While what writer-director Joss Whedon achieved behind the camera in The Avengers is damn near miraculous, in front of it, there was really only one, undeniable star of that movie – ironically, the one character who up until that point had actually kept drawing the short straw when it came to movies. I am of course talking about the Hulk, who smashed, jumped, Thor-punched and Loki-whipped his way into the geeky hearts of audiences the world over.
Since that movie though, with the exception of Hawkeye, all the other Avengers have gone on to double- and even triple-down on their cinematic spotlights, while neither the Hulk nor his mild-mannered alter ego Bruce Banner was anywhere to be seen, other than a really lame post-credits sequence in Iron Man 3. But according to what Mark Ruffalo, the man who brings both Banner and the Jade Giant to life on screen, told Total Film, they’re going to make up for that lost time in Whedon’s follow-up, Avengers: Age of Ultron.
“[My role’s] even bigger than last time, and it’s more complex and it has more layers and a bit more arc.”
We’ve already seen hints of that bigger role right here in our very own backyard, as scenes were film in Johannesburg earlier in the year, seemingly depicting a scene of destruction that’s more than likely the handiwork of the Hulk. Couple that with earlier released concept art that shows the Hulk going green toe to red armoured toe with what appears to be one of Tony Stark’s Hulkbuster armours, and you would have to think that those “layers” and “arc” that Ruffalo speaks about, may refer to the Hulk having to face off against his fellow heroes at some point, for whatever reason.
Other than leaving Jozi just the tiniest bit messier, Ruffalo also revealed earlier in the year that he has been working closely with motion-capture maestro Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, King Kong) to perfect his technique in portraying his hulked up CGI character. And it looks like that work may be paying off, as Ruffalo appears to really be taking to the technology more than before.
“I’m really tripping on the technology of this motion-capture stuff… now I just completely embrace it and see it as this other exciting place we can go as performers.”
While both Ang Lee’s divisive Hulk and Louis Letterier’s fun but flawed Incredible Hulk have their plusses, no other filmmaker has really taken to Hulk the way that Whedon has, and I cannot wait to see not just the inevitable technological improvements to the character, but also whatever crazy action set pieces Whedon has thought up for him this time. It’s going to take a lot to top hellaciously hilarious walloping that Hulk puts on “puny god” Loki, but I have a feeling that we may just see it happen.
The Avengers: Age of Ultron, which Whedon just revealed the other day is half-way through production already, is scheduled for release on May 1, 2015.
Last Updated: June 6, 2014
Admiral Chief Blackburn
June 6, 2014 at 09:42
Kwaai
Sk3tz0
June 6, 2014 at 09:47
I’d like to see a Planet Hulk Live action movie..
Rincearbiterofhumour
June 6, 2014 at 11:10
Awesome, Hulk in armour? AWESOME!
Kervyn Cloete
June 6, 2014 at 11:50
Hulk vs armour, not Hulk in armour.
Rincearbiterofhumour
June 6, 2014 at 11:52
You broke my day.
cookiemonster
June 8, 2014 at 13:52
Seen the special effects team when they were in Jozi……was something to see
Can’t wait!!!!!!