Although Mark Ruffalo has been playing Bruce Banner since 2012’s The Avengers, Edward Norton served as the character of Bruce Banner in his first solo Hulk film (The Incredible Hulk) admirably. However, Norton’s vision for his superhero character and Marvel’s characterization ethos clashed.
When the Marvel Cinematic Universe was in its early stages, the prospect of seeing Chris Evans’ Captain America and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor in The Avengers alongside Norton’s portrayal of The Incredible Hulk seemed like a dream come true for fans.
However, Norton’s insistence on one particular condition that Marvel vehemently struggled to agree upon ultimately caused this dream to come to an end. The American History X actor favored a longer, more drawn-out adventure movie, while Marvel preferred one that was more condensed.
The Tense And Awkward Split Of Edward Norton From Marvel
Fans often speculate about how the Hulk films might have appeared if Edward Norton had continued to portray the character. The Incredible Hulk, a 2003 movie, cemented the Hulk’s legacy, but Norton was not entirely on board with Marvel’s approach.
The only criteria Norton had for playing the green character was how much input the Academy Award nominee would have on the script. As per Marvel Studios Spoilers via Reddit, The Incredible Hulk’s famous Captain America deleted scene was Norton’s original opening, but Marvel deemed it to be too somber. As they parted ways, Mark Ruffalo was later cast as Bruce in The Avengers (2012).
Norton once told HitFix in an interview:
“It’s one of those things that I don’t… It has so much to do with big agendas at big companies that it’s not where I put a whole lot of my thought time. I think that if they want to do The Avengers, they kind of have to roll out a bunch of their other characters first. There’s Thor, Captain America, and all those. I think that that might be downstream a little bit.”
Edward Norton and Marvel’s Creative Disagreement
Edward Norton would not reprise his Bruce Banner in The Avengers, the first team-up movie, as Marvel President Kevin Feige, 50, made clear. The statement did not mention money specifically, according to the Vulture report, but rather Norton’s rapport with the team as a whole. As per the statement:
“We have made the decision to not bring Ed Norton back to portray the title role of Bruce Banner in The Avengers. Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members.”
Mark Ruffalo eventually took over the Hulk role in The Avengers and subsequent films after Norton left due to creative differences. While this was going on, Norton had his own plans for his Hulk movies that did not seem to fit with Marvel’s approach. During his interview with HitFix, the Fight Club actor, 54, shared:
“To me the whole thing was to envision it in multiple parts. We left a lot out on purpose. It’s definitely intended as a chapter one. You know, part of the problem with these films, in general, is they seem to feel the obligation to tell the origin story in a linear fashion, to deal with it first and then go on into the adventure.”
The Avengers made more than $1.5 billion in revenue worldwide, breaking a number of box office records and rising to third place among all movies ever made at the time of its release. Three follow-up films have also been made: Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.
Stream The Avengers film series on Disney Plus.
