Marvel Making A Hulk-Sized Mistake In Avengers Movie?
Marvel Studios has certainly been putting their super-powered ducks in a row with their upcoming superhero ensemble movie, The Avengers. They've got Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man, Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Chris Evans as Captain America, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye and probably even Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow. But is Edward Norton no longer Marvel's pick to play the Incredible Hulk's alter-ego, puny Bruce Banner?
HitFix is reporting that Marvel has decided to ditch Norton and instead will be casting an unknown in the part of the unstable Dr. Banner. Evidently Norton was all gung-ho to join the cast but Marvel, perhaps still a little gunshy after the dust-up with Norton over the script for The Incredible Hulk, decided to go for a more malleable -- and cheaper! -- no-name.
The comic book geek within me hopes that this is only a bit of salary kabuki on both sides of the argument, much like when Jake Gyllenhaal nearly replaced Tobey Maguire on Spider-Man 2. Frankly, there are so many outsized names and personalities in The Avengers as it stands now, that the film needs someone who can draw your eye to him, no matter what. Do you think an unknown has much chance in the fight for film oxygen when paired in a scene with Robert Downey, Jr. and Samuel Jackson? Here's to hoping that Marvel isn't playing the Sad, Walking Away Hulk Theme for Edward Norton just yet.
· EXCLUSIVE: Edward Norton is not the Hulk in 'The Avengers'... but he'd like to be [HitFix]
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I don't get it, Norton would wind up being in the movie for ten-fifteen minutes tops!
Maybe Wheedon will have a sense of humor and cast Eric Bana back in the role.
You can still have an excellent Avengers movie without the Hulk. When I think of the Avengers the Hulk is never part of that group. He's like DC
s Green Arrow or Flash. They're usually part of the team but not always.
I agree with you. Hulk doesn't come to mind when I think Avengers. Unless they're going with the first "Ultimates" storyline where the Hulk was the antagonist.
Maybe it isn't so much Norton's asking price as his penchant for being a major pain in the ass that's contributing to Marvel's decision. Norton's less than on board attitude with the last Hulk film kept movie goers away (at least partially) I don't blame Marvel one bit for going with an lesser known (and therefore way more malable) actor.
Hulk as antagonist is generally understood to be his role in the film, at least for some part of it. I remember reading something about a "true" threat appearing by the end of the film, Lobo or somebody maybe. Does anyone really think audiences stayed away from the Hulk reboot because of Edward Norton's attitude one way or the other? It was a diluted brand by then and kinda underwhelming as a film. I could see people staying away because of not liking Norton. I'm not big on him myself, but think it's a mistake to recast at this point, unless they take Eric Bana. Or...I read somebody suggest Steve Buscemi. I'd be on board with that above any other actor.
Dude, get your facts straight. Edward Norton wanted to be in "The Avengers" film as he even stated that in a interview. Marvel truly doesn't have a sense for quality with there film properties especially if they like to keep re-casting there characters. Re-casting in a middle of a franchise is one of the biggest flaws & diminishing marks on a film's quality. This is just another taint mark on one of there films. Marvel is just a faulty production company & there films are starting to show it.
Also, you are 100% wrong about Norton's less than on board attitude that kept filmgoers away from seeing the film.
"The Incredible Hulk" was good film & way better then Ang Lee's "The Hulk" which was just incompetent on so many standards.
Re-Casting Edward Norton is just foolish. Marvel has shown in the past that they are cheap & are all about quanity then quality. This is just another example of how Marvel does shoddy business decisions.
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I hope this isn't true. What the hell was Marvel thinking?! Norton was perfect as Bruce Banner. At least pick an actor who resembles him.
how is samuel jackson playing nick fury? Nick fury is white, and has been for the past 40 years.
Who cares? It's not like Norton put on a Hulk outfit and played the character. He played Banner...who I think would be a minor character, at best, in an Avengers film. A CGI "Hulk" could be in the film as an antagonist with no Banner appearance at all. Of course, I'm getting to the point of hating CGI...if it's not done PERFECTLY then it looks like crap. The Hulk in the last film was decent. Or they could just slop some green paint on Ferrigno...which would actually be better than some of the CGI I've seen. They should have the Hulk be an antagonist that brings them all together to confront...not a member of the team itself (in the comics he was a member for only about 5 minutes). Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and the Wasp...that should be the core group they went with.
There is a facebook group called
Attention Marvel Studios: Keep Ed Norton as the Hulk in the Avengers!!
join it !
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=101927806527537&v=wall&ref=ts
Marvel doesn't care wat the fans think anyways y do u think all of the movies are kinda off from the comics...mite as well call it a totally different name since they keep switchin storylines and actors.....Kevin Fiege needs to be FIRED!!!! he is single handly ruining the movies...who put him in charge anyways????
once again they are RUINING the hulk. rufullo is no where near big enough. the poster looks awful. hulk looks weak and FAR to small and hes not an ape that walks on all 4s. when can we start shooting the morons who continually screw up our most loved characters?