Incredible Hulk 2: Everything We Know About Ed Norton's Scrapped Plans

Edward Norton originally planned to make a sequel to 2008's The Incredible Hulk, and while it ultimately didn't come to fruition, a few details have come out over the years to reveal what it would have been about. After over a decade of record-breaking superhero blockbusters, it's easy to assume the MCU was a guaranteed success. Rewind to 2008, though, and in truth it was something of a gamble. Marvel was a rookie film studio that had previously only worked alongside others, with no proven track record of their own, and nobody had ever tried to make a shared cinematic universe quite like the MCU before.

The modern Marvel Studios has a reputation for long-term planning, but during Phase 1 they were frequently course-correcting. That's particularly evident if you cast a critical eye over the Phase 1 post-credits scenes because in the end only one of them actually contributed to the overarching narrative. Marvel literally produced their first one-shot in order to retcon The Incredible Hulk's post-credits scene. However, Marvel's Hulk plans changed even more radically than that. The first Hulk actor was Edward Norton, and over the years he's revealed he was originally signed up for a two-film deal with a very specific character arc for Bruce Banner. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be.

Ed Norton's Hulk Plan

The Dark Knight Incredible Hulk Edward Norton

Edward Norton first became involved with The Incredible Hulk in 2007, and he didn't expect to just be an actor. The screenplay was unfinished when Norton came on board because writer Zak Penn had left the project to work on The Grand. One of the reasons Norton got the part was he was a writer as well as an actor, and he was delighted at the opportunity to work on the final draft. Norton had grown up loving Hulk comics, and he believed he could do with the Hulk what Christopher Nolan had done with Batman, making it "Long, dark, and serious," and drawing inspiration from the Dark Knight trilogy:

"If there was ever a thing that I thought had that in it, it was the Hulk. It's literally a Promethean myth."

While this may seem like an odd fit for the MCU, it's important to remember that Marvel Studios had yet to develop its house style. The first film was to portray Bruce as a victim, the second as what Norton called the "conscious dreamer" who had learned to live through the transformation. The ending of The Incredible Hulk is quite ambiguous. Banner is attempting to control the transformation, and his eyes snap open; has he succeeded, or has he failed?

This ambiguity was deliberate on the part of Norton and director Louis Leterrier. At the time, they had no way of knowing if The Incredible Hulk 2 would come out before or after The Avengers. There's even some evidence Marvel was toying with the idea of using the Hulk as the villain in The Avengers, a concept lifted straight from their Ultimate comic book range.

What We Know About The Incredible Hulk 2's Story

Liv Tyler and Edward Norton as Betty Ross and Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk

Norton's few comments about The Incredible Hulk 2 are focused on Banner's role as "the conscious dreamer, the guy who can handle the trip." There are hints of this in the first film, with Banner experiencing flashes of memory suggesting he indeed experienced what the Hulk has done; in fact, some of it has clearly caused great psychological trauma. In The Incredible Hulk 2, Banner would have learned to remain conscious through the transformation and exert an influence over the Hulk persona. Conceptually, it's similar to some ideas Peter David toyed with in his Incredible Hulk comics run, though it's a far cry from the integrated "Smart Hulk" personality first seen in Avengers: Endgame.

In an interview with Norton has referred to The Incredible Hulk as "Chapter 1" in a multiple-part story, which is key to understanding The Incredible Hulk 2, because it means the film was probably going to build on everything that had been set up in the first movie. Secondary characters like Betty Ross and her father "Thunderbolt" Ross would presumably return, and Dr. Samuel Sterns, aka the Leader, would most likely have been the main villain. Tim Blake Nelson confirmed he had signed a multi-picture contract with Marvel for precisely that purpose. Ty Burrell was also expecting to return as Doc Samson.

Why The Incredible Hulk 2 Didn't Happen & Why The Hulk Was Recast

The relationship between Norton and Marvel Studios, unfortunately, soured during the editing of The Incredible Hulk because it became clear the actor and studio had very different visions. A lot of character development was cut, and director Louis Leterrier believed there could be up to 70 minutes of deleted scenes. Norton wasn't happy, and a meeting with Marvel execs turned into a shouting match.

Making matters worse, details leaked to the press. It didn't take long for speculation to begin circling that Norton wouldn't be reprising the role of Bruce Banner; members of the cast were literally fielding questions about this during The Incredible Hulk's press tour. In 2010, shortly before filming began on The Avengers, Marvel confirmed they had parted ways with Norton. Even that wasn't particularly amicable, with their statement containing what seemed to be a parting shot aimed directly at him, saying their decision was"rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members."

How Captain America 4 Continues The Incredible Hulk's Story Instead

Sam Wilson as Captain America next to Ed Norton's Hulk and William Hurt as Thunderbolt Ross

Banner and the Hulk have since evolved together in the MCU with a journey that's been seen in the Avengers movies, Thor: Ragnarok, and the series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. However, it's been confirmed that characters from The Incredible Hulk will be featured in the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World movie. Liv Tyler is set to reprise her role as Banner's love interest Betty Ross (who hasn't appeared in the MCU since the 2009 movie). The same is true for Tim Blake Nelson's Samuel Sterns who will have likely evolved into the Leader as he was meant to in the sequel that never was.

Although the late William Hurt's General Ross has had a continued role with multiple appearances in the MCU, it does look as though Brave New World will be his biggest role yet since The Incredible Hulk as he's confirmed to be the President of the United States. Recast with Harrison Ford, Ross may even transform into the Red Hulk as he does in the original comics. At least where The Incredible Hulk's cast is concerned, it appears as though their stories are continuing with Brave New World as an unofficial sequel.

Will The MCU Make Another Solo Hulk Movie?

bruce banner as the hulk in a potential world war hulk film

Marvel Studios was purchased by Disney in 2009, complicating any chance of another solo Hulk film in the MCU as the distribution rights to Hulk films sit with Universal. Back in 2008, that was a good thing for Marvel, because they lacked any distribution network of their own. When they were acquired by Disney, though, they gained the House of Mouse's own distribution channels. And there was no way Disney would pay to produce The Incredible Hulk 2, but allow Universal to profit from the distribution. Even Edward Norton's replacement, Mark Ruffalo, has conceded the difficulty of another Hulk solo movie.

That said, She-Hulk did tease a new plot thread for the Hulk involving his new son and a return to Thor: Ragnarok's planet Sakaar where the Hulk had a brief career as a galactic gladiator. Sparking rumors for a World War Hulk adaptation in the near future, it's unclear if a movie or series is in the works, or if this plot will be integrated into another character's movie as a means of circumventing the Universal distribution issues. While the MCU is clearly interested in continuing Banner and the Hulk's story, they don't really need The Incredible Hulk 2 given all the other narrative avenues at their disposal.