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The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a behemoth in the entertainment world, but it had relatively humble roots. A handful of blockbusters populated Phase One, including The Incredible Hulk. The big green guy's time in the MCU is notable since actor Edward Norton eventually departed and was replaced by Mark Ruffalo in The Avengers. But it turns out that another actor was originally vying for the role: the always delightful Matthew McConaughey.
Re-castings occurred a few times in the MCU, but Mark Ruffalo taking on the mantle of Bruce Banner/The Hulk is perhaps the most notable. Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey recently revealed that he tried to land that gig, to no avail. Now we can see what he might have looked like in the MCU thanks to some awesome fan art. Check it out below.
FOMO alert. Matthew McConaughey has had a long and successful career, but he's one of the few actors who has yet to take on a comic book character. Not for lack of trying, as he actively campaigned for the role, while Marvel Studios passed on his particular talents.
The above image comes to us from the Instagram of digital artist Apex Form. In it we see Matthew McConaughey's version of Bruce Banner, who is bathed in green light. The Gentleman actor's eyes are glowing green, which usually means Bruce's transformation into the big green guy is imminent. Or he's getting a little too angry.
Makr Ruffalo's tenure as Hulk is currently streaming on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
Behind Bruce Banner stands a hulking version of The Incredible Hulk. The face doesn't look like the character's appearance from when Mark Ruffalo took on the gig. Instead, it more closely resembles Edward Norton's Hulk. Still, you can imagine that Matthew McConaughey would absolutely kill it in this dual role. There's more fan art of his version of Bruce Banner below.
Overall, the Hulk has had a unique life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Following The Incredible Hulk's release and Edward Norton's following departure from the role, the character was never given another solo movie. Instead, Mark Ruffalo's time as Bruce Banner was mostly spent in the four Avengers movies, as well as a supporting role in Thor: Ragnarok. And it turns out that Matthew McConaughey would have liked to be the man in control of the powerful Avenger.
It should be interesting to see what the future holds for Mark Rufffalo's Bruce Banner/Hulk. Fans are hoping he'll have a role in Disney+'s developing She-Hulk series, but it's unclear when Smart Hulk will return to the big screen. Ruffalo's contract is presumably up, so he might be able to make a major pay day on his next appearance. Sorry, Matthew McConaughey.
The next installment in the MCU is Black Widow on May 7th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.
