Marvel Cinematic Universe: 20 best actors, ranked
By Mark Lynch
16. Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner (The Hulk)
For a while it seemed like we were never going to get a good Bruce Banner or Hulk movie. Eric Bana’s Hulk in 2003 was not only a flop, but an embarrassment. Edward Norton’s The Incredible Hulk in 2008 was better, but due to some issues between Marvel and Norton, Norton was no longer going to be playing Banner. Thankfully, Mark Ruffalo was cast and turned Bruce Banner into a monster of a character.
One of the best things about how Ruffalo plays the Banner is very subtle. He moves with the insecurities that Bruce Banner is known for. He walks with a slight hunch that says, “Don’t look at me” and talks with it as well.
In Avengers: Age of Ultron Ruffalo showed a side of the Banner we aren’t used to seeing: being in love. The relationship between him and Black Widow was great. Banner showed loved for Natasha as well as regret because he could not be with her.
If not for Ruffalo, Marvel might not have used the Hulk in another movie. Now, he was one of the stars in 2017’s hit Thor Ragnarok.