Hulk To Be Banished To 'Planet Hulk' After 'Avengers 2'?

No Hulk forum until we hear something concrete and definite. So here you go:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/58505

After AVENGERS 2, Is Puny Banner Rocketing To PLANET HULK??
Published at: Sep 21, 2012 5:38:56 PM CDT



I am – Hercules!!

I’m guessing most fans acknowledge at this point that Marvel’s “Avengers” is the easily the best Hulk movie to date, but the question remains: Can a great movie be made in which The Hulk is more than a supporting character?

Marvel movie chief Kevin Feige tells MTV that the studio is looking at some of the more popular print Hulk adventures, and not necessarily just the ones Stan Lee penned.

When asked by MTV if Planet Hulk is on the table, Feige replied, "Planet Hulk is a cool story. World War Hulk is a cool story."

That Feige is even contemplating the adaptation of these stories is spectacular news, I say.

The Planet Hulk storyline, written by Greg Pak and launched in 2006, is about what happens when Marvel’s other heroes decide Hulk is too dangerous to remain on Earth, so they maroon him on a distant planet where he is enslaved and forced to battle other monsters in gladiatorial combat.

The World War Hulk storyline could make an even better movie, as it depicts Hulk escaping back to Earth and seeking revenge against the heroes who ditched him.

There’s kind of a “Wrath of Khan” element here, since the heroes intended to situate Hulk on an idyllic planet, but a pesky wormhole redirects him toward Planet Sakaar, a place of horror and violence.

Feige confirms no Hulk movie will make its way to cinemas until after the release of Joss Whedon’s “Avengers 2” three years hence.

Find all of MTV’s story on the matter HERE.

As far as I know, the Planet Hulk/Fall of the Hulks thing is very well regarded among Hulk fans so I don't think very many people are going to have a problem with this. My understanding though was that Rulk figures into the storyline somehow (don't ask me how, I know exactly jacknothing about Hulk comics) so I'm not sure how that's supposed to play out.

I too have heard those stories are fan favorites. So if that is where they go with next solo hulk could be a fun junt.

thecolorsblend wrote:As far as I know, the Planet Hulk/Fall of the Hulks thing is very well regarded among Hulk fans so I don't think very many people are going to have a problem with this. My understanding though was that Rulk figures into the storyline somehow (don't ask me how, I know exactly jacknothing about Hulk comics) so I'm not sure how that's supposed to play out.

At one time I considered myself somewhat of an expert on the HULK even as far as the comics were concerned. But keep in mind that my experience was from the 70's through the mid-80's as well as reading loads of reprinted stories from the 60's. But like I've said about the SUPERMAN & DC comics, it was one of those periods where I quit comics. Again. Only to sporadically follow here & there but nothing like my heyday! Incidentally I quit the Hulk comics shortly after Peter David took over as writer & Todd McFarlane was still the artist! But you see, my team was Bill Mantlo & Sal Buscema who did a lengthy run starting back in the 70's & leading in to the mid-80's I believe if I have my facts correct from memory. This is a long way of saying that I'm aware of some of these newer Hulk stories but not necessarily familiar with them.

I have some reservations about them using either PLANET HULK or WORLD WAR HULK in a solo HULK film. I haven't read these stories but have a basic plot-line of them. I do have PLANET HULK on animated DTV. It's actually pretty good for this type of film but I have my doubts about live action. Hear me out.

Look, it took 3 films for the Hulk to finally become popular on the big screen & that 3rd film was MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS. But now people can't get enough of Hulk so to say he's now popular would be an understatement. But consider the ramifications of the previously mentioned comics stories. Earth's heroes, i.e., the Avengers, etc., exile Hulk into space because he's too dangerous, right? So Hulk lives long enough to see himself become the villain. He ends up on a hostile planet, is forced into 'gladiator combat' with a stupid piece of metal on his arm & even gets the crap beat out of him by what looks like a teenage girl! Watch the DVD, I kid you not, but I guess she was a 'Supergirl' type anyway or something. So Hulk becomes a hero on that planet but when he returns to Earth he's at war with Earth's mightiest heroes? I recall looking at a World War Hulk comic one time years ago in a comics shop. The battle I specifically looked at involved HERCULES & IRON MAN.

So here's what I'm getting at. I know the Hulk was indeed a charter member of the Avengers but left in #3. However, that didn't necessarily hurt Hulk's popularity in the comics. But how would AVENGERS 2 fare? Imagine this. Marvel Studios alienates the fanbase from the now-popular Hulk by the end of the film. Hulk is then an outcast & cast out! So they shoot him off to some far reaches of space. To be continued. In his own solo film, the live-action PLANET HULK/WORLD WAR HULK.

