The Hulk’s Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
journey has been a rocky one, but there have been some great moments in his many movie appearances that have aged better than anyone could have expected. The Hulk was first introduced in comics way back in 1962, and since that time, he has become one of the most popular and best known comic book heroes. He also became one of the first Marvel heroes to get a regular TV show which began airing in 1977, and went on to recieve multiple TV sequels.

Since 2003, Hulk has moved on to the big screen, where the character has starred in two solo movies and several MCU blockbusters. Unfortunately, translating Hulk to the big screen has proved challenging, and with both of the early movies, there are numerous issues that fans were quick to point out. Now, nearly 20 years since the last solo Hulk movie debuted, there are some aspects of Hulk’s time on the big screen that have actually improved with time.

10

Ang Lee’s Bulky Hulk

When Ang Lee released Hulk in 2003, starring Eric Bana as the alter ego, Bruce Banner, there was a lot of promise in the film. With a spectacular cast, a visionary director, and incredible source material, Hulk was set up for success. However, when the movie came out, it failed to generate the level of excitement and anticipation that the studios expected, which led to them rebooting the franchise just a few years later.

Despite this, looking back on the 2003 Hulk now, with many years of seeing the MCU version, it’s clear that the movie got one thing right; the Hulk’s incredible power. Since 2003, no other Hulk has shown the same level of power, intensity, and sheer bulk as the 2003 version. While the size varied in the film, there is no denying that this version of the Hulk was a real beast.

9

Nick Nolte’s Performance As Brian Banner In Hulk

In an attempt to avoid rehashing the same story over and over again, the 2008 The Incredible Hulk did not explore the Hulk’s origins in any great detail. Similarly, Mark Ruffalo’s version of the Hulk is woefully lacking when it comes to a backstory. However, the 2003 movie did put a lot of focus on Bruce Banner’s early life, his experimenting with gamma radiation, and his transformation into the Hulk. This also meant bringing in Bruce’s abusive father, Brian Banner, played by Nick Nolte.

This now stands out as the only adaptation of that crucial origin story for Bruce Banner and his alter ego, Hulk. And despite having no compeтιтion, Nolte’s performance was spectacular. It gave life and meaning to the story of the Hulk, and revealed a much deeper, darker origin than has been approached in any Hulk or MCU movie since. Still, hopefully, it isn’t the last time Brian Banner is depicted as part of the Hulk’s story.

8

Samuel Sterns Being Set Up As The Leader In The Incredible Hulk

The 2008 Incredible Hulk movie is technically a part of the MCU, and since the movie’s release, some of the prominent characters in the movie have made their way into new movies and shows. However, for 17 years, Samuel Sterns’ story has been left unexplored and unfulfilled despite a tense setup in the 2008 movie. Tim Blake Nelson played Sterns in the film, who was working on a cure for Bruce’s condition, but when he is last seen, he is lying bleeding with a wound to his head, and Banner’s irradiated blood dripping into the open wound.

This was a clear setup for one of the Hulk’s greatest rivals in Marvel Comics, The Leader, though it seemed the story would never come back in the MCU. Fortunately, with the release of Captain America: Brave New World, Sterns’ story will finally continue. Now, a setup that felt like it went nowhere is finally being paid off, and it’s one of the best things about the MCU’s efforts to play the long game and include Easter Eggs and hints in earlier releases.

7

The Abomination Being Introduced In The Incredible Hulk

Another example of this came from the same movie. Tim Roth played Emil Blonsky, a determined and dedicated military man, who was one of the most capable and determined soldiers before any attempt to upgrade his DNA. However, when Blonsky is given a dose of experimental super soldier serum, he turns into the monster, Abomination.

While this could have been a fun one-off outing for the villain, the character has since returned twice in the Multiverse Saga. Once in Shang-Chi, and then again in the TV series, She-Hulk. With these cameos, it has helped to make the world and story established in The Incredible Hulk feel more important and connected. And Tim Roth was too talented an actor to let him fade into the background in the MCU forever.

6

General Thaddeus Ross Has Come A Long Way Since 2008

Once again, The Incredible Hulk introduced a pivotal character who would become a much larger part of the MCU after his debut in 2008. General Thaddeus Ross had a personal vendetta towards Bruce Banner, partially due to his connection to his daughter, Betty, and partially due to his dangerous experimental work. However, when he returns in Captain America: Civil War, he has a broader issue with heroes in general, which is emphasized by his introducing the Sokovia Accords.

