This article is about the 2008 film.
- For the 2003 film, see Hulk.
The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character the Hulk, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is the second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Louis Leterrier, with a screenplay by Zak Penn. It stars Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, alongside Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, Tim Blake Nelson, Ty Burrell, and William Hurt. In The Incredible Hulk, Bruce Banner becomes the Hulk as an unwitting pawn in a military scheme to reinvigorate the “Super-Soldier” program through gamma radiation. On the run, he attempts to cure himself of the Hulk before he is captured by General Thaddeus Ross, but his worst fears are realized when power-hungry soldier Emil Blonsky becomes a similar, but more bestial creature.
Plot[]
At Culver University in Virginia, General Thunderbolt Ross meets with Dr. Bruce Banner, the colleague and boyfriend of his daughter Betty, regarding an experiment that Ross claims is meant to make humans immune to gamma radiation. The experiment — part of a World War II-era "super soldier" program that Ross hopes to recreate — fails, and the exposure to gamma radiation causes Banner to transform into the Hulk for brief periods of time, whenever his heart rate rises above 200 beats per minute. The Hulk destroys the lab, injuring or killing the people inside. Banner becomes a fugitive from the U.S. military and Ross in particular, who wants to weaponize the Hulk.
Five years later,[N 2] Banner works at a bottling factory in Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, while searching for a cure for his condition. On the internet, he collaborates with a colleague he knows only as "Mr. Blue", and to whom he is "Mr. Green". He is learning Yoga techniques to help keep control, and has not transformed in five months. After Banner cuts his finger, a drop of his blood falls into a bottle, and is eventually ingested by an elderly consumer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, giving him gamma sickness. Using the bottle to track down Banner, Ross sends a special forces team, led by Russian-born British Royal Marine Emil Blonsky, to capture him. Banner transforms into the Hulk and defeats Blonsky's team. After Ross explains how Banner became the Hulk, Blonsky agrees to be injected with a small amount of a similar serum, which gives him enhanced speed, strength, agility, and healing, but also begins to deform his skeleton and impair his judgment.
Banner returns to Culver University and reunites with Betty, who is dating psychiatrist Leonard Samson. Banner is attacked a second time by Ross and Blonsky's forces, tipped off by the suspicious Samson, causing him to again transform into the Hulk. The ensuing battle outside the university proves futile for Ross' forces and they retreat, though Blonsky, whose sanity is faltering, attacks and mocks the Hulk. The Hulk seemingly kills Blonsky and flees with Betty. After the Hulk reverts to Banner, he and Betty go on the run, and Banner contacts Mr. Blue, who urges them to meet him in New York City. Mr. Blue is actually cellular biologist Dr. Samuel Sterns, who tells Banner he has developed a possible antidote to Banner's condition. After a successful test, he warns Banner that the antidote may only reverse each individual transformation. Sterns reveals he has synthesized Banner's blood samples, which Banner sent from Brazil, into a large supply, with the intention of applying its "limitless potential" to medicine. Fearful of the Hulk's power falling into the military's hands, Banner wishes to destroy the blood supply.
Blonsky has survived the battle at Culver University and completely healed. He joins Ross' forces for a third attempt to take Banner into custody. They succeed and Banner, along with Betty, are taken away in a helicopter. Blonsky stays behind and orders Sterns to inject him with Banner's blood, as he covets the Hulk's power. Sterns warns that the combination of the super-soldier formula and Banner's blood may cause him to become an "abomination", but Blonsky insists. The experiment mutates Blonsky into a creature with size and strength surpassing that of the Hulk, but drives him insane. He attacks Sterns, who gets some of Banner's blood in a cut on his forehead, causing him to begin mutating as well. Blonsky rampages through Harlem. Realizing that the Hulk is the only one who can stop Blonsky, Banner convinces Ross to release him. He jumps from Ross' helicopter and transforms after hitting the ground. After a long and brutal battle through Harlem, the Hulk defeats Blonsky. After having a peaceful moment with Betty, the Hulk flees New York.
A month later, Banner is in Bella Coola, British Columbia. Instead of trying to suppress his transformation, he successfully transforms in a controlled manner. Tony Stark approaches Ross at a local bar and informs him a team is being put together.
