

TBH the Incredible Hulk show from the 90s touched on a lot of what I love about the character. Definitely a solid watch. It emphasized the darkness of the character.

 

[Originalavenger]

Now about getting spider’s rights back home!! That’s all we need!!

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

It’s funny seeing how much better of a Spider-Man portrayal the Insomniac game was compared to MCU Spider-Man. That game felt so much more in line with a classic Spider-Man story. It makes me wish Marvel would’ve gone more classic with the Holland Spider-Man movies.

For me, the Raimi Spider-Man movies, Into the Spider-Verse, Spider-Man: TAS, and TSSM are the cream of the crop. Many of them possessed very similar storylines but they all stand on their own as individual adaptations. I think Sony/Disney tried too hard to be unique with the newest crop of Spider-Man films.

 

[Originalavenger]

Now that Disney/marvel have like 90% of their characters back n nder their control I really would like to see Spider-Man lol nteract with Johnny storm daredevil hulk and wolverine without Sony squawking!! I get that Disney has lots of IP’s at their fingertips but an old guy like me might get not make it to when this will happen!! Don’t want to squish up their plans and drop or push back to ther IP’s but it would be nice to see these appearances happen on screen sooner than later!!

 

[Dark Raven]

Marvel has surely heard the criticism of Smart Hulk. I’ve seen a ton of discussion about where they’ve taken the character. This is the perfect opportunity to introduce Savage Hulk and reintroduce the duality of Bruce and Hulk.

I don’t know how they could combine these elements but some of the major things I’d like to see would be the introductions of Wolverine, Wendigo, Rick Jones, and The Leader in addition to story elements from World War Hulk.

From the Incredible Hulk comics, from around the 270s to issue 299, Hulk was "Smart Hulk", or a precursor to that. He was Hulk who had Banner's intelligence but wasn't called Smart Hulk. But around the late 280s and early 290s, he began gradually losing his intelligence and becoming more savage. He even showed signs of this during Secret Wars (where he was an intelligent Hulk). One of the things that led to becoming more savage was the Dr Strange villain "Nightmare".

Finally by the end of issue 299 and for all of 300, he had become totally mindless and out of control and battled the Avengers and many other heroes. He was finally exiled to another dimension by Dr Strange and wandered there until about issue 314 when he came back to earth (and John Byrne took over writing and art duties on the book).

So there is precedence for a Smart Hulk becoming Savage again, and they could easily do this in the MCU. He doesn't need to become mindless, but back to his Avengers #1 or Age of Ultron savagery.

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

From the Incredible Hulk comics, from around the 270s to issue 299, Hulk was "Smart Hulk", or a precursor to that. He was Hulk who had Banner's intelligence but wasn't called Smart Hulk. But around the late 280s and early 290s, he began gradually losing his intelligence and becoming more savage. He even showed signs of this during Secret Wars (where he was an intelligent Hulk). One of the things that led to becoming more savage was the Dr Strange villain "Nightmare".

Finally by the end of issue 299 and for all of 300, he had become totally mindless and out of control and battled the Avengers and many other heroes. He was finally exiled to another dimension by Dr Strange and wandered there until about issue 314 when he came back to earth (and John Byrne took over writing and art duties on the book).

So there is precedence for a Smart Hulk becoming Savage again, and they could easily do this in the MCU. He doesn't need to become mindless, but back to his Avengers #1 or Age of Ultron savagery.

This is a good post! I haven’t read the comics, but I enjoy the films and television series based on Hulk. It’s good to get a comic reader’s insight!

What do you want to see in the next Hulk film?

 

[Dark Raven]

This is a good post! I haven’t read the comics, but I enjoy the films and television series based on Hulk. It’s good to get a comic reader’s insight!

What do you want to see in the next Hulk film?

I want a savage Hulk but not a mindless one. I want one who can speak, but like he did in the comics eg "Hulk Smash' etc. It shouldn't be two extremes of him either speaking like Mark Ruffalo as Smart Hulk or unable to speak at all like Lou Ferrigno's Hulk or only one or two words like Avengers Hulk.

 

[TheVileOne]

From the Incredible Hulk comics, from around the 270s to issue 299, Hulk was "Smart Hulk", or a precursor to that. He was Hulk who had Banner's intelligence but wasn't called Smart Hulk. But around the late 280s and early 290s, he began gradually losing his intelligence and becoming more savage. He even showed signs of this during Secret Wars (where he was an intelligent Hulk). One of the things that led to becoming more savage was the Dr Strange villain "Nightmare".

Finally by the end of issue 299 and for all of 300, he had become totally mindless and out of control and battled the Avengers and many other heroes. He was finally exiled to another dimension by Dr Strange and wandered there until about issue 314 when he came back to earth (and John Byrne took over writing and art duties on the book).

So there is precedence for a Smart Hulk becoming Savage again, and they could easily do this in the MCU. He doesn't need to become mindless, but back to his Avengers #1 or Age of Ultron savagery.

Didn't he become a smart Hulk again in the mid-1990s and could talk normally?

 

[TheVileOne]

Marvel has surely heard the criticism of Smart Hulk. I’ve seen a ton of discussion about where they’ve taken the character. This is the perfect opportunity to introduce Savage Hulk and reintroduce the duality of Bruce and Hulk.

I don’t know how they could combine these elements but some of the major things I’d like to see would be the introductions of Wolverine, Wendigo, Rick Jones, and The Leader in addition to story elements from World War Hulk.

It's simple enough. Create an event where Banner loses control of his Hulk form and Hulk regains control. Finally address the duality of the two different personas and why THE OTHER GUY is even there. Explain how Hulk was an alternate persona he either created or that was always there that would protect Banner from his abusive father. Hulk protected Banner as a child. The gamma experiment simply externalized and unleashed the Hulk persona where beforehand, it was always inward. Hulk emerged to protect Banner and shield him from the world.

Have some sort of event where there are mysterious deaths that Canadian government believes are caused by the Hulk. Instead it's either another gamma monster, Wendigo, or Weapon X or something, maybe Sabretooth or Omega Red. Department H sends in Wolverine to deal with the Hulk. Wolverine with his enhanced senses eventually realizes Hulk is not the one responsible.

 

[Dark Raven]

Didn't he become a smart Hulk again in the mid-1990s and could talk normally?

Well he did, because that's where the name Smart Hulk or Professor Hulk came from. It was the second time round. But the first time he still looked savage but was smart but was never called Smart Hulk.