Mark Ruffalo, 56, is an acclaimed actor, producer, and activist, who has been nominated for three Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, and two Emmys. He has starred in various films, such as Spotlight, The Kids Are All Right, Foxcatcher, and Zodiac. He is also known for his environmental and social justice advocacy, and his support for various causes, such as renewable energy, clean water, and women’s rights.
However, he is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the most successful film franchise of all time. He made his debut as the green-skinned superhero in The Avengers (2012), and has since reprised his role in Iron Man 3 (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and the Disney+ series What If…? (2021). He is also set to appear in the upcoming series She-Hulk (2022), which will focus on his cousin Jennifer Walters, who inherits his powers.
Hulk: A popular but problematic character
The Hulk is one of the most popular and iconic characters in the Marvel comics, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1962. He is the alter ego of Bruce Banner, a brilliant but emotionally repressed scientist, who transforms into a giant, muscular, and rage-filled creature when he is exposed to gamma radiation. The Hulk is often depicted as a misunderstood and tragic figure, who struggles to control his anger and find his place in the world.
However, the Hulk is also a problematic character when it comes to adapting him to the big screen. The character requires a lot of CGI and motion capture technology to create, which makes him very expensive and time-consuming to produce. Moreover, the character’s rights are complicated, as Universal Pictures owns the distribution rights to any solo Hulk film, while Marvel Studios owns the production rights. This means that Marvel cannot make a Hulk film without Universal’s involvement and approval, which limits their creative and financial control.
Mark Ruffalo: Why a Hulk solo film is unlikely to happen
Mark Ruffalo, who has expressed his interest in making a Hulk solo film in the past, has recently revealed why he thinks that it is unlikely to happen. In an interview with GQ, he said, “I’d love to do a standalone Hulk, I just don’t think that’s ever going to happen. It’s very expensive if you did a whole movie, which is why they use the Hulk so sparingly. I priced myself out!”
He also said that he is happy with the way Marvel has used his character in the ensemble films and the Disney+ series, and that he has enjoyed exploring different aspects of his personality and his relationship with other characters. He said, “I think they’ve done a really good job with him. I’ve had a lot of fun playing him in different ways, and I’ve gotten to do a lot of different things with him. I’ve gotten to be Professor Hulk, I’ve gotten to be Smart Hulk, I’ve gotten to be World War Hulk, I’ve gotten to be Maestro. I’ve had a really good run with him.”
He also said that he is looking forward to working with Tatiana Maslany, who will play She-Hulk in the upcoming series, and that he is excited to see how she will bring her own spin to the character. He said, “She’s amazing, and she’s going to be a great She-Hulk. She’s going to bring a lot of humor and heart to the role, and I can’t wait to see what she does with it.”