Cast[]
- Edward Norton as Bruce Banner/Hulk
- Liv Tyler as Betty Ross
- Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/Abomination
- William Hurt as General Thaddeus Ross
- Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns
- Ty Burrell as Leonard Samson
- Christina Cabot as Major Kathleen Sparr
- Peter Mensah as General Joe Greller
- Lou Ferrigno as Hulk (voice) / Security Guard
- Paul Soles as Stanley Lieber
- Débora Nascimento as Martina
- Pedro Salvín as Tough Guy Leader
- John Carvalho as Plant Manager
- Martin Starr as Roger Harrington
- Nicholas Rose as Jack McGee
- P.J. Kerr as Jim Wilson
- Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark (uncredited)
- Stan Lee as Watcher Informant (uncredited)
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- This is the second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- This is the first standalone film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe the others Black Widow and Eternals, Thunderbolts, Blade and Fantastic Four.
- This is the lowest grossing MCU film.
- Louis Leterrier wanted Mark Ruffalo for the role of Bruce Banner, but Marvel insisted on Edward Norton. Ironically, Ruffalo would go on to replace Norton as Banner in future Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.
- Captain America: Civil War (2016) is the first reappearance of William Hurt as General Thaddeus Ross since this film, an eight-year absence for his character. The Russo brothers, directing that film, wanted to incorporate Ross, as they felt that character had been forgotten a bit since this film.
- (at around 4 mins) Near the beginning of the movie, when Banner is flipping channels on the television, one of the shows he stops on is The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969), which starred Bill Bixby, Bixby is seen on the screen for several seconds. Bixby played Dr. Banner in The Incredible Hulk (1977) television series.
- Originally, Abomination was going to return as a supporting antagonist in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), but he was cut.
- (at around 1h 4 mins) Betty Ross buys Bruce some purple pants. In the comics, the Hulk is almost always seen wearing purple pants.
- Sam Elliott wanted to reprise his role as General Ross from Hulk (2003), but it was taken by William Hurt.
- This is the only Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One film in which Nick Fury does not appear. However, his name appears in the opening credit montage at the 2:46 mark (on a S.H.I.E.L.D. page, with the text Nick Fury, Shield Command, Code RED, New York, NY 060564).
- Louis Leterrier insisted that Tim Roth, of whom he is a big fan, be cast as the film's main antagonist, even though Marvel Studios and Edward Norton were initially unsure of Roth as a supervillain. Leterrier later said, "It's great watching a normal Cockney boy become a superhero!"
- Edward Norton was cast as Bruce Banner on the recommendation of Lou Ferrigno, who had starred in The Incredible Hulk (1977). Ferrigno stated that Edward Norton reminded him of the late Bill Bixby, who acted beside him as Dr. David Bruce Banner. Norton, who is a big fan of the series, had also portrayed a similar character in Fight Club (1999).
- The only film in Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One not to be distributed by Paramount Pictures, as Universal has had the rights to "The Incredible Hulk" since the television series, The Incredible Hulk (1977).
- Edward Norton, a big Hulk fan, initially turned down the lead, as he had concerns over how the film would turn out. Upon meeting Louis Leterrier and Marvel, and hearing their vision, he signed on.
- David Duchovny was considered to play Bruce Banner before Edward Norton.
- The two stars of The Incredible Hulk (1977) have cameos: Bill Bixby is seen on television, in a clip from The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969), and Lou Ferrigno (who also voices the Hulk) portrays a security guard.
- Composer Craig Armstrong collaborated with Louis Leterrier to create the film's score. Marvel Studios were so pleased with the score, they decided to release it as a two-disc soundtrack.
- Stan Lee and Lou Ferrigno are the only people that appeared in Hulk (2003) and this film
- Eric Bana was asked to reprise his role of Bruce Banner, but he turned it down.
- Ray Stevenson was considered for the role of Emil Blonsky. He would later play Volstagg in the Thor films. Stevenson is no stranger to having portrayed a Marvel character, having starred as the Punisher in Punisher: War Zone (2008).
- Producer Gale Anne Hurd called the film a "requel" because it's a bit of a reboot, and a bit of a sequel to Hulk (2003).
- Louis Leterrier had been interested in directing Iron Man (2008), but when Jon Favreau took that project, Avi Arad offered him a sequel to Hulk (2003).
- This is the only Marvel film in which the post-credits scene is actually the last scene before the credits roll.
| Hulk |
|---|
| Hulk (2003), The Incredible Hulk (2008) |
| Phase One |
|---|
| Iron Man (2008), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), The Avengers (2012) |