Mark Ruffalo has been the Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2012’s The Avengers. After the Infinity Saga concluded, so did the journey of many of the stars we saw in the first movie. Only Hulk, Thor, and Hawkeye have made their appearance in Phase 4 (well Black Widow too but it was a flashback story).
Mark Ruffalo is also set to soon appear in the Disney+ series, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, in a supporting role. The actor has been playing the Hulk/Bruce Banner on and off for a decade but hasn’t had a solo project so far.
Mark Ruffalo wants a World War Hulk movie
Recently the star was at the premiere of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and was asked various questions during the interview on the red carpet. One question that popped up was about the rumored World War Hulk movie. The star, while talking to Entertainment Tonight, said that he was up for it.
ET: “There are a few Easter eggs in this thing that kind of led us down the World War Hulk storyline, are you up for a solo Hulk movie?”
Mark Ruffalo: “Anytime they want to do it, I’m here.”
Tatiana Maslany says Mark Ruffalo loves playing Hulk
In an interview with Screen Rant, the actress Tatiana Maslany who is starring the upcoming series as She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters, talked about her experience working with Mark Ruffalo and how the star is not yet tired of playing the Hulk, despite the fact he has been playing it for a decade now.
She shared,
“I feel like what surprised me the most—but also didn’t, just because I know he’s such an incredible actor—was how much he comes to set with this sense of, “Everything is new.” He just always seems to be exploring and experiencing it for the first time.
There’s never this sense of like, “Yeah, yeah. I’ve been doing this for 10 years, and I’m phoning it in.” He’s absolutely present. He’s always stretching that character, and he’s always listening. And he really creates this sense on set with other actors, and with the crew and everybody, of total play and spontaneity. And you know we’re both in mo-cap suits. And yet, we felt like we were just like two kids playing.”
The World War Hulk rumor
In 2021, a rumor that a film – World War Hulk is in the early stages of production. But there was no further confirmation given on the news. A Reddit leak post that talked about the upcoming projects of Marvel Studios even mentioned the movie will be in the list of announcement by the studio at the SDCC, but that did not happen.
Why is Disney not ready for a solo Hulk movie?
Despite the actor openly agreeing that he is eagerly waiting for the call for a solo project. Among the major Avengers, he is the only one who hasn’t starred in a solo project. We have witnessed 3 Captain America movies, 3 Iron Man movies, 4 Thor solos and even a Loki series and a Black Widow movie, but Disney seems to be somehow against a Mark Ruffalo starrer solo Hulk movie.
In the past, we have seen solo Hulk projects. Hulk 2003 had Eric Bana as Bruce Banner/Hulk. later a 2013 The Incredible Hulk was created starring Edward Norton. But now that Marvel seems to have found their perfect Hulk in Mark Ruffalo and the fans love him in the role too, the parent studio seems hesitant giving him a solo movie, World War Hulk.
But it also could be due to the disrupted timeline as Hulk on Sakaar was already a part of Thor: Ragnarok and Hulk is now transformed into Smart Hulk, would have brought upon a dilemma on the studio of how to bring back the timeline to match the comic book storyline.
But hopefully based on the future project, the actor’s dedication to the character, we might see World War Hulk finally happening. Also, the Marvel fans have always loved the balance Mark Ruffalo has brought to the character and how great his portrayal of Hulk is, it might also serve as a go to the Mouse House to finally green light the project.
Meanwhile, we will get to see more of Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law on Disney+ with the first episode coming out on 18 August, 2022.