Bruce Banner (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

"Hulk (Marvel Cinematic Universe)" redirects here. For the 2008 film, seeThe Incredible Hulk (film).

Dr. Robert Bruce Banner,more commonly known asBruce Banner,or hisalter ego,theHulk,is a fictional character in theMarvel Cinematic Universe(MCU)media franchiseoriginally portrayed byEdward Nortonand subsequently byMark Ruffalo—based on theMarvel Comicscharacterof the same name.Banner is depicted as ageniusphysicistwho, after a failed experiment to replicate asuper soldierprogram usinggamma radiation,transforms into a large, muscular creature with green skin whenever hisheart rategoes above 200 beats per minute or when facing mortal danger. As the Hulk, he possessessuperhumanabilities, including increased strength and durability.

Bruce Banner
Marvel Cinematic Universecharacter
Bruce Banner / Hulk as portrayed by Edward Norton (left) inThe Incredible Hulkand portrayed by Mark Ruffalo (right) inThe Avengers(2012)
First appearance	The Incredible Hulk(2008)
Based on	Hulk by Stan Lee Jack Kirby
Adapted by	Zak Penn
Portrayed by	Edward Norton(2008) Mark Ruffalo(2012–present)
Voiced by	Lou Ferrigno(The Incredible Hulk) Mark Ruffalo (What If...?)
In-universe information
Alias	Hulk Mr. Green Smart Hulk Smug Hulk Big Guy Dr. Banner Jolly Green
Title	Champion ofSakaar
Occupation	Avenger Gladiator Biochemist Nuclear physicist Professor Consultant forS.H.I.E.L.D.
Affiliation	Avengers Culver University Revengers S.H.I.E.L.D.
Family	Jennifer Walters(cousin) Elaine Walters (aunt) Morris Walters (uncle)
Significantother	Betty Ross Natasha Romanoff Unnamed woman (mother of Skaar)
Children	Skaar
Nationality	American

Over time, Banner demonstrates an increasing ability to control the transformation and becomes a founding member of theAvengers.Following the conflict withUltron,Banner is unintentionally transported toSakaar,where he remains the Hulk for several years until eventually returning to Earth during the conflict againstThanos.In the years followingthe Blip,Banner learns to retain the Hulk form with his mind still intact, and he is instrumental in the Avengers' mission usingtime travelto obtain theInfinity Stonesfrom the past to undo Thanos' actions. Banner restores trillions of lives across the universe using the Stones in a specially-madeNano Gauntlet.Banner then participates in the final and victorious battle against Thanos. After his cousinJennifer Waltersis accidentally imbued with his blood, Banner trains her to handle her newfound "She-Hulk" transformation before departing again to Sakaar. He returns months later with his son,Skaar.

Banner is a central MCU character, having appeared in nine MCU films as of as of 2024,as well as theDisney+streaming seriesShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law.The character was introduced in the titular filmThe Incredible Hulk(2008), portrayed by Edward Norton before being recast to Mark Ruffalo. The character has been generally well-received by critics and audiences alike, but his inconsistent characterization has received some criticism. Additionally, Ruffalo voices severalalternate versionsof Banner in the animated seriesWhat If...?

Fictional character biography

Origin

Dr. Robert Bruce Banner is a renowned scientist, physicist, andmedical doctorwith sevenPh.D.s.While working at Culver University,Virginia,Banner meets with GeneralThaddeus Ross,the father of his colleague and girlfriendBetty,regarding an experiment that Ross claims is meant to make humans immune to gamma radiation, a field in which Banner is an expert. The experiment — part of the World War II-era supersoldier program that Ross hopes to recreate — fails, and the exposure to the gamma radiation causes Banner to transform into the Hulk for the first time. The Hulk goes on a rampage, destroying the lab, killing three people and injuring several others. Banner subsequently becomes a fugitive from theU.S. militaryand Ross in particular, who wants to weaponize the Hulk process.

Fugitive

Further information:The Incredible Hulk (film)

Five years later in 2010,Banner works at a soda bottling factory inRocinha,Rio de Janeirowhile searching for a cure for his condition, collaborating on the internet with a colleague he knows only as "Mr. Blue", and to whom he is "Mr. Green". He also learnsyogatechniques to help keep The Hulk under control and has not transformed in five months. After Banner cuts his finger, a drop of his blood falls into a bottle, and is eventually ingested by anelderly consumerinMilwaukee, Wisconsin,giving him gamma sickness. Ross tracks down Banner, sending a special forces team led by Russian-born BritishRoyal MarineEmil Blonskyto capture him. Banner transforms into the Hulk and defeats Blonsky's team. Blonsky agrees to be injected with a similar serum, which gives him enhanced speed, strength, agility, and healing, but also begins to deform his skeleton and impair his judgment.