Now, you may ask, what's wrong with that? As far as action, probably nothing. But if Marvel is concerned at all about 'nurturing' this now-popular Hulk, they'll milk it for all it's worth! I'm just not so sure about turning the Hulk into the villain now. I mean, does Marvel want to shoot themselves in the foot or what?!

Another thing. Keep in mind that one thing that makes Hulk click in the first place is the whole HULK/BANNER angle. Now you tell me. Just how much of Mark Ruffalo would we see in this film? Little to none? And taking place on an alien planet to boot?! Don't get me wrong, this may work for animated DTVs but I'm just not so sure about live-action. I'm not sure that Joe Public would buy it. But maybe a 'Peter David' type take would work? I've seen that thrown out there I believe over at SHH. And keep in mind, the 'human' element is one thing that makes Hulk work. Remove that? I have my doubts.

Normally, I never discourage free thought and fair criticism (and I guess I'm not doing so even now) but if there's one studio out there that's earned borderline blind faith from me, it's Marvel. Every time I start wondering that they're making a bad decision, they show me I was wrong to not give them a chance. So if they do that Fall of the Hulk stuff... hey, I'll give 'em a day in court.

http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/174817-is-marvel-studios-planning-a-planet-hulk-feature

Is Marvel Studios Planning a Planet Hulk Feature?

by Silas Lesnick
February 03, 2013

Although "Phase Two" of Walt Disney Pictures and Marvel Studios' ongoing cinematic universe isn't set to begin until the May release of Shane Black's Iron Man 3, Latino Review is claiming to have learned some early details about what to expect from "Phase Three".

POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR AVENGERS 2 AND FUTURE MARVEL STUDIOS MOVIES!












The ending of Marvel's The Avengers 2, the site claims, will see Mark Ruffalo's Hulk lost in space and in a position where his next big screen solo adventure can follow the plot of Greg Pak's 2006 storyline, Planet Hulk. In that series, the Hulk finds himself a gladiatorial champion on an alien world.

The site also notes that the Marvel Cinematic Universe will offer their own take on the comics' Illuminati, a "secret order" comprised of Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Charles Xavier, Reed Richards, Namor and Iron Man. Of course, the core structure of that group is very likely to change for the big screen, but, as in the comics, they will be responsible for the The Hulk's banishment into space.

From there, early plans are said to call for the Hulk to return in Marvel's The Avengers 3 for a revenge-driven World War Hulk adaptation.

Planet Hulk was previously adapted into a direct-to-DVD feature in 2010.

Following Iron Man 3 on May 3, "Phase Two" will include Thor: The Dark World on November 8, Captain America: The Winter Soldier on April 4, 2014 and Guardians of the Galaxy on August 1, 2014 before concluding with Marvel's The Avengers 2 on May 1, 2015. "Phase Three" will begin with Ant-Man on November 6, 2015 and, while no further titles have been confirmed, a Doctor Strange film is believed to be in the works as well.

I didn't put this invisible with spoiler tags because this stuff is pretty much all over the Internet anyway. Besides, even SHH allowed this gap so if you want to turn back you can.

I know several months ago, only a couple of posts back, exactly what I posted about my feelings on this. It concerned me. It still could but..........like Colors points out, if there's any studio that you can put 'blind faith' in it's MARVEL. Now, I wouldn't trust duh brothers Warner any farther than I can throw them for a similar project but Marvel? They'd probably pull it off in spite of my concerns. And I can see how this entire scenario will logically fit into Marvel's cinematic plans. It will no doubt get the fanboys out in droves too as well as curious bystanders.

If you want to read a little more as well as watch the video here's the link:

http://latino-review.com/2013/02/04/superbowl-exclusive-the-hulk-fit-marvels-phase-2-phase-3-plans/

EDIT TO ADD: So it looks like the rumors were true then that even started this thread?

This would really work for me. It's got enough plot obviously for two or three movies, keeps Hulk at the center of everything and, from all accounts, is a damn good story. In fact, isn't Captain America 2 basically an adaptation of Winter Soldier? Seems like the direction Marvel is going on is to adapt storylines wherever possible. And why not, it'd give the civilians some trade paperbacks to buy around the time the movie comes out. I have to appreciate that level of synergy (even if DC and Warner Home Video have been doing it on the DTV side for years now).

Apparently not?:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/61195

About That Phase 3 PLANET HULK Movie Marvel Is Allegedly Developing...
Published at: Feb. 27, 2013, 6:59 p.m. CST



Beaks here...

