I really thought Ang Lee’s 2003 Hulk movie was awful.
It was so lame, in fact, that I was afraid I’d never be able to be excited about a Hulk movie again.
That changed earlier this year when it was announced that Edward Norton would take the role of Dr. Banner in a reboot/revamp by Louis Letterier, who directed The Transporter and its sequel.
This was excellent news.
And then!
And then!
It was announced that Liv Tyler — my sweet, sweet Liv Tyler — had been cast as Banner’s star-crossed lover, Betty Ross.
And the good news just kept coming. Tim Roth snagged the part of Emil Blonsky, an enemy agent who tries to replicate the accident that awakened The Hulk inside of Banner but instead turns himself into a wicked, hateful monstrosity called The Abomination, who’s even more powerful than Banner’s misunderstood, not-always-jolly green giant.
Today, The Hollywood Reporter reports that William Hurt will play General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, the military man in charge of hunting down Banner and “containing” The Hulk.
General Ross is also Betty’s dad, which makes it even more complicated.
I was a huge fan of the Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno TV series and its televised sequel movies that featured the original on-film appearances of Thor (Eric Allan Kramer) and Daredevil (Rex Smith).
Interviews with Kramer and Smith, along with Lou Ferrigno and Elizabeth Gracen (from Death of the Incredible Hulk), can be found here.
This new movie is set to ignore 2003’s complicated, convoluted mess and take the concept — of a good man hunted from every direction and on the run with a big green problem — back to the roots of the TV series and the original comics.
And with talent like Norton, Tyler, Roth and now Hurt involved, it’s sure to be a knockout.
The Incredible Hulk will sit wherever he wants to in the theater near you on June 13, 2008!
I’m a bit apprehensive about this one given the talent that was in the last Hulk movie and what a freakin dud it was. I hope this one is better since I just love Liv and Ed. Love. Them.
Thanks as always for the comment, Kerstin. I think we’re in good hands with this one.
Kevin Feige from Marvel Studios said this today to Superhero Hype!:
“The Hulk movie will be different from the first one because this one will be good.”
Whoa! Straight from the Marvel man himself! He continues:
“There are certain elements of the first film that I’m proud of, there are other elements that I’m not. In looking to reboot and start the franchise fresh and new, we wanted to start with a clean slate.”
And it’s a clean slate that just so happens to involve Ed Norton. I think it’s going to be great. I agree that the last one had a good cast, and I do think Ang Lee is a talented director. I think they just went too far astray in trying to make it too brainy and psychological and cerebral. It was like two extremes. The story was too complicated and overly bizarre, but the special effects were way too silly and cartoony. It was over for me about the time that Nick Nolte turned the poodle into a “Hulk poodle,” and the Hulk had to fight a giant-sized poodle. What. The hell.
“The Hulk movie will be different from the first one because this one will be good.”
For some reason, this made me laugh.
When I think about the first film, everything seemed so serious. There were more emotional issues than “superhero” type stuff. If that makes sense. Hopefully this one will be a good combination of both.
I particularly like the quote because it came right from the main movie guy at Marvel Comics! I like that he’s forthcoming about the problems with the first one, and you’re right, it was way too serious and cerebral.
I also use Batman Begins as my example — it found a way to be SERIOUS without being DARK, and it was good because it went to the heart of Bruce Wayne without taking anything away from Batman. Totally brilliant.
That first Hulk movie was just such a downer. All these crazy, psychological examinations of everything. It really dragged down the cast.
Now, if only we could get a Superman restart to erase the crimes of Superman Returns. Blugh.
I’m so glad to hear someone else was disappointed in Superman Returns. I liked the actor, I think he was great, but Kate Bosworth was terrible and the story left a lot to be desired. Much the same as this last Spiderman which was laughable at best.
Where the hell are all the Superheroes??? :P