Australian actor Eric Bana had a fascinating professional trajectory. He first started out as a comedian in the comedy series Full Frontal before gaining momentum in his career with the Australian crime drama Chopper (2000). The audience loved his portrayal of criminal Mark “Chopper” Read, but his international breakthrough came with the 2003 movie Hulk, helmed by Ang Lee.
Even though Eric Bana saw it as a fantastic career opportunity, he had some reservations of his own. He explained why he didn’t feel like a leading man when playing the Hulk in a previous interview.
Eric Bana Didn’t Feel Like a Leading Man in Hulk
Eric Bana‘s career reached entirely new heights after starring in the crime drama Chopper. He began receiving major offers from directors. For instance, Ridley Scott got him on board for Black Hawk Down and Ang Lee’s Hulk, and Steven Spielberg had him star in the epic historical drama Munich. But even after all this, the actor stayed grounded in his roots because he believed his rise to success would be short-lived (via Independent).
In the same interview, he added that, while Ang Lee’s Hulk was a major opportunity, he felt secondary to Ang Lee and the attention his character was getting. In addition, he thought that the Hulk’s image on posters eclipsed him, making it difficult for him to picture himself in the title role. Although the film’s premiere was met with little enthusiasm, it has since garnered praise for its distinct interpretation of the character.
Bana does not, however, intend to return to the character in the future after performing it. He added that he wants to be in movies and do roles that align with his goals, further adding:
You have to be careful what movies you choose to do because they’re like tattoos. I make the type of films that I enjoy watching. I think my filmography is reflective of what I like and what I don’t like.
Eric Bana stuck to his decision to do roles that he liked. For instance, he got on board with projects like Special Correspondents to collaborate with Ricky Gervais and Lone Survivor because he felt deeply connected to the book. He also did Star Trek with J.J. Abrams, as he wanted to bring back and rejuvenate a beloved franchise.
Will Eric Bana Reprise His Role in the MCU?
Eric Bana’s biggest break in Hollywood came from the Hulk. The actor, nevertheless, has no plans to play the same character again anytime soon. There could be a number of reasons for this, ranging from the film’s lackluster reception to its extensive use of CGI.
However, Bana ended all public scrutiny when he was featured on the podcast Fifi, Few & Nick for Breakfast. The discussion proceeded as follows:
(Host): In the Marvel Universe, that sort of world. Like Spider-Man, there’s movies now where all of the Spider-Mans have come back together… Would you ever play the Hulk again? You, Edward Norton, Mark Ruffalo. Three Hulks kicking about.
(Eric Bana): I can’t see it. I can’t see it. No.
Eric Bana was quite adamant about not returning to the role. So, for the time being, Mark Ruffalo will continue his portrayal of the Hulk in future Marvel movies. Interestingly, before Ruffalo, it was Edward Norton who helmed the titular character in The Incredible Hulk (2008). Norton played the role only once, and in The Avengers (2012), Marvel Studios brought in Mark Ruffalo as Norton’s replacement.
You can stream all Hulk movies by renting them on Apple TV.
