Edward Norton is open to returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe
By Erik Swann
Despite their somewhat messy break-up, Edward Norton would work with Marvel Studios again.
It’s no secret that Edward Norton and Marvel Studios have had a somewhat rocky relationship since the actor was dropped as Bruce Banner ahead of The Avengers. However, recent comments from Norton indicate that he wouldn’t be opposed to a Marvel return.
During an appearance on Larry King Now, Norton confirmed that he would be open to returning to the world of Marvel. “Yeah, why not?”, he said. “I had a lot of fun with it. I never made a movie like that.”
The actor was also asked if he was surprised that Marvel cast him in the role of Banner, to which he insisted he wasn’t surprised at all. “No, I was a good fit for Bruce Banner,” he said. “So is Mark Ruffalo, he’s fantastic.”
Ruffalo, who took on the role of Bruce Banner and the Hulk starting in 2012, is a friend of Norton’s. During his interview, Norton heaped praise on his colleague and the other actors who’ve portrayed the Green Goliath in the past:
"“I mean, Mark and I came up together in New York. He’s like one of the best, and people always try to create fake arguments and stuff. But it’s like doing Hamlet. The Hulk, it’s like, Bill Bixby was great, Eric Bana was great, I hope I was good, Mark’s great. I think it’s just one of those things a lot of great actors are gonna get to do.”"
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It goes without saying that Norton is a talented performer, and a number of fans still believe him to have been a strong choice for Bruce Banner in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. In taking the role, he immersed himself in the character’s history and made (uncredited) contributions to the screenplay. He even plotted out a second Hulk film, which would have featured a darker take on the hero. But things eventually broke down after Marvel Studios released a statement announcing that they were going in another direction with the character.
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If Norton were to return to the MCU, he wouldn’t be the first actor to play a second major character. Captain Marvel’s Gemma Chan will return to the franchise again in The Eternals next year. It’s unlikely that Norton and Marvel will reunite, but it’s not an impossibility.