Banner returns to Culver University and reunites with Betty, but is attacked a second time by Ross and Blonsky's forces, again transforming into the Hulk. The Hulk seemingly kills Blonsky and flees with Betty. After the Hulk reverts to Banner, he and Betty go on the run, and Banner contacts Mr. Blue, who urges them to meet him in New York City. Mr. Blue, revealed to be cellular biologist Dr.Samuel Sterns,has developed a possible antidote to Banner's condition. After a successful test, he warns Banner that the antidote may only reverse each individual transformation. Sterns reveals he hassynthesizedBanner's blood samples, which Banner sent from Brazil, into a large supply, with the intention of applying its "limitless potential" to medicine. Fearful of the Hulk's power falling into the military's hands, Banner wishes to destroy the blood supply. Banner is caught, and Blonsky has Sterns use Banner's blood to turn him into the Abomination. Blonsky then rampages throughHarlem.Realizing that only the Hulk can stop Blonsky, Banner jumps from Ross' helicopter and transforms after hitting the ground. After a long and brutal battle through Harlem, the Hulk defeats Blonsky and flees. Banner soon ends his relationship with Betty, realizing it can no longer work. A month later, inBella Coola, British Columbia,Banner successfully transforms in a controlled manner.

Member of the Avengers

Further information:The Avengers (2012 film),Iron Man 3,andAvengers: Age of Ultron

In 2012, Banner is working as a doctor inCalcuttawhen he is approached byS.H.I.E.L.D.agentNatasha Romanoff,who recruits him to help trace theTesseractthrough its gamma radiation emissions. Going with Romanoff, Banner is introduced toSteve Rogersand S.H.I.E.L.D. directorNick Fury.He is on the Quinjet whenLokiis captured byTony Starkand Rogers. After Loki's brotherThoragrees to place Loki in a cell on S.H.I.E.L.D.'sHelicarrier,agents includingClint Bartonmind-controlled by Loki attack the Helicarrier, causing Banner to transform into the Hulk and almost kill Romanoff. Thor attempts to stop the Hulk's rampage, with Hulk falling to the ground after attacking a S.H.I.E.L.D. fighter jet. In New York City, Banner meets up with Rogers, Stark, Thor, Romanoff, and Barton, becoming a founding member of theAvengers.After the alien species of theChitauriinvade, Banner reveals to Rogers that he is "always angry", immediately transforming into the Hulk and stopping a Leviathan. During the battle, he fights the Chitauri, beats Loki into submission inStark Tower,and saves Stark from crashing into the ground after losing power through the wormhole.

After the Battle of New York, Banner forms a close friendship with Stark and works with him closely, even requesting him to build an anti-Hulk armor to stop him in case he loses control and goes on a rampage. In 2013, Stark shared stories of hisexperience with the Extremis formulawith Banner while they are rela xing in the Tower, seeking advice. Banner falls asleep during it, stating that he was not "that kind of doctor".

In 2015, Banner and the Avengers raid aHydrafacility inSokoviaand retrieve the scepter. At the Avengers Tower, Stark and Banner discover anartificial intelligencewithin the scepter's gem, and secretly decide to use it to complete Stark's "Ultron"global defense program. After a celebratory party, Ultron becomes sentient and attacks Banner and the Avengers at the Tower, before escaping. InJohannesburg,Banner and the Avengers try to stop Ultron, but are subdued byWanda Maximoffwho uses haunting visions to cause the Hulk to rampage in the city until Stark stops him with hisHulkbuster armor.Banner and the Avengers travel to Barton's home to recover, where Romanoff and Banner develop a mutual attraction. While there, Fury arrives and persuades the Avengers to make a plan to stop Ultron, resulting in Romanoff being captured and taken to Sokovia. Back at the Avengers Tower, Banner and the others have a confrontation after they learn about the creation of theVision,but after Thor powers him, they learn Vision is an ally. Banner leaves the team to rescue Romanoff and transforms into the Hulk in order to fight Ultron. After the final battle with Ultron in Sokovia, the Hulk departs in aQuinjetand leaves Earth.

Sakaar and Ragnarok

Further information:Thor: Ragnarok

After Hulk is lost in space, the Quinjet crash lands on the landfill planetSakaar.He is taken in by theGrandmasterof Sakaar, who forces him to fight against other contestants in gladiatorial combat. He rises the ranks, remaining undefeated and winning the admiration of the people of Sakaar, and becoming the Grandmaster's "Champion".

In 2017, Hulk fights the next contestant, Thor, who had crashed on the planet and had been captured byValkyrie.Summoning lightning, Thor gains the upper hand on Hulk, but the Grandmaster sabotages the fight to ensure Hulk's victory. Still enslaved, Thor attempts to convince Hulk to help him saveAsgardfrom Ragnarok, and then escapes the palace to find the crashed remains of the Quinjet. Hulk follows Thor to the Quinjet, where a recording of Romanoff makes him transform back into Banner for the first time in two years. Banner is shocked to learn that he is in space and expresses fear that if he becomes the Hulk again, he will never be able to return to his human form. Banner and Thor work with Valkyrie and Loki to escape Sakaar to Asgard, where Banner becomes Hulk again to save refugee Asgardians from the giant wolf,Fenris.As Asgard is destroyed bySurtur,the Hulk accompanies Thor, Valkyrie, Loki, and the Asgardians on theStatesman,a Sakaaran vessel bound for Earth.

