The Incredible Hulk is arguably the most consistently forgotten entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and that's partly because the second-ever MCU film was much more dramatic off-camera. Now hold on. How can a movie about a suicidal scientist turning into a "giant green rage monster" be more dramatic behind the scenes? Well, we're not speaking literally, but the contentious project caused a huge amount of development and production problems, many of them being linked to lead actor Edward Norton. Due to conflicting creative visions, alleged difficulty from Edward Norton, and rivaling production companies wanting credit for the character Marvel Studios has tried to forget The Incredible Hulk for many reasons.
'The Incredible Hulk' Was Planned As a Sequel
The MCU wasn't even a concept when The Incredible Hulk was being developed. That's because the film was initially planned to be a sequel to 2003's Hulk, directed by Ang Lee. This is another long-forgotten Marvel adaptation, and honestly, that's for good reason. While the film did perform decently at the box office, critics were very mixed on the project due to its abominable special effects, over-the-top directorial decisions, and a surprising lack of the titular green guy on screen, making it one of the weakest non-MCU Marvel films.
Still, since the movie was considered a success, 2003's Hulk parent company of Universal Pictures greenlit a sequel, picking up where the 2003 film left off with Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) seeking isolation in the jungles of South America. According to the attached screenwriter James Schamus (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), the sequel would have introduced two major Hulk villains as the main antagonists, those being the scaley and ultra-strong Abomination and the big-headed and maniacal Leader.
That plan changed forever once Iron Man made its way onto the market. The project was expected to be a sure-fire hit, not to mention an ambitious star vehicle for the fledgling MCU. Likely wanting to jump on this fascinating plan to make multiple movies that all connect to each other, Universal agreed to collaborate with the then-newly founded Marvel Studios on a new Hulk film. This led to The Incredible Hulk being reworked as the second entry into the MCU after Iron Man, effectively resetting the continuity of the Ang Lee film and filling it with an all-new cast. The final film would keep some elements from Schamus' scrapped screenplay, such as Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) beginning the film in South America, Abomination (Tim Roth) being the main villain, and a brief tease of The Leader (Tim Blake Nelson).
Did Edward Norton Make Changes to 'The Incredible Hulk' Script?
Production on The Incredible Hulk officially began with Fast X director Louis Leterrier, Free Guy screenwriter Zak Penn, and three-time Academy Award nominee Edward Norton in the lead role of Bruce Banner. The end product was a moderate success both critically and financially, but also wasn't anywhere near the home run that Iron Man was. Still, the straight-forward monster story and entertaining action sequences made the film look like everything went swimmingly in production. In actuality, that is far from the case.
Several crew and cast members who worked on the film, particularly screenwriter Zak Penn, alleged that Edward Norton was the source behind quite a bit of behind-the-scenes turmoil. This wouldn't be the first time Norton has caused a row on set, with the character he plays in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) potentially based on himself. However, Norton's dissatisfaction with Marvel's more "commercial" approach to the film was shared by Louis Leterrier, who would even go on to discredit the second half of his film as Marvel's rather than his own.
One of the biggest points of contention surrounding the film though has to be the claim that Edward Norton was rewriting parts of Zak Penn's script himself while filming was taking place. Penn neither confirmed nor denied this claim but was still "disappointed" with Norton's attempt to take credit for the film's screenplay. While Penn did get the sole writing credit in the end, some cast and crew members did confirm Norton's rewrites did occur.
Edward Norton Chose Not to Return as Bruce Banner in 'The Avengers'
The rest of The Incredible Hulk's behind-the-scenes drama is filled with rumors and unconfirmed reports. However, it's quite clear that Norton's experience on the project and many battles with Marvel made him not want to return. Per a statement from Norton in 2010, the actor announced that he would not be returning to the role for The Avengers while also confirming that Marvel had offered him the part.
This, of course, led to Bruce Banner being recast with Mark Ruffalo, who was reportedly Leterrier's initial choice to play the character before Norton was cast. Norton would later go on to say that he enjoyed his time making The Incredible Hulk, while also admitting that, had he committed to a multi-picture Marvel deal, he wouldn't have been able to make modern classics like Moonrise Kingdom, Grand Budapest Hotel, and Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).
How Has the Legacy of 'The Incredible Hulk' Endured in the MCU?
The Incredible Hulk and the Hulk character are in a very strange rights situation. Marvel has the rights to the Hulk character but Universal Pictures has the rights to any solo sequels starring the Hulk. For this reason, Marvel Studios is unable to make a proper sequel to the Hulk and can only include him in team-up and ensemble films. At the same time, Universal Studios is not legally allowed to make a Hulk movie since they don't own the rights to the Hulk character. It's an immensely weird stalemate that still continues to this day.
Marvel only recently began incorporating The Incredible Hulk back into the canon of the MCU. This began with the reintroduction of William Hurt's General Ross, the military leader who caused trouble for Banner in The Incredible Hulk. Ross is slated to return for the upcoming Thunderbolts, though now Harrison Ford will be playing the part following Hurt's passing. The closest thing we may ever get to a proper sequel to The Incredible Hulk is She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Not only does the Disney+ series follow Banner's cousin, Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), but we also get a glimpse at Tim Roth as a newly-reformed Abomination. Finally, the tease of The Leader will finally pay off when Tim Blake Nelson will finally reprise the role in Captain America: New World Order.
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