Now, despite the actor, William Hurt, having pᴀssed away in 2022, Ross’ story continues in the MCU with the character being taken over by Harrison Ford, and ready to embrace his destiny as Red Hulk. This storyline appeared to be a distant dream in 2008, but now, this incredible storyline is finally being adapted for the big screen in Captain America: Brave New World.

5

“I’m Always Angry” Remains One Of The Most Iconic Hulk Scenes

When Bruce Banner joined the team in The Avengers, everyone was anxiously awaiting the moment when he would finally turn into the Hulk. At one point, about halfway through the film, Bruce is goaded into changing while on the Helicarrier, and it causes havoc, giving the audience an initial dose, but this was also an unusual incident for Banner, who largely learned to control his anger. Which meant the question of how Banner kept his cool remained.

However, as the movie enters into its final scenes, with the aliens invading New York through a portal in the sky, Bruce appears, ready to join in the fight. This is the first time Bruce is seen to voluntarily change, and as such, he reveals his secret to the rest of the team. In order to keep his alter-ego in check, Bruce has learned to live in his anger, rather than reject it. It’s an iconic scene, which sees Bruce transform and embrace the Hulk.

4

Hulk Versus Thor On Sakaar

At this point, Hulk is at the height of his power and aggression, but the hero ends up lost in space, which leads him to a distant planet called Sakaar. On Sakaar, Hulk takes over Banner’s body, and he remains in control, both to protect Banner from alien threats, and because he is tired of being controlled. And as a result, he lets out all of his anger and frustration, dominating the arena where he has made a career as the Champion of Sakaar.

And when Thor arrives, he is pleased to see an “old friend from work,” however, Hulk is not in the mood for any reunions. The battle between the God of Thunder and the Champion is epic, and it leans in either direction throughout the fight. While this battle took place in 2017 during Thor: Ragnarok, the entire scene remains another one of the most iconic and memorable moments in the MCU.

3

Hulk Saved The Marvel Universe In Endgame

Avengers: Endgame was the culmination of more than 10 years of hard work getting one of the most ambitious franchises ever made off the ground. After the heroes suffer a brutal loss in Infinity War, with half of all life in the universe being wiped out of existence, the heroes struggle to hope for a brighter tomorrow. However, Bruce Banner didn’t waste this time wallowing in self-pity after he failed to summon his Hulk persona to fight Thanos.

Instead, Bruce put in years of hard work and found some way to combine his brain with Hulk’s body. This resulted in the Smart Hulk, who may be a controversial evolution of the hero, but nonetheless, he played a pivotal role in acquiring the Infinity Stones, and then snapping everyone who disappeared back to reality. No matter what people might think of Smart Hulk, he proved himself a hero.

2

Hulk Smashing A Puny God

But taking things back to a simpler time, his interaction with Loki stands out as one of the funniest moments in the MCU. In The Avengers, when Hulk comes face to face with Loki, the god of mischief tries to declare his own importance, but Hulk doesn’t have the patience or care to listen. Instead, Hulk grabs Loki by one foot and ruthlessly smashes him around the room.

When he finishes literally wiping the floor with Loki, Hulk utters some of his first words in the MCU, “Puny god.” This iconic moment is hilarious, and cemented the Hulk’s reputation as a powerful, hilarious, and wild hero. However, now it also feels like a look back on a time when Hulk’s power was somewhat stifled by the introduction of Smart Hulk. Smart Hulk serves a purpose, but there is no doubt that the classic Hulk left an impression.

1

Hulk’s Redesign To Look More Like Mark Ruffalo

However, the amalgamation of these two personas was made a lot easier thanks to a crucial redesign that came in The Avengers. When it came to any previous version of Hulk, they all appeared to have striking differences from the human they occupied, Bruce Banner. In the TV show, Hulk was played in live-action by a totally different actor, Lou Ferrigno. In Hulk, the computer-generated giant was entirely alien in appearance, and in The Incredible Hulk, there were challenges with trying to put Edward Norton’s face on a Hulk.

Fortunately, Mark Ruffalo appeared to be the perfect model to put his face on the large alter ego, creating a link between the two that was never properly shown in previous versions. Yes, they have different motivations, yes, they behave in completely unique ways, but Hulk is a part of Banner, and Banner is a part of Hulk. The redesign in 2012 has persisted, and with the introduction of Smart Hulk, it’s even more pronounced, but the fact that they already had a striking resemblance made this evolution easier to adjust to as the Hulk changed through the MCU.

Upcoming MCU Movies

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