Our good friend El Mayimbe of Latino Review has been on a scooping tear lately. Given his nearly perfect track record (and the fact that I know and respect him personally), I trust his reporting implicitly, and link to his stories the minute they're posted. I'll continue to do this. I mean, on rare occasions, even the trades get stuff wrong. It happens.

And this time, it happened to our pal El Mayimbe.

A few days after Mayimbe broke his big Super Bowl story (which detailed Marvel's Phase 2 and 3 plans for the Hulk), I had a discussion with an extremely well-connected source who claimed the scoop was "1,000% inaccurate". Mayimbe's story claimed THE AVENGERS 2 would conclude with Earth's Mightiest Heroes exiling an erratic Hulk to the planet Sakaar, thereby setting up a standalone PLANET HULK movie (in which Hulk would go all John Carter on some aliens). This would lead to a vengeful Hulk returning to Earth in THE AVENGERS 3, where he would likely do battle with some version of The Illuminati (i.e. the members to which Marvel owns the rights). According to my source, this just isn't happening - not as long as Marvel's got Mark Ruffalo committed to a six-picture deal as Bruce Banner. And that's the primary issue with PLANET HULK: Banner isn't in it at all (unless you count the WHAT IF... story where Banner is immediately killed upon reaching Sakaar).

To make sure, I went to a another source for confirmation, and they backed up every detail. PLANET HULK isn't happening.

I couldn't get either source to spill on Marvel's specific plans for a standalone Hulk movie post-AVENGERS 2, but I'm told that Ruffalo-as-Banner will be an integral part of that film. After two false starts with Banner, Marvel is thrilled with Ruffalo. The last thing they want to do is reduce his role. Sure, they could have Ruffalo play Hulk in mocap, but the Banner element would be gone - and this evidently is important to Marvel.

Just don't expect Marvel to comment officially on any of this. Their m.o. right now is to ignore rumors. In the future, when they've got something to announce, they'll probably do it via press release. At least they'll try to. And the non-trades will keep trying to make their lives miserable.

I briefly saw this at the last minute last night but had to go to work & didn't have time to gather any thoughts on it much less comment. Actually if Marvel is correct in what's said about this, they may have a point.

I know a few posts back I expressed concern about this, not so much because it wouldn't work but because now that the Hulk is popular & they have a guy playing him (Mark Ruffalo) that everyone seems to be on board with, then why would Marvel squander that by turning the Hulk into a villain & possibly alienating fans? Especially newer fans. But like we discussed, if anyone could pull it off then MARVEL STUDIOS could. As a matter of fact, they'd probably pull it off so well that the audience would sympathize with Hulk & think the rest of the Avengers were a bunch of jerks or something. The PLANET HULK & WORLD WAR HULK stories are also popular enough that this could even be a logical step. The fanboys would 'get it'. But would the general audience? You know, the ones who help Avengers be a 1.5 billion dollar franchise? Possibly not?

I grew up with the dumb, child-like 'HULK WILL SMASH' version of the Hulk. I'm well aware that that is just one of many versions of the character in the comics. But I also believe it was one of the most popular. So in spite of several 'intelligent' Hulks, Mr. Fix-It, etc., I think "Hulk will smash puny humans!" was certainly one of the more well received takes. And that's 'sort of' what we get in Avengers.

The TV Hulk with Bill Bixby & Lou Feriggno was very popular back in the day but like someone pointed out over at SHH, that wasn't the real Hulk. But we know the film treatments have come up short somewhat. Ang Lee may have gotten an Oscar for best director now but his HULK then was a 'dark' take on the character that although it tried to be more like the comics it was also so dark & outright weird that I think it caused reason for pause with the audience. THE INCREDIBLE HULK was a much better effort but it still came up short at the box office. I am glad though that it's still considered Marvel Studios canon unlike it's predecessor. But remember, Banner was played by Edward Norton who although he did well he ended up being a prima donna to this franchise. And once again the Hulk no longer got his own feature film.

But enter MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS! They not only got a better look for the Hulk but also got a guy in Ruffalo who genuinely seems to have a passion for wanting to play the part & even 'knowing his role'. And his version was a more lighthearted one, kinda like the one I grew up with that was so popular. So the Hulk knocks Thor out of the way & the audience goes nuts!

So what's my point? I think that even though those comics stories would probably make great films, I think Marvel may very well have the same concerns that I expressed earlier. Now that you have a popular take on the Hulk & an actor playing him that the audience adores, do you really want to blow that?! Sure, if anyone could pull it off then it's Marvel Studios. But dare they take the risk? I think they're erring on the side of caution. And can we really blame them?

I think there was too much smoke there not to be any fire. By that, the Planet Hulk rumors came along and seemed to have a ring of truth. It felt believable somehow.

