The Incredible Hulk director, Louis Leterrier, has publicly backed Edward Norton’s non-negotiable demand that the film be more serious in tone. Leterrier claimed that Norton and Marvel Studios had a very tight working relationship, but he also stood up for Norton’s creative input rights, similar to those of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy films which had a dark and gritty nature.
The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name and it was the second movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe made by Marvel Studios. The film is directed by Louis Leterrier and stars Edward Norton as Bruce Banner and was a moderate box office success. It brought in $265.5 million in global revenue against a budget of $137.5 million.
Louis Leterrier Defended Edward Norton’s Demand for The Incredible Hulk
Director Louis Leterrier defended Edward Norton’s non-negotiable demand for the 2008 superhero film, The Incredible Hulk to be dark and gritty, drawing inspiration from Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy movie. Norton, who portrayed Bruce Banner, a.k.a. the Hulk, reportedly clashed with Marvel Studios over the film’s creative direction.
Marvel apparently wanted a lighter, more action-oriented tone, whereas he wanted something more somber and character-driven, a lot like Nolan’s Batman movies. Leterrier defended his intention for a darker Hulk movie and acknowledged that he understood Norton’s concept in a YouTube interview with Happy Sad Confused With Josh Horowitz. During the interview, he said,
“The whole way, everybody was very much in lock step. It just got tense at the end. The end, it was very tense about the tone and the level of humor. Although Edward is very funny, all his friends are comedians and he is an extremely funny guy, he was very right in defending the seriousness of the movie. You have to remember, the mid-2010s ‘The Dark Knight’ had such an impact on superhero movies.”
Leterrier noted that Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy had demonstrated the success of a more serious superhero take, and he believed Norton was trying to achieve something similar with the MCU movie. While Marvel ultimately opted for a more mainstream approach to the movie, Leterrier’s comments imply that Norton’s original plan for the picture had some value.
Many people blamed the actor’s exit from the series after the first movie on creative disputes, and some fans have lamented the unfulfilled potential of Norton’s darker Hulk. Moreover, the film’s critical and commercial reception nosedived compared to Iron Man, which opened a month before and only grossed $265.5 million worldwide, a sharp decline from Iron Man’s huge $585 million box office haul.
MCU Scrapped All the Follow-up Plans of Another Hulk Movie
Marvel Studios scrapped all the follow-up plans for another Hulk movie after Edward Norton left the role. Norton’s requests for a more somber and dark Hulk movie apparently infuriated the studio which made the decision to take a different approach. Mark Ruffalo was later cast as Bruce Banner aka Hulk for The Avengers, and he has since reprised the role in several other MCU films.
Ruffalo’s Hulk is a more easygoing and comedic character than Norton’s and has been well-received by fans. The decision to withhold a second solo Hulk film has never been formally stated by Marvel Studios, but it is assumed that the studio’s desire for a more impulsive Hulk film and Norton’s exit were the primary motivators.
Marvel may have believed that a separate Hulk franchise wasn’t necessary because the Hulk has consistently been a part of the Avengers. While some fans may be disappointed that they never got to see Norton’s darker Hulk, Ruffalo’s portrayal of the character has been popular, and the Hulk has been a successful part of the MCU.
Although a standalone Hulk film may still be considered by Marvel Studios in the future, for now, the character seems to be better suited for team-ups with the Avengers.