Infinity War

Further information:Avengers: Infinity War

In 2018,Thanosand theChildren of Thanosintercept theStatesmanto extract theSpace Stonefrom the Tesseract. Hulk fights Thanos, but is overpowered.Heimdalluses theBifröst Bridgeto send Hulk straight to Earth, and Hulk crash-lands at theNew York SanctumofStephen StrangeandWongin New York City, reverting to Banner. Banner then warns Strange about Thanos, who contacts Stark. WhenEbony MawandCull Obsidianarrive in New York in pursuit of the Time Stone, Banner tries to become the Hulk, but is unable to do so; Hulk is no longer willing to emerge out of fear. He goes to the Avengers Compound for the first time reuniting withJames Rhodesand later with Rogers, Romanoff,Sam Wilson,Maximoff, and Vision. He joins the team toWakandaon their Quinjet, where he uses Stark'sHulkbuster armorto battle theOutridersand manages to get the upper hand on Obsidian. He is pleased when Thor,Rocket Raccoon,andGrootarrive to help. In the forest, he witnesses Thanos's arrival, and is promptly trapped in rocks by Thanos and unable to fight back. After Thanos activates the Infinity Gauntlet and teleports away, Banner is a survivor ofthe Blip.

Banner, the surviving Avengers, and Rocket return to the Compound and are shortly met byCarol Danvers.Afterwards, Banner, Rogers, Romanoff, Rhodes, Rocket, and Potts witness Danvers returning Stark andNebulaback to the Compound. Banner reunites with him, helping him get sedated and rest. He then accompanies the surviving Avengers, Danvers, Rocket, and Nebula back into space to the planetTitan IIto confront Thanos only to find out he destroyed the Infinity Stones.

Smart Hulk form

Time Heist and reversing the Blip

Further information:Avengers: Endgame

Bruce Banner / Hulk, colloquially dubbed "Smart Hulk" or "Professor Hulk", as portrayed by Mark Ruffalo viamotion captureinAvengers: Endgame

In between 2018 and 2023, Banner undergoes gamma experimentation to balance his two sides in a remote beach house lab located in Mexico built by Stark.By 2023, he is now permanently in the body of the Hulk but with the mind and voice of Banner.He meets Rogers, Romanoff, andScott Langat a diner and agrees to help them with their quantum time-travel plan. At the Avengers Compound, they try to time-travel Lang using the quantum tunnel in Lang's borrowed van but are unsuccessful. After Stark arrives and offers his help, Banner and Rocket travel toNorwayin theBenatarto New Asgard. Banner reunites with Valkyrie and meetsKorgandMiekat Thor's hut, while recruiting a depressed drunken Thor to return to help the Avengers. Back at the Compound, the Avengers formulate a plan to retrieve alternate Infinity Stones. Banner, Rogers, Stark, and Lang time-travel via theQuantum Realmto an alternate 2012 in New York City. There Banner gets the Time Stone froman alternate variant of the Ancient One(to whom he promises to return the Stones to their respective periods in time when the Avengers are done with their mission).

Banner then returns to the main timeline, but is devastated to learn of Romanoff's death, who had to sacrifice herself to retrieve the Soul Stone. After mourning her with the original Avengers, Banner, Stark, and Rocket combine the Stones with the Nano-Gauntlet. Banner then volunteers to activate the Infinity Stones, citing his general strength and his specific resistance to gamma radiation. He does so and reversesthe Blip,though his right arm gets seriously injured in the process. After doing so, an alternate version of Thanos emerges from the quantum realm and bombs the Compound, causing Banner, Rocket, and Rhodes to be trapped in rubble, until they are saved by Lang. He then takes part in thefinal battle against alternate Thanos and his alien army,who are eventually defeated when Stark uses the Infinity Stones, at the cost of his own life. A week later, Banner attends Stark's funeral, and then prepares a new quantum portal so that Rogers can return the alternate Infinity Stones andMjolnir.He,Bucky Barnes,and Wilson witness an elderly Rogers return and give a new version of the shield to Wilson.

Meeting Shang-Chi

Further information:Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

By 2024, Banner creates a device to heal his arm, keeping him in human form,and wears aslingdue to the injury he sustained while reversing the Blip, though the scarring has healed. That year, Banner, along with Danvers, is called by Wong via hologram to speak withShang-Chiabout theten ringsthat belonged to hisfather.Banner welcomes Shang-Chi to the team before leaving the call.

Training Jennifer Walters and Meeting His Son

See also:She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Further information:A Normal Amount of Rage,Superhuman Law,andWhose Show Is This?

Banner and his cousin, lawyerJennifer Walters,go on a road trip inCaliforniabut are intercepted by a Sakaaran eight-courier craft ship, causing Walters to crash the car. Banner bleeds, and his blood is accidentally cross-contaminated with Walters', resulting in Walters transforming into a Hulk and running away; Banner eventually retrieves her and uses the lethal gamma dose she took to completely heal his arm. In Mexico, Banner trains Walters on controlling her Hulk form, however she rejects the idea of being a superhero and wants to return to her legal career. The pair get into a fight and Banner eventually accepts Walters wanting to leave and bids her farewell.

In 2025, Banner takes off in the Sakaaran spaceship to investigate the message from the car crash and return to Sakaar; while there, he receives a call from Walters and encourages her to take on the case of representing Blonsky, as they have made amends. Banner also indicates approval of Walters' new superhero name "She-Hulk", given to her by the media, saying that "She-Hulk, attorney-at-law" has a nice ring to it.