The theory I'm kicking around is that Marvel was planning to relaunch the Hulk in some capacity or another after Avengers no matter what. My understanding is that Planet Hulk could be done largely as CG. When Marvel regarded Ruffalo as basically a hired gun, it makes a certain kind of sense to have him do three or four days of shooting as Banner, perhaps as bookends for the film, and then launch Hulk off to some place else. How much could something like that really cost to do??

But since Ruffalo is popular in the role and he's not the liability that Bana was or the pain in the ass that Norton was, Marvel now wants a Hulk movie that keeps him at the forefront... so they're changed their plans around basically to accommodate Ruffalo and his popularity.

But initially? Well, maybe something along the lines of Planet Hulk was the original plan... but now that's been jettisoned for something else.

It's just a theory. Not even a very good one but there it is.

thecolorsblend wrote:I think there was too much smoke there not to be any fire. By that, the Planet Hulk rumors came along and seemed to have a ring of truth. It felt believable somehow.

The theory I'm kicking around is that Marvel was planning to relaunch the Hulk in some capacity or another after Avengers no matter what. My understanding is that Planet Hulk could be done largely as CG. When Marvel regarded Ruffalo as basically a hired gun, it makes a certain kind of sense to have him do three or four days of shooting as Banner, perhaps as bookends for the film, and then launch Hulk off to some place else. How much could something like that really cost to do??

But since Ruffalo is popular in the role and he's not the liability that Bana was or the pain in the ass that Norton was, Marvel now wants a Hulk movie that keeps him at the forefront... so they're changed their plans around basically to accommodate Ruffalo and his popularity.

But initially? Well, maybe something along the lines of Planet Hulk was the original plan... but now that's been jettisoned for something else.

It's just a theory. Not even a very good one but there it is.

It may be a better theory than you realize. Judging by that piece that AP posted, it seems that Marvel does have a concern about the absence of Bruce Banner in those specific adaptations. And rightfully so. Even in the TV series it was 'David Banner' played by the late awesome Bill Bixby that helped sell the program. I know, Lou did his part well too with a take the audience could have empathy for. But the point is, the two actors needed each other for the show to work. As great an actor as Bixby was, it wouldn't have made it as 'all Banner'. Likewise Lou couldn't have pulled it off as 'all Hulk'. There had to be that balance for it to work. That 'human element' made it work.

In the case of Ruffalo we have a guy who the audience seems just as pleased to see as his alter ego. So I think Marvel is gonna work that to their advantage. A Hulk movie with no Banner? Probably not a good selling point to the humanoids. I still hope they use Ruffalo for his own solo film & hopefully they do after Avengers 2. 6 films is just too much to be doing cameos I'd think. He has one film down with possibly twp Avengers films to go. So where else does he pop up? Taking Samuel L. Jackson's place in the post credits? I think not. I expect at least 2 HULK films with Ruffalo. And if Marvel would go ahead & put this on their schedule for post-Avengers 2 then fans could be preparing for it & the hype leading up to it.

Maybe Marvel should base their new Hulk films more on "Hulk will smash' like the 70's comics than the recent ideas? Possibly. I think that version always resonated with comics fans & it's similar to what we got in Avengers. But just where to go with villains & battles & such is anyone's guess. Perhaps bring in the Leader like was teased near the end of TIH? Maybe have the Hulk fight his army of humanoid thingys? Whatever they do, they need to keep it somewhat lighthearted at least & capitalize on Ruffalo's popularity.

Seriously now, what's it gonna take to get a solo Hulk film with Ruffalo in it? Planet Hulk or whatever else, don't care, can we just have another one already?

thecolorsblend wrote:Seriously now, what's it gonna take to get a solo Hulk film with Ruffalo in it? Planet Hulk or whatever else, don't care, can we just have another one already?

You're preaching to the choir dude! I mean, Marvel is gonna release anything & everything over the next few years in their various phases & the Hulk only gets mentioned in the context of more Avengers films! I mean, c'mon! Sure, he was the heavy-hitter in that film but considering how popular Ruffalo made the character with the audience you'd think there would've already been a film in theaters. I mean, GOTG may turn out to be good but wouldn't a Hulk film have been so much better?

Ruffalo himself wants a Hulk solo film. However, in past comments I read by him he also sounds like a 'tree hugger'. Think James Cameron. He has some ideas about the environment & all & how to incorporate it into a Hulk film. Hulk not smash? I don't think so! But bring on the film already, whatever!

Yeah, I know. *sigh* Son of a bitch makes one billion dollar-grossing film and thinks he can tell me what car to drive. Just stick to reading what other people write for you, Ruffalo. Cool?