The Hulk has been a fixture of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the very beginning. Although the character really came to the forefront of the franchise as one of the six original Avengers, he was there much earlier than that - making his presence felt from the franchise's second ever film. That film came out in 2008 - just a few months after Iron Man kicked it all off for the MCU - and its ripples continue to be felt today.
The mean, green incredible machine has since appeared in The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, and, most recently, Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Although he's not currently listed as a full-time cast member of Avengers: Doomsday, he could make a cameo appearance, with a much larger role for the Hulk rumored for 2027's sequel Avengers: Secret Wars.
Through it all, the role of Bruce Banner and his greener, meaner other half has been portrayed by Mark Ruffalo. But he wasn't the first actor to play the role in the MCU as there was one exception to that statement - a film which Ruffalo didn't appear in. And that was none other than 2008's The Incredible Hulk, which starred Edward Norton as the character.
Why Marvel recast Edward Norton as the Hulk
The Hulk was one of the very first Marvel Comics characters introduced into the MCU, arriving off the back of the massive success that was Iron Man. It was Edward Norton who brought the character to life, headlining The Incredible Hulk as he showcased the complexity of Bruce Banner's life and the relationships he had with the likes of Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) and General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (William Hurt). It also saw the Hulk take part in an infamous battle with the Abomination (Tim Roth) in New York City, setting the stage for a much larger involvement in the franchise. But Norton wasn't to be involved in future titles.
Norton is renowned for taking a very hands-on approach when it comes to filmmaking, immersing himself in the characters that he plays and really wanting to get to the heart of what makes them who they are - even if that means spotlighting darker story traits that aren't always compatible with a wider franchise or a family-friendly movie. The actor reportedly rewrote elements of The Incredible Hulk script as a result of this, looking to produce a film that was much more in line with Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight - which is widely regarded as one of the best superhero and comic book movies of all time. It's also incredibly serious and appeals more to mature audiences- and certainly not the type of film that Marvel Studios was looking to make in 2008.
Yep, the approach directly contradicted Marvel Studios' long-term plan for the MCU franchise - particularly that of Marvel Studios' own President Kevin Feige who, as we all know, had a vivid vision for the Infinity Saga and beyond. This ultimately resulted in the two parting ways, with Feige releasing a now-infamous statement that said the decision was "rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members".
While Norton's representatives were not happy with this statement and released their own, calling it "unprofessional" and "offensive", it didn't change the fact that Norton's time in the MCU had come to an end. Although the star has indeed still gone on to enjoy a remarkably successful career, including earning two more Academy Award nominations (on top of the two that he previously earned) for his work in Birdman and A Complete Unknown, it's still interesting to think about what it would have been like for his Hulk to continue on in the MCU franchise, joining the Avengers, fighting Thanos and beyond.
But Marvel Studios made the decision to move on, ultimately recasting the role with Mark Ruffalo in 2012's The Avengers. The Bruce Banner character was essentially "reintroduced" in that film in a way that didn't completely disinherit the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk while also only loosely acknowledging it. And, for years after that, the MCU only marginally acknowledged its existence through the returns of General Ross and the references to his complicated relationship with Banner.
Ironically, the Multiverse Saga would make a number of references to the film nearly two decades later, with Shang-Chi and She-Hulk reintroducing the Abomination and 2024's Captain America: Brave New World acting as something of an indirect sequel to the forgotten MCU film, picking up plot threads and characters that the MCU had long since ignored.
The Hulk's future in the MCU is somewhat unclear at the moment, but it is clear that there is one. The character's son, Skaar, was revealed in She-Hulk (a result from his time on Sakaar, it seems), his story took an unexpected turn in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and there are rumors for Avengers returns - and the potential of Bruce Banner playing a major role in the Mutants Era and beyond. So, even though Ruffalo hasn't gotten that Hulk solo movie of his own, he continues to be an incredibly important part of the legendary franchise.
It's hard to imagine anyone else playing the Hulk now. Ruffalo has single-handedly redefined the legendary Marvel Comics character for a whole new generation, delivering a performance that is as wholesome as it is terrifying. While Norton certainly delivered in the original 2008 film, it was Ruffalo's that became one of the foundations of the very franchise that movie helped build. And we can't wait to see where the character goes next.
Somewhere out there is a timeline in which Norton's Hulk became a staple of the MCU. Although it wasn't to be in 2008, it remains one of the great What If...? scenarios of the MCU.
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