The Incredible Hulk 2 never happened. Edward Norton was replaced by Mark Ruffalo as the MCU's Bruce Banner, and the Hulk has yet to have another solo movie. Had the sequel happened, it would have expanded Hulk lore on the big screen.
Despite the Hulk's popularity, Marvel Studios has not made a sequel to The Incredible Hulk. Here is a breakdown of why there's no sequel in the MCU. The Incredible Hulk was released in 2008 and was the second film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Mark Ruffalo says another standalone Hulk movie would be too expensive. “I'd love to do a standalone Hulk, I just don't think that's ever going to happen,” the actor said, going on to add that bringing the Hulk to life is a costly endeavor.
After the mixed reception to Universal's 2003 film Hulk, Marvel Studios reacquired the rights to the character, though Universal retained distribution rights.
The Hulk Will Return in 'Captain America: Brave New World', Mark Ruffalo Confirms. *Universal, and tbf the rights are only that if Marvel makes a Hulk movie then they get to distribute it. They can't block Hulk from being a main character in another movie so long as that movie isn't called “Hulk”.
Marvel Studios Can't legally Make The Incredible HULK 2
Will Hulk ever be angry again?
So while the MCU's Hulk may never go back to being angry the same way he was before, Bruce has a new set of personal demons to deal with that can have lasting repercussions on the MCU.
Robert Downey Jr is open to returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In an interview with Esquire, the actor said he'd happily play Tony Stark aka Iron Man in future movies if Marvel gods want him to. (Also Read – Robert Downey Jr on his journey 'from uninsurable actor to Oscar winner': Father thought I got robbed…)
Mark Ruffalo reveals that he will return as Bruce Banner/Hulk in 'CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. ' This video cannot be played. This video cannot be played.
"Tony Stark's story is far from over," Downey said. "Iron Man 4 will explore new dimensions of the character and his legacy through the eyes of Morgan.
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.
Universal, however, for letting the rights revert to Marvel before they even expired, retained the right of first refusal to distribute future standalone Hulk films. In June 2023, the distribution rights to The Incredible Hulk reverted to Marvel and Disney.
Joe explains in the film's final scene that he was killed - presumably he was shot by the police. In the Reservoir Dogs video game, however, it is shown that after escaping from Karina's Wholesale Diamonds, he entered a movie theatre where he was then shot by the police. This may have been his real fate in the film.
However, Gerald Di Pego (writer/executive producer of The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, The Death of the Incredible Hulk, and Revenge of the Incredible Hulk) revealed that the film was canceled before Bixby's health began to decline, owing to disappointing ratings for Death of, and that Banner was to have been revived ...
All the Hulks are said to be about 9′ tall… except the 2003 Hulk changed size based on his anger level. So, while his base-size is comparable to the others, when he got into a rage he would grow to 15′-16′ tall. So 2003 Hulk ( when in a rage ) is the tallest live action Hulk to date.
Captain America: Brave New World could set up a storyline which sees the Leader unleash the savage Hulk again, after years of the Hulk being weakened. Mark Ruffalo is not expected to appear in Captain America: Brave New World, but the project will still explore the Hulk's MCU storyline.
MORE: Robert Downey Jr. isn't coming back as Tony Stark, Marvel Studios president says. Tony Stark sacrificed himself to snap away Thanos at the end of 2019's "Avengers: Endgame," and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige told Vanity Fair in December, "we would never want to magically undo it in any way."
Speaking to Esquire magazine after his Oscar win for “Oppenheimer” last month, Downey was asked if he would ever return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe now that he is officially an Academy Award winner. The actor didn't hesitate to answer yes.
Though no plans to bring back Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man have been announced, Tony Stark's legacy is still being felt in the MCU. Riri Williams, who appeared in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and will be the lead character in the upcoming Ironheart series, is in many ways a direct successor to Tony.
In a 2024 interview with GQ, Ruffalo stated that it's financially tricky for Marvel Studios to make a Hulk movie, saying that "it's very expensive if you did a whole movie, which is why they use the Hulk so sparingly." As valid and accurate as that statement is, there is also the matter of the Hulk distribution rights.
While Ruffalo has starred as Hulk in Marvel movies, the rights to the character are actually owned by Universal Pictures, predating Disney's 2009 acquisition of Marvel Studios, which means Universal has the right of first refusal to distribute any stand-alone Hulk movies.
Ruffalo said that Marvel Studios' president Kevin Feige confirmed to him that Hulk will never get a standalone film, and the character's development would instead be sprinkled in as subplots in future MCU projects.