Later, Banner returns to Earth with his son,Skaar.They crash a family gathering inLos Angeleswhere he introduces Skaar to Walters, her parents, their cousin, aunts and uncles, andMatt Murdock.

Alternate versions

Other versions of Banner are depicted in the alternate realities of the MCU multiverse.

2012 variant

Further information:Avengers: Endgame

In an alternate 2012, Banner, as the Hulk, and the Avengers defeat the Chitauri army during the Battle of New York. After defeating Loki at Stark Tower, Banner complains that he has to take the stairs and not the elevator like the others. When he gets to the bottom level, he bumps into Earth-616 Stark causing him to drop his briefcase.

What If...?(2021–2024)

See also:What If...? (TV series)

Severalalternate versionsof Banner appear in the animated seriesWhat If...?,with Ruffalo reprising his role.

• In an alternate 2010, Banner is on the run from Ross at Culver University when Romanoff finds him there while consulting his love interest, Betty Ross, regarding the deaths of the Avengers Initiative candidates. The three are surrounded by Ross's troops, and Banner transforms into the Hulk after being hit by a bullet. While attacking Ross's men, the Hulk suddenly inflates and explodes due to aPym Particlesdisk secretly deployed byYellowjacketinside his body.
• In an alternate 2018, Banner is sent back to Earth via theBifrostto warn the Avengers about the impending threat from Thanos. However, he is attacked byzombifiedversions of Stark, Strange, and Wong before being rescued byPeter ParkerandHope van Dyne.After joining with the other survivors, they journey toCamp Lehighand encounter Vision, who reveals that the Mind Stone can be used to cure the virus. Banner later stays behind at the camp to fend off a zombifiedWanda Maximoffin order to buy the others time to escape to Wakanda.
• In an alternate 2015, Banner is killed byUltron,along with the other Avengers (except for Romanoff and Barton), after which Ultron successfully uploads his consciousness into a vibranium body and launches a global nuclear attack.
• In an alternate 2014, Banner is at an Avengers action figure toy store with Barton during the holiday season. They regroup with Stark, Rogers, and Romanoff and return to Avengers Tower. While the others attack the Freak, Banner watches as Barton tells him to help out.Darcy Lewisinforms them that the Freak isHappy Hogan(who has accidentally been injected with a sample of Banner's blood that Stark had been experimenting on) and thatJustin Hammerhad attacked the Tower. Afterwards, they have their annual Christmas party.
• In an alternate universe where Peggy Carter is the First Avenger rather than Steve Rogers, Banner does not appear to have become an Avenger, instead being replaced by the Wasp during the Battle of New York. However, he is mentioned to be an ally of the team and Romanoff suggests enlisting Banner and Stark's help to try to save Rogers from his dependence on the Hydra Stomper suit to live, but Carter refuses as they don't have enough time with all of the world hunting for Rogers after his assassination attempt on Bucky Barnes.
• In an alternate 1602, Banner is a prisoner in the catacombs of King Thor's palace and known as aMan in the Iron Maskvariant called the "Monster in the Iron Mask". He is freed byCaptain Carterand transforms into the Hulk. He and Carter meet with Stark, and are joined by Rogers Hood, Barnes, and Lang. They make a plan to try and stop an incursion. The Hulk arrives at Thor's courtroom and gives the others the signal to attack, during which he fights against Sir Harold "Happy" Hogan's Freak form. After it is revealed Rogers is the time-displaced person, Carter sends him home and saves the universe.
• In an alternate universe, Banner as the Hulk wielded a sword and an axe which could fire green energy blasts. Hulk's form was also different with large wings, a helmet, and surrounded by glowing green energy. He was captured byDoctor Strange Supremeand held captive in his makeshift dimension. He was later released to be thrown into the Forge and threw his weapons to aidCaptain Peggy Carterand Kahhori. Despite Strange's intervention, Banner was saved by Kahhori who used her powers to transport him through a portal back home.
• In an alternate 2024, Banner attempts to bombard himself with more Gamma to rid himself from the Hulk, but it fails and creates a second, monstrous "Apex" Hulk who splits from Banner and becomes a rampaging kaiju capable of spawning an army.

Deadpool & Wolverine(2024)

Further information:Deadpool & Wolverine

A variant of Banner as the Hulk is fightingWolverine,being briefly interrupted byWade WilsonofEarth-10005who is trying to find a variant to replace the deceased-Wolverinein his timeline.

Concept and creation

The Hulk first appeared as a comic book character inThe Incredible Hulk#1 (cover datedMay 1962), written byStan Lee,penciledand co-plotted byJack Kirby,andinkedbyPaul Reinman.Lee cited influence fromFrankensteinandDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hydein the Hulk's creation,while Kirby recalled as inspiration the tale of a mother who rescues her child who is trapped beneath a car.Lee gave the Hulk's alter ego the alliterative name "Bruce Banner" because he found he had less difficulty remembering alliterative names.The Hulk was initially grey, but coloring problems led to the creature being made green.Banner and his alter ego appeared in a1978 live-action TV series,and in a2003 filmthat received mixed reviews,with Marvel Studios regaining the film production rights for the character in February 2006.

