Edward Norton was just fine as Bruce Banner when he got his first solo Hulk movie, but while his fans wanted to see him rock the character further, he left the MCU and Mark Ruffalo has played the character since 2012’s The Avengers. But again, Marvel’s ideology behind the character clashed with Norton’s own ideas for Hulk films, and he wasn’t really happy about Ruffalo taking the character further.
Edward Norton Had Creative Differences With The MCU
Fans often wonder how the Hulk movies would have looked if Edward Norton continued playing the character, but again Mark Ruffalo’s imprint as Bruce Banner since 2012 proved that it is hard to imagine any other actor in the green character’s role. Edward Norton, who started the legacy in 2003 with The Incredible Hulk, wasn’t completely on board with Marvel’s strategy.
While it took a bit of convincing to take Norton on this role, his only condition depended upon how much involvement the three-time Academy Award nominee will have with the script. As he parted ways, Mark Ruffalo was signed for the role, but Norton did not agree with the decision He said in an interview:
“It’s one of those things that I don’t… It has so much to do with big agendas at big companies that it’s not where I put a whole lot of my thought time. I think that if they want to do The Avengers, they kind of have to roll out a bunch of their other characters first. There’s Thor, Captain America, and all those. I think that that might be downstream a little bit.”
Also Read: “I was scared”: Robert Downey Jr’s One Call Changed Marvel’s Hulk Mark Ruffalo’s Life
Edward Norton, who was being offered other superhero roles back then, thought that joining Hulk with The Avengers wasn’t a really wise decision. Well, history suggests that Marvel did lose a lot of notable actors due to creative differences, but one cannot deny that it went on to become the biggest film franchise across the globe.
Kevin Feige’s Statement Didn’t Affect Edward Norton’s Career
Edward Norton’s departure from the MCU wasn’t an amicable one, and one devil who needs a mention here is Kevin Feige, whose statement could have had long-lasting implications on Norton. After his departure, the MCU was looking for someone who could fulfill the requirements of Hulk’s role and ended up signing the Shutter Island actor.
As they parted ways with Norton, the MCU’s president Kevin Feige released a rather “defamatory” statement claiming that the reason for Norton’s departure wasn’t based on monetary factors, but instead, “rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members.” He also added:
“The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble, as evidenced by Robert, Chris H, Chris E, Sam, Scarlett, and all of our talented casts. We are looking to announce a name actor who fulfils these requirements, and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks.”
Norton’s manager claimed that Feige’s words were “misleading and defamatory” toward The Bourne Legacy star. He believed that they directly hit the actor’s work ethic and passion for the role. But then, Norton went on with his professional career and successfully landed some of the most successful roles. Norton did almost replace Ruffalo in the post-Avengers: Endgame world.
As for Mark Ruffalo, the only truth that stands to date is fans cannot imagine him being ever replaced by any other actor. The actor’s portrayal of Bruce Banner, at the same time, doing justice to the strong green character, is nothing but incredible. There’s a reason why this actor is one of the few performers to receive all four EGOT nominations.
Source: Cheat Sheet
