Joss Whedon on why a Hulk movie wouldn't work

[Jello Biafra]

Hulk Is “Most Difficult Marvel Property”: Whedon

I didn’t actually read World War Hulk so I’m not sure how I’d adapt it.

Mark(Ruffalo) and I loved the Hulk and went over and over the concept of rage and how it should manifest, and that part of it was fascinating to both of us. But when it comes time for the Hulk he has to put on the silliest damn pajamas you ever saw, a tiara made of balls, and a bunch of dots on his face and growl around like an idiot. The real heart of the experience ultimately becomes playing Banner, and the thing that people fell in love with was Banner because I think Mark has you from the first time he shows up.

The Hulk is the most difficult Marvel property because it’s always about balance. Is he a monster? Is he a hero? Are you going to root for a protagonist who spends all his time trying to stop the reason you came to the movie from happening? It’s always a dance. I don’t think the first two movies nailed it, but I don’t envy them the task. It was easier to have him in a group than to build everything around him. I don’t think there would be any problem getting a movie together that had enough Banner, even if there was also Hulk. But if he was only Hulk for the entire movie I think Mark at some point would go, why am I here? I would be less inclined to pursue a storyline where the Hulk is only ever the Hulk.

I think Whedon is under the misconception that the Hulk is just a mindless, barely literate brute and has not ever read any of the books where Hulk had Banner's intelligence.
Now I understand Ruffalo as an actor not wanting to be in a movie where he is never actually on screen but honestly who really cares about who is playing Bruce Banner? Banner wasn't the stand-out in The Avengers it was the way the Hulk was shown interacting with the other characters in the film.
A World War Hulk or even Planet Hulk movie would be awesome and I would not give a damn if Banner showed up at all. And if Ruffalo wouldn't want to do it I am sure there are a number of dudes who would take the gig and do well...I mean have they never heard of Andy Serkis? Dude was so good in that Planet of the Apes movie that it had people seriously mentioning his performance as possibly be Oscar worthy.

 

[AnonymityX1000]

I don't think the public is ready for a Hulk with Bruce Banner's mind. They have to establish the Marvel Universe a bit more cinema wise before they go there.

 

[HookersandIceCream]

I really really dont wanna see another hulk movie for a long ass time

 

[The Phoenix]

I dont read comics but I loved Planet Hulk. Based on the way these movies are set up, I think after they do another Avengers movie or two, they need to have it where Bruce Banner ultimately loses control of the Hulk and they have to send him away. Then they could do the Planet Hulk movie. I wouldn't mind seeing that. If they try to make a solo Hulk movie in any other way, I won't be going to see it.

 

[Kaydigi]

Power wise Hulk is already unbalanced in the flicks. Dude struggling against the Military in relaunch.

But in Avengers dude is leaping buildings like Lara Croft and running through Aliens on some contra shyt.

 

[Fillerguy]

Hulk Is “Most Difficult Marvel Property”: Whedon


I think Whedon is under the misconception that the Hulk is just a mindless, barely literate brute and has not ever read any of the books where Hulk had Banner's intelligence.
Now I understand Ruffalo as an actor not wanting to be in a movie where he is never actually on screen but honestly who really cares about who is playing Bruce Banner? Banner wasn't the stand-out in The Avengers it was the way the Hulk was shown interacting with the other characters in the film.
A World War Hulk or even Planet Hulk movie would be awesome and I would not give a damn if Banner showed up at all. And if Ruffalo wouldn't want to do it I am sure there are a number of dudes who would take the gig and do well...I mean have they never heard of Andy Serkis? Dude was so good in that Planet of the Apes movie that it had people seriously mentioning his performance as possibly be Oscar worthy.

Whedon even thinks like me.


What Whedon's getting at is that Hulk is too complex.

Banner = shyt when people only want to see the Hulk. He's fluctuated between being a wormish nerd to being the mad scientist over the course of Hulk's history. He's a hard character to sell IMO.

Then there's Hulk. He's not an retard, acts like one... Not evil, causes billions in damage regularly... He's wants to be left alone but goes out of his way to go Godzilla (a monster who fights monsters for Humanity)

All the auidence wants to see it Hulk smash and fukkery his presence brings. A tornado by itself is lame but in New York City surrounded by Superheroes is

 

[Bigbigguy]

A planet Hulk movie would expensive af to make

 

[Mic-Nificent]

The problem is in the Avengers they had Stark doing too much "The Hulk is AWESOME" bullshyt. They should have had at least ONE scene where Stark came to the realization that the Hulk is not to be fukked and is the most dangerous being on earth.

Once the danger of the Hulk is established then you get right back to playing up the battle between Bruce and the Hulk for control. The Avengers did the most by far of any of the movies in establishing that the Hulk and Banner are really two different people in one body.

 

[Ghostface Trillah]

Its weird to read that seeing how there's a 80 episode TV series that laid the blueprint for hulk balancing and hundreds of comics to reference.The answers been there for 20 plus years. Whedon is making excuses. In the comics all hulk ever wants is to be left alone and all Bruce banner wants is to be cured. People always understood that and sympathized,so why would anyone come to the theater and not know whether to cheer for hulk or some general Ross type character? Like I said dude is making excuses

And if I'm ruffalo, marvel wants to give me a star check for 20 minutes of screen time I'm not complaining

 

[OmegaK2099]

but we all know that a movie featuring more hulk than normal would still bank anyway, i want to see them follow up to what happened in the second flick where they hinted at the leader

 

[TreyAce]

 

[Ayo]

I don't think the public is ready for a Hulk with Bruce Banner's mind. They have to establish the Marvel Universe a bit more cinema wise before they go there.

The public wouldn't know any better.

The-Coli != public

Comic book geeks != public

The majority of the people on the internet who do more than Facebook, YouTube etc != public

Most people are casual fans of these characters.

People know that The Hulk is big green and angry. If you threw in some intelligence hardly anyone would notice.

Edit: != means not "not equal to" for the non programming geeks.

 

[beenz]

I really really dont wanna see another hulk movie for a long ass time

me either. didn't like the ang lee or the one with ed norton. I mean ang lee has 2 oscars and he couldn't make the movie piff. it probably ain't meant to be.

 

[Black]

 

[OmegaK2099]

the norton one was the truth with them introducing the super soldier serum, the iron man cameo, Hulk finally screaming "HULK SMASH!"