In the mid-2000s,Kevin Feigerealized that Marvel still owned the rights to the core members of theAvengers,which now included Hulk. Feige, a self-professed "fanboy", envisioned creating a shared universe just as creatorsStan LeeandJack Kirbyhad done with their comic books in the early 1960s.Louis Leterrier,who had expressed interest in directingIron Man,was brought on board to direct, with a screenplay byZak Pennintended to serve as aloose sequelto the 2003 film, but keeping the story closer to the comics and the 1978 television series.David Duchovnywas a front-runner for the film,and Leterrier's original choice for the role wasMark Ruffalo.In April 2007,Edward Nortonwas hired to portray Banner and to rewrite Penn's screenplay in order to distance itself from the 2003 film and establish its own identity as areboot,although he would go uncredited for his writing. ProducerGale Anne Hurdrecalled Norton's portrayals of duality inPrimal FearandFight Club,while Norton remindedKevin FeigeofBill Bixby,who had played Banner in the 1978 TV series.Lou Ferrigno,who played the Hulk with Bixby, remarked Norton "has a similar physique [and a] similar personality".Norton was aHulkfan, citing the first comic appearances, the Bixby TV show, and Bruce Jones' run on the comic, as his favorite depictions of the character.He had expressed interest in the role for the first film.He initially turned down the part, recalling "there [was] the wince factor or the defensive part of you that recoils at what the bad version of what that would be", as he felt the previous film "strayed far afield from a story that was familiar to people, [...] which is a fugitive story". When he met Leterrier and Marvel, he liked their vision, and believed they were looking to him to guide the project.During the 2008New York Comic ConLeterrier publicly offered Ferrigno the chance to voice the Hulk for the film.Originally, the Hulk's only line was "Betty" at the film's ending, which would have been his first word. Leterrier was aware that fans wanted him to speak normally, and added "leave me alone" and "Hulk smash!" The latter line received cheers during a screening he attended.

Current portrayer Mark Ruffalo at the 2017San Diego Comic-Con,promotingThor: Ragnarok.

Mark Ruffalobegan his role as Banner / Hulk inThe Avengers,after Feige said he chose not to bring back Norton.Norton has since asserted that it was his own decision never to play Hulk again because he "wanted more diversity" with his career, and did not want to be associated with only one character.Screen Ranthas noted that, in part due to the change in actors, "many forget thatIncredible Hulkis even canon within the MCU ".In April 2012, despite Ruffalo being on board to play the Hulk in the sequel, Feige confirmed toColliderthat Marvel had no plans at that time to film another Hulk film.In a Q&A session, Feige and Ruffalo confirmed that discussions were underway to produce another Hulk film due to the positive audience response to Ruffalo's performance inThe Avengers.However, Universal retained the distribution rights forThe Incredible Hulkas well as theright of first refusalto distribute future Hulk films.In September 2012, Feige, while exploring all possible story options for a sequel film, including a film based on the "Planet Hulk"and"World War Hulk"storylines, stated," everything [in terms of stories from the comics] is on the table. Do I think Hulk can carry a movie and be as entertaining as he was inAvengers?I do believe that. I do believe he absolutely could. We certainly are not even going to attempt that untilAvengers 2.So there's a lot of time to think about it ".

In June 2014, Ruffalo said he believed the studio might be considering doing a new standalone Hulk film, saying, "I think they are, for the first time, entertaining the idea of it. When we didThe Avengersit was basically 'No!', and now there is some consideration for it. But there's still nothing definitive, not even a skeletal version of what it would be ".In July, Feige stated that the studio was not considering a "Planet Hulk" film at that time, due to wanting to feature Ruffalo's Banner in the film. However, he did not rule out a story that saw the Hulk and Banner end up in space and explained why a solo Hulk film did not occur inPhase Twoof the MCU by saying, "After the firstAvengers,Iron Man had his own movie, Thor had his own movie, Captain America had his own movie, and Widow and Fury were inThe Winter Soldier.So it was really about, frankly,savingsomebody so that the only place you could get Hulk betweenAvengersmovies is thenextAvengersmovie, so [director Joss Whedon] could continue to play with that in [Avengers: Age of Ultron]. Where we go after that, we'll see ".

In April 2015, Ruffalo noted that Universal holding the distribution rights to Hulk films may be an obstacle to releasing a future Hulk standalone filmand reiterated this in October 2015,and July 2017.According toThe Hollywood Reporter,a potential reason why Marvel has not reacquired the film distribution rights to the Hulk as they did withParamount Picturesfor the Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America films is that Universal holds thetheme parkrights to several Marvel characters that Marvel's parent company,Disney,wants for its owntheme parks.In December 2015, Ruffalo stated that the strained relationship between Marvel and Universal may be another obstacle to releasing a future standalone Hulk film.The following month, he indicated that the lack of a standalone Hulk film allowed the character to play a more prominent role inThor: Ragnarok,Avengers: Infinity War,andAvengers: Endgame,stating, "We've worked a really interesting arc intoThor[: Ragnarok],Avengers[: Infinity War],and [Avengers: Endgame] for Banner that I think will—when it's all added up—will feel like a Hulk movie, a standalone movie ".

