The Hulk may be one of the most popular characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Marvel hasn’t done as much with him compared to their other headlining heroes. After The Incredible Hulk didn’t meet expectations, the Green Goliath was relegated to Avengers films, and even though Mark Ruffalo has been lauded for his performance, there have been no official announcements regarding his future past Avengers: Age of Ultron. Because of that, the chances of Hulk’s supporting cast getting screen time are significantly less, but that isn’t stopping one actress from wanting to get in on the green, muscular action.
While plugging her new film Life After Beth, Parks and Recreation star Aubrey Plaza told SciFiNow how the movie allowed her to explore her inner rage, and one role that would let her do more of that is playing Bruce Banner’s cousin Jennifer Walters, better known as She-Hulk. Said Plaza,
"She-Hulk? Oh my god, I would love to be She-Hulk. Because I had super-strength? Yes, I want to be She-Hulk. Write that movie and I’ll do it. I would love to be any kind of superhero or person with super-strength."
Despite having a similar name to Hulk, Jessica Walters’ powers differ from her cousin’s - for those unfamiliar with the character in the comics. Thanks to a blood transfusion from Bruce Banner, she also turns green and becomes super-strong, but she retains her intelligence instead of turning into a mindless rage monster. Plaza is typically known for her deadpan roles, but if playing a zombie in Life After Beth allows her to unleash that primal anger, than She-Hulk may be a good fit for her.
Writer David S. Goyer caught flak earlier this year when he labeled She-Hulk as a "giant green porn star," dismissing her purely as a sexual object. Considering that the character is not only a role model for strong women, but also an accomplished lawyer, labeling her a porn star is ignorance at its finest. The only problem would be introducing She-Hulk into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, given that Marvel isn’t really willing (for now) to explore the Hulk’s mythology. However, with Marvel Studios catching pressure for not releasing a solo female film yet, they may try to involve She-Hulk in goings-on in the MCU sometime in the future. Perhaps she could be introduced in the next film featuring Hulk, whether it’s his own movie or a team-up movie with another group of characters. Either way, it would set her up for future appearances, and once that blood transfusion happens, she’ll be able to help her cousin fight super-powered threats.
In the meantime, if you’re looking to read more She-Hulk adventures, check out the current ongoing She-Hulk comic book series by Charles Soule and Javier Pulido. It’s packed full of action, whether she’s fighting supervillains or in deep courtroom drama. What more could you ask for?
