Mark Ruffalo Nearly Starred In The Incredible Hulk

https://screenrant.com/mark-ruffalo-incredible-hulk-casting-before-avengers/

Mark Ruffalo nearly starred in The Incredible Hulk as Bruce Banner instead of Edward Norton. The Marvel Cinematic Universe's version of Hulk has been played by Ruffalo since The Avengers. While he hasn't starred in a solo movie, Ruffalo's Hulk appeared in four more MCU movies before Phase 3 was completed. His Phase 4 role began with a cameo in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and also includes an appearance in the She-Hulk Disney+ show.

While Ruffalo has been the MCU's Hulk for nearly a decade, the role originally belonged to Edward Norton. The Oscar-nominated actor landed the lead role of Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk, but his future in the MCU wasn't meant to be. Norton and Marvel Studios clashed creatively over the direction of the solo Hulk film and resulted in them coming to an agreement to go their separate ways. Norton was officially announced to be out as the MCU's Hulk prior to The Avengers, which opened the door for Marvel to bring Ruffalo into the fold.

It has been known before that Mark Ruffalo was among the actors originally considered to play Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk, but it seems to have been much closer to happening than many realized. Director Louis Leterier indicated in The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that Ruffalo was momentarily cast. This came during a time when Norton originally passed on starring in The Incredible Hulk and before he and Marvel worked out a deal for him to star in the MCU film. However, Leterier wanted Ruffalo to be his Bruce Banner and said, "One day Mark was cast, and then over a weekend, he was not. It tore my heart."

If Mark Ruffalo did star in The Incredible Hulk, this could've been a big swing for the MCU. Norton was favored for the role due to his recognizability as an actor, but the clash between Norton and Marvel hurt the movie. Marvel would've been able to avoid the headaches caused by Norton's ideas for The Incredible Hulk if Ruffalo was in the lead from the start. Of course, it also would make the solo film an even bigger risk for Marvel Studios' second feature film. Since The Incredible Hulk wasn't a massive box office hit anyway, perhaps Ruffalo's version of Bruce Banner could've resonated with audiences more right from the start.

The idea of Mark Ruffalo leading The Incredible Hulk could also have helped the franchise and its characters as the MCU progresses. Universal's right of first-refusal on solo Hulk films would still be an issue, but Marvel Studios and Disney may have been more eager to continue the series if recasting the lead role didn't happen. Even if an Incredible Hulk sequel still didn't happen, Ruffalo's Hulk could've taken on a bigger role in the MCU overall. Perhaps supporting characters like General Ross, Betty Ross, and Abomination would even remain key characters moving forward. Marvel Studios finally teased what The Incredible Hulk would be like with Mark Ruffalo thanks to Marvel's What If...?, but that's as close to seeing Ruffalo in that story as fans will ever get.