Charles Pulliam-Moore, writing forGizmodo,said of the earlier MCU films that "[w]hile there are a number of storylines from Marvel's comics that delve deeper into the duality of Banner/Hulk's identity... Marvel's movies have forgone those plot lines in favor of trotting Bruce out to babble about science and break things when necessary".One specific difference from the comic books is Banner's involvement in the creation ofUltronand theVision,a character who in the comics was created solely by Ultron. The Vision, in the films, is created as a counter to Ultron, who had previously been created by Stark and Bruce Banner. In the comics, however, Ultron is created by a different member of the Avengers, Hank Pym.

Due to the lack of freestanding films about the Hulk, the character has been depicted in very few of the storylines shown in the comic books. In particular, the "Planet Hulk"storyline from the comic books is highly condensed and worked intoThor: Ragnarok;the comic book storyline has the heroes of Earth intentionally sending the Hulk into space due to his excessively dangerous nature,while the MCU Hulk leaves Earth of his own accord. The merged Banner/Hulk storyline depicted inAvengers: Endgamealso differs from the comics, where a comparable merger was accomplished by hypnosis performed by superhero psychiatristDoc Samson.In the MCU, Banner accomplishes the merger by himself, through experimentation with gamma radiation.

Appearances

Film

Edward Nortonportrays Bruce Banner inThe Incredible Hulk(2008),withLou Ferrignoproviding the voice of the Hulk.Mark Ruffalotook on the role of Banner inThe Avengers(2012),where the voice of the Hulk was a mix of Ruffalo, Ferrigno and few others,though the Hulk's single line of dialogue, "Puny god", was provided solely by Ruffalo.Mike Seymour ofFX Guidecalled Ruffalo's Hulk "the most successful Hulk" in comparison to "the less than fully successful earlier attempts at digital Hulks." Seymour explained, "Ang Lee's 2003Hulkand Louis Leterrier'sThe Incredible Hulkboth failed in producing a Hulk that could walk the digital tightrope of impressive near undefeatable strength, huge body mass, fast agile movement, raw anger and likable performance. "He stated that on contrary Ruffalo's Hulk had" both dynamic action sequences and crowd pleasing moments of humor and dialogue ". In order to achieve this,Industrial Light & Magiccreated a new motion capture and facial animation system. Hulk's face was generated from a life cast / scan of Ruffalo's face, which was then manipulated in the program ZBrush to become the Hulk, while making sure to retain Ruffalo's essence.Ruffalo reprised the role inIron Man 3(2013),Avengers: Age of Ultron(2015),Thor: Ragnarok(2017),Avengers: Infinity War(2018),Captain Marvel(2019),Avengers: Endgame(2019), andShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings(2021).

A sequel toThe Incredible Hulkhas been discussed, with Marvel Studios having suggested a possible release afterAvengers: Age of Ultrondue to the positive audience reception towards Ruffalo's portrayal of Banner inThe Avengers.Ruffalo is set to reprise his role in any future adaptation of the character.In June 2014, Ruffalo said he believed the studio might be considering doing a new standalone Hulk film, saying, "I think they are, for the first time, entertaining the idea of it. When we didThe Avengersit was basically 'No!', and now there is some consideration for it. But there's still nothing definitive, not even a skeletal version of what it would be. "In December 2014,Joss Whedonsaid despite the positive reception to Ruffalo, a new solo Hulk film had not been announced because Marvel wished to have a character that only appears inAvengersfilms.In April 2015, Ruffalo toldColliderthatUniversalholding the distribution rights to Hulk films may be an obstacle to releasing a future Hulk standalone film.Walt Disney Studios Motion Picturesregained the film distribution rights toThe Incredible Hulkand future soloHulkfilms in June 2023, coinciding with the film's release onDisney+.

Television

Archival footage of the character appears in "Glorious Purpose",the first episode of theDisney+television seriesLoki(2021). Ruffalo voices alternate versions of Banner in the Disney+ animated seriesWhat If...?(2021–2023).Ruffalo reprised his role inShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law(2022).

Other media

Norton reprised his role as Bruce Banner in the video gameThe Incredible Hulk(2008).

Ruffalo reprised his role as Bruce Banner in the non-canonshort filmTeam Thor(2016).

Characterization

ForThe Incredible Hulk,Louis Leterrier stated that Edward Norton's rewrite of the script "has given Bruce's story real gravitas", explaining that "just because we're making a superhero movie it doesn't have to just appeal to 13-year-old boys. Ed and I both see superheroes as the newGreek gods".In taking up the character forThe Avengers,Mark Ruffalo said, "He's a guy struggling with two sides of himself—the dark and the light—and everything he does in his life is filtered through issues of control. I grew up on the Bill Bixby TV series, which I thought was a really nuanced and real human way to look at the Hulk. I like that the part has those qualities".Regarding the Hulk's place on the team, Ruffalo said, "He's like the teammate none of them are sure they want on their team. He's a loose cannon. It's like, 'Just throw a grenade in the middle of the group and let's hope it turns out well!"

