The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a well-oiled machine over the years, constantly releasing big screen movies and small screen adventures that are available with a Disney+ subscription. Actor Mark Ruffalo has been playing Bruce Banner/Hulk for years now, and some fans are still hoping that one of the upcoming Marvel movies will finally be a solo film for him. For his part, Ruffalo is down for Hulk movie, but he explained what might be in the way of that happening.
The 13 Going on 30 actor debuted as Bruce Banner in The Avengers, and has played that role in a number of TV and film projects since. But the studio still hasn't given him a Hulk sequel, despite iconography from that project becoming more integral to the shared universe. Ruffalo spoke to GQ about his interest in doing a solo movie, while also sharing why it hasn't happened. In his words:
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!
Well, there you have it. While actors like Robert Downey Jr. have retired from Marvel, it sounds like Ruffalo is sticking around. And he'd totally do a Hulk movie... if transforming him into the big green guy wasn't so expensive for the studio. And yes, now I've got serious FOMO.
Mark Ruffalo's comments are sure to go viral with comic book fans, some of whom have been waiting for years to see The Incredible Hulk 2. All the other OG Avengers have gotten solo projects at this point, either with movies like Black Widow or shows like Hawkeye.
While the Poor Things actor thinks that a Hulk movie would be too expensive to produce, it does seem like the shared universe is creating more titles to the original. What we know about Captain America: Brave New World is limited, but multiple Hulk characters are featuring including Liv Tyler as Betty Ross. And the most popular rumor about the blockbuster is that one of the antagonists could be Red Hulk.
Mark Ruffalo got to appear in both She-Hulk and the credits scene of Shang-Chi, but he hasn't had a starring role in the MCU since Avengers: Endgame. Hopefully that'll change sometime in the future, given the actor's ongoing excitement over his signature role.
There are countless questions about the future of the MCU, including when Mark Ruffalo might return as Bruce Banner. Perhaps the most obvious choice would be Avengers 5, which has recently dropped the name The Kang Dynasty. Hopefully we get more information about that project sooner rather than later.
The next Marvel movie hitting theaters is Deadpool & Wolverine on July 26th. Be sure to check the 2024 movie release dates.
