Some actors have had trouble escaping the shadow cast by their superhero personas over the years. However, this is not the case with Edward Norton. The actor, most likely as a result, has no remorse about losing the opportunity to play the Hulk in Joss Whedon’s The Avengers movie.
Kingdom of Heaven actor played the title character in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk; however, the actor later left the franchise due to an alleged conflict with the producers. Despite being a part of a massive franchise, the 2008 film did not perform particularly well at the box office, grossing $264.8 million.
Norton even thought he would reprise his role as Bruce Banner in the 2012 MCU crossover film, The Avengers. Marvel, however, declared they would recast the part even before the shooting had started.
Unfortunately, that was the only time Norton could be seen in the franchise before Mark Ruffalo took his place.
Edward Norton And Marvel’s Feud Over Creative Differences
Edward Norton is one of the greatest actors to have ever graced the screen. He is renowned for his strong performances in a variety of roles in different genres, from drama to action. The actor gained notoriety for his roles in well-known films like American History X, Fight Club, The Illusionist, and many others, which made him the ideal choice for the MCU.
Thus, he portrayed Bruce Banner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the 2008 superhero film, The Incredible Hulk.
In the beginning, Norton declined the role because he believed the 2003 film adaptation of Hulk “strayed far afield from a story that was familiar to people,… which is a fugitive story.”
He revised the script each day while the movie was being shot. Louis Leterrier, the director, expressed appreciation for his contributions.
“Edward’s script has given Bruce’s story real gravitas.”
Norton’s modifications, however, did not sit well with screenwriter, Zak Penn, as he told EW:
“Yes, [the fallout] prevented me from collaborating with him [during production]. I don’t really know the guy, he has his own process and he chose to do it the way he wanted to do it. That said, I kept in touch with the people making the movie — but he, you know, has his own particular way of working, and…it was unusual..”
He Didn’t Want to ‘Degrade’ His ‘Effectiveness’ as an Actor
Reviews of The Incredible Hulk were generally favorable when it was released in 2008. Thus, Edward Norton was expected to return to Marvel Cinematic Universe productions like The Avengers in 2012.
However, Mark Ruffalo was cast in his place, allegedly as a result of Norton’s “disputes” with Marvel. Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, stated that they desired:
“An actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members.”
Norton stated in an interview with Terry Gross for NPR in 2014 that he didn’t want to be restricted by playing the same role repeatedly in movies:
“I sort of chose to continue on my path of having a diversity of experiences.”
Moreover, in the same interview, the 53-year-old actor provided a clear justification for his departure from the MCU.
“Maybe on some unconscious level, I didn’t want to have an association with one thing [that would] in any way degrade my effectiveness as an actor in characters.”
Well, we last saw Norton in a 2023 comedy-drama film, Asteroid City, which was directed, written, and produced by Wes Anderson.
Meanwhile, you can watch The Incredible Hulk, which is streaming on Disney Plus.
Source- NPR