ByAge of Ultron,Ruffalo stated that his character had grown since the previous film and was "a bit more complex",with a confrontation brewing between Banner and the Hulk: "There's a very cool thing happening: Hulk is as afraid of Banner as Banner is afraid of Hulk.. and they have got to come to peace somehow with each other."While filming inLondon,Ruffalo said that Whedon still had not given him any of the Hulk's lines.Whedon later explained that he writes the Hulk's dialogue spontaneously, saying, "What makes the Hulk so hard to write is that you're pretending he's a werewolf when he's a superhero. You want it vice versa... So the question is, how has he progressed? How can we bring changes on what the Hulk does? And that's not just in the screenplay, that's moment to moment."When the character next appears inThor: Ragnarok,two years have passed sinceAge of Ultron,and Hulk has become a successful and popular gladiator on Sakaar,having suppressed the Banner side in those years. He is forming the vocabulary "of a toddler",with the level of Hulk's speech being "a big conversation" between director Taika Waititi and Marvel since it was taking into account future appearances for the character:Ragnarokbegins an arc for the character that continues inAvengers: Infinity War(2018) andAvengers: Endgame(2019).Ruffalo felt Hulk had "a swagger" in the film, and was "much more of a character than the green rage machine" seen in the first twoAvengersfilms.

The Hulk only appears briefly at the beginning ofInfinity War,with Bruce Banner spending the film trying to reintegrate with the Avengers, and to "impress upon everybody how dangerous Thanos is".Joe Russo felt the Hulk refusing to appear for much of the film was only partially because he was scared, but also because he realizes that "Banner only wants Hulk for fighting. I think he's had enough of saving Banner's ass." Russo added that this was "really reflective of the journey fromRagnarok... [where] these two characters are constantly in conflict with each other over control. "The difference between Hulk and Banner is intended to be shown as "starting to blur a little bit". Ruffalo described Hulk inInfinity Waras having the mental capacity of a five-year-old.Despite the lack of further standalone films, "Bruce and the Hulk have managed to eke out a character arc in the six years sinceThe Avengers",withThor: RagnarokandInfinity Warhighlighting an ongoing battle for control of which persona will manifest, expected to be resolved inAvengers: Endgame.InAvengers: Endgame,the Bruce Banner and the Hulk personalities are shown to have reconciled and merged into Professor Hulk, who has the strength of the Hulk but the intelligence of Bruce Banner.

Appearance and special effects

In filmingThe Incredible Hulk,Leterrier citedAndy Serkis'motion captureportrayals ofGollumandKing KonginThe Lord of the RingsandKing Kong,respectively, as the standard for which he was aiming.Norton and Roth filmed 2500 takes of different movements the monsters would make (such as the Hulk's "thunder claps" ).Phosphorescentface paintapplied to the actors' faces andstrobe lightingwould help record the most subtle mannerisms into the computer.Others includingCyril Raffaelliprovided motion capture for stunts and fights,after the main actors had done video referencing.Leterrier hiredRhythm and Huesto provide the CGI, rather thanIndustrial Light & Magic(ILM) who created the visual effects for Ang Lee'sHulk.Visual effect company,Image Engine,spent over a year working on a shot where Banner's gamma-irradiated blood falls through three factory floors into a bottle.Overall 700 effects shots were created. Motion capture aided in placing and timing of movements, but overallkey frameanimation by Rhythm and Hues provided the necessary "finesse [and] superhero quality".

Dale Keown's comic book artwork of the Hulk was an inspiration for his design.Leterrier felt the first Hulk had "too much fat [and] the proportions were a little off". He explained, "The Hulk is beyond perfect so there is zero grams of fat, all chiseled, and his muscle and strength defines this creature so he's like a tank."Visual effects supervisorKurt Williams envisioned the Hulk's physique as alinebackerrather than abodybuilder.A height of nine feet was chosen for the character as they did not want him to be too inhuman. To make him more expressive, computer programs controlling the inflation of his muscles and saturation of skin color were created. Williams citedflushingas an example of humans' skin color being influenced by their emotions.The animators felt green blood would make his skin become darker rather than lighter, and his skin tones, depending on lighting, either resemble anoliveor even grayslate.His animation model was completed without the effects company's full knowledge of what he would be required to do: he was rigged to do whatever they imagined, in case the model was to be used forThe Avengersfilm.The Hulk's medium-length hair was modeled onMike Deodato's art.He originally had acrew cut,but Leterrier decided flopping hair imbued him with more character.Leterrier citedAn American Werewolf in Londonas the inspiration for Banner's transformation, wanting to show how painful it was for him to change.As a nod to the live action TV series, Banner's eyes change color first when he transforms.

The Avengerswas the first production in which the actor playing Banner also plays the Hulk. Ruffalo toldNew Yorkmagazine, "I'm really excited. No one's ever played the Hulk exactly; they've always done CGI. They're going to do theAvatarstop-action, stop-motion capture. So I'll actually play the Hulk. That'll be fun ".The3D modelused to create the Hulk's body was modeled afterLong Islandbodybuilder and male stripper Steve Romm, while the Hulk's face was modeled after Ruffalo.To create the on-screen Hulk, Ruffalo performed in a motion-capture suit on set with the other actors while four motion-capture HD cameras (two full body, two focused on his face) captured his face and body movements.ILM returned to create the digital Hulk.Jeff White,ILM's visual effects supervisor, said, "We really wanted to utilize everything we've developed the last 10 years and make it a pretty spectacular Hulk. One of the great design decisions was to incorporate Mark Ruffalo into the look of him. So, much of Hulk is based on Ruffalo and his performance, not only in motion capture and on set, but down to his eyes, his teeth, and his tongue."

ForThor: Ragnarok,ILM had to add much more detail to the character's facial features, due to the Hulk's increased dialogue. ILM visual effects supervisor Chad Wiebe explained that Ruffalo's expressions were captured fresh for the film using Medusa, a performance capture technology. Hulk had acrew cut.With 90 different expressions captured, ILM "built an entirely new library that would allow [Hulk] to cover a full range of normal human visual characteristics."To help create the Hulk, a person on set was covered in green body paint, and would replicate the intended motions of the character to aid the visual effect artists.Additionally, stunt actor Paul Lowe, who is under 5 feet (1.5 m) tall, stood in for Hemsworth during some of his interactions with the Hulk so that the Hulk's stunt men would be proportionally correct. In some instances when Thor and the Hulk interacted, a digital double was used for Thor, also created by ILM, to have greater flexibility for the shots. ILM worked on all of the Hulk moments in the film outside the final fight sequence, which was completed by Framestore using ILM's assets, as Framestore was primarily responsible forriggingthat sequence. Framestore completed nearly 460 shots, which featured digital doubles of Thor and Hela, Fenris, Korg, Miek, the giant Surtur at the end of the film, and over 9,000 buildings for Asgard, based on assets D Negative had fromThe Dark World,resulting in over 263 character, vehicle, prop, and crowd rigs.Taika Waititi also provided additional motion capture for the Hulk after Ruffalo had completed his scenes.

With respect to Bruce Banner's regular appearance, his fashion sense has been critiqued with the observation that "in just about every appearance, he's wearing a nondescript suit with a purple button down shirt".By contrast, Banner's "Professor Hulk" appearance inAvengers: Endgame,including his penchant for knit sweaters, has been described as "hot" and "sexy".

Reception

Norton's performance as Banner received a generally positive reception. ReviewingThe Incredible Hulk,Mark Rahner ofThe Seattle Timeswrote that, "The relaunch of Marvel's green goliath is an improvement over director Ang Lee's ponderous 2003Hulkin nearly every way—except that the actual Hulk still looks scarcely better than something from a video game, and he still barely talks ".Conversely,Christy Lemireof theAssociated Pressfound that "the inevitable comparisons toIron Man,Marvel Studios' first blockbuster this summer, serve as a glaring reminder of what this Hulk lacks: wit and heart. Despite the presence of Edward Norton, an actor capable of going just as deep as Robert Downey Jr., we don't feel a strong sense of Bruce Banner's inner conflict ".

Mark Ruffalo's portrayal of Dr. Bruce Banner/the Hulk inThe Avengerswas well received by commentators. Joe Neumaier opined that his performance was superior to the rest of the cast; "Ruffalo is the revelation, turning Banner into a wry reservoir of calm ready to become a volcano."Similarly,The New Yorker'sAnthony Laneproclaimed Ruffalo's acting to be one of the film's highlights—alongside Downey.The Village Voice'sKarina Longworthconcluded: "Ruffalo successfully refreshes the Hulk myth, playing Banner as an adorably bashful nerd-genius who, in contrast to the preening hunks on the team, knows better than to draw attention to himself."Travers asserted that the actor resonated a "scruffy warmth and humor" vibe,while Turan felt that he surpassed predecessors Edward Norton andEric Banain playing the character.Owen Gleiberman ofEntertainment Weeklywrote that "the smartest thing the filmmakers did was to get Mark Ruffalo to play Bruce Banner as a man so sensitive that he's at war, every moment, with himself. (The film finally solves the Hulk problem: He's a lot more fun in small doses)".

Accolades

Year	Film	Actor	Award	Category	Result	Ref(s)
2008	The Incredible Hulk	Edward Norton	National Movie Awards	Best Performance – Male	Nominated
			Scream Awards	Best Fantasy Actor	Nominated
				Best Superhero	Nominated
2012	The Avengers	Mark Ruffalo	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Movie Hissy Fit	Nominated
2013			Visual Effects Society Awards	Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture	Nominated
			MTV Movie Awards	Best On-Screen Duo(withRobert Downey Jr.)	Nominated
				Best Fight(with cast)	Won
				Best Hero	Nominated
2016	Avengers: Age of Ultron		43rd Annie Awards	Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Live Action Production	Nominated
			MTV Movie Awards	Best Fight(withRobert Downey Jr.)	Nominated
2018	Thor: Ragnarok		MTV Movie & TV Awards	Best Fight(withChris Hemsworth)	Nominated
			Teen Choice Awards	Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy	Nominated
	Avengers: Infinity War		Teen Choice Awards	Choice Hissy Fit	Nominated

See also

• Characters of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
• Hulk in other media

External links

• Bruce BanneronMarvel Cinematic Universe Wiki,an externalwiki
• Bruce BanneronMarvel Database,aMarvel Comicswiki
• Bruce BanneronMarvel