The reason why Edward Norton left the MCU because he wanted to explore Hulk and Bruce banner's character in detail and wanted to take the character in a serious direction but MCU rejected that.
I'm trying to contain myself because I tend to rant on this topic. You're 100% correct. There was so much subtle storytelling and world building with this movie, it doesn't deserve to be where it is on the MCU tier list and Norton knocked it out of the park. He knew exactly where he was going with this character. One of the MCU's biggest casualties IMO
100% agree with your take on this. Edward Nortons Hulk is so under-rated. I recently watched it again. The whole time, I was asking myself "why did they move away from this". Hulk was legit scary.
Norton was the truer version of the Hulk, an uncontrollable monster of pure rage. Ruffalo's was like a giant, dumb baby. MCU ruined the character. I wholly agree with your take here! 💯
Norton didn't give shit when it came to rage. ERIC did. You believed it when he cried or growled. Norton just did the "green eyes" and "oh no I can't stop it" face.
Ed Norton for the win all day. The Hulk is a character who is always struggling. Seeing him hassle for a pair of stretchy pants on the street and waking up dirty and lost is 100% Hulk. Having him even set foot on American soil, let alone New York to attend n after party without Ross breathing down his neck is not Hulk. In fact, the very thought of it makes me…hungry. And you wouldn’t like me when I’m hungry.
THANK YOU! Finally, somebody recognizes the greatness of the 2008 Incredible Hulk was it the greatest movie? No! But to me, this one is a lot closer to the Bruce Banner/Hulk than any of Mark Ruffalo‘s appearances and I do agree his best one was in the first avengers film! In all honesty, Nortons version is enjoyable for me because I was a child when the late Bill Bixby was on TV with his Incredible Hulk along with Luke Ferrigno that’s another reason I’m biased towards Norton film because it felt like almost a tribute to that show!
The 2003 Hulk movie was way ahead of it’s time. Hulk was not just a misunderstood guy with anger issues but a physical manifestation of his trauma. The acting, the story, the effects and transitions *chefs kiss.
2003? That one...is...just awful. It had Banner on the run from the government...and that is pretty much *everything* it has I common with the comics. Absolutely everything else is like the world's most underwhelming acid trip.
@@NoHandlzz Oh yeah. Him dealing with the turmoil caused by his destructive side? Gone. The people who are hurt by Hulk are all actively trying to wrong and harm him. Isolation? Well this version of Bruce has like...a day of that, so there isn't anything to explore. Hulk himself barely even appears. The mutated dogs. Omfg the dogs... His dad's horribly mutilated backstory. Hulk fighting a freaking cloud. Before "Old man yells at clouds", we had "Hulk smashes clouds" I guess...Betty was okay? Idk, this movie fell into obscurity for good reason, and I haven't voluntarily turned on that hot garbage in ages.
@@brendonw456it bothers me that people praise the 2008 Hulk movie as if it was actually that good if I remember correctly the 2008 movie was almost all Hulk being chased by the army anyway, plus the Hulk was much less strong than the 2003 version, plus the background of traumas and the message of fighting against them is much better than Hulk beating up a version of the abomination that came out in the last moments of the movie. plus the 2008 version was a bait in its trailers because we all thought it was a continuation of the 2003 one.
@@brendonw456 Technically you are right. However, at the end (in spite of that incomprehensible fight scene) it FELT like Hulk. Everyone was only interested in what they could get out of him. Hulk didn’t have a friend. There was purpose for Hulk’s action/destruction. There was nuance to fighting. He didn’t destroy and kill wantonly. He considered others’ lives. He shook the tank operators out of the tank. He saved the fighter pilot when he would have crashed into the bridge. Yeah the dogs were random and lame. Many of Hulk’s adversaries were born of the same “gamma” processes that Hulk was so that is a tip of the hat to the source material. I thought if they could combine aspects of the first two Hulk movies and reference the source material more directly, deeply and responsibly it would have been best. It is rather frustrating having been a fan since I was a wee lad.
Ed Nortons Hulk and the film he was in are severly slept on, its criminal. Not only is that movie pretty dang good, but Norton was actually clearly passionate about the serious nuances of Hulk as an allegory for both Prometheus and Jekyll/Hyde
Norton was absolutely badass as the Hulk. And, Norton's Hulk was actually TERRIFYING in that 1st scene. The build-up to the first transformation was brilliant!!
Yeah. The first time I say Norton's Hulk rage out all I could think was "Holy crap, that's terrifying!" Watching Ruffalo's Hulk rage out, was like, "Hey, that's pretty cool, right?"
@@CaptainKirkDiggler i agree that Edward Norton's transformations into the Hulk was terrifying and exactly like the 80's TV show. I was not impressed with Rufallo's Hulk transformations and after Marvel making it worse by making this hulk a big joke. Edward Norton's Incredible Hulk is still the best Hulk on the silver screen.
Ed was more like Bill Bixby. That's what a lot of people appreciated about him, and he did it without trashing the famous line, "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." Instead, he played it like a regular guy still trying to learn Portuguese, and that was a brilliant subversion. Not only did it help to humanize Bruce, but it gave the audience some idea of how long it had been since he'd said the woods. Also, the pizza delivery scene. When Lou stands up from the security desk, and you see Ed's face visibly jump back in fear for that fraction of a second, that was peak MCU comedy.
the thing I loved the most about norton hulk is one small dialogue hulk said at the begening fight scene ( leave me alone ) that means he is not just a monster who wants to fight and rage, he is just protecting himself.
Edward Norton was the perfect live action movie adaptation of Bruce Banner, in my opinion. Marvel Studios (looking directly at Kevin Feige) screwed him over. The thing about Norton is that he is not only a remarkable actor, but a damn good writer. And Marvel Studios wasn't interested in Norton's input. Mark Ruffalo is a weak sauce interpretation of Bruce Banner.
I liked Edward's hulk because he was a scientists always searching/looking. Always on the run from himself in search of solace in solitude rather than isolation. Norton was also a comic fiend. He loved comics
I have been saying this for years now, The Incredible Hulk would never be scared of Thanos. Yes, Thanos may have beaten him with the stones but the moment Banner senses that Its Thanos or his Minions attack, The Incredible Hulk would have forced the transformation and attacked Thanos the first chance he gets. HULK IS THE STRONGEST THERE IS. : Hulk vs Wolverine
@@sagjovial7651 Ruffallo is just bland and dry... Just doesn't fit Banner at all. I've always said this since 2012 when the first avengers movie came out.
At last, some recognition for the Incredible Hulk movie. It's a really good dark and tragic movie, and Ed not only portrays an original heroic figure (his heroism comes from his sense of sacrifice, of responsability, boldness and cleverness), but he also had his say on the screenplay to make it less cartoonish and childish, to make a great adult genre movie. Ruffalo's line "I'm always angry"in Avengers doesn't bother me though. I always felt that it means that Bruce can hulk out when he wants (and then, if he let him come out, he controls him a bit) but not that he can't transform when he doesn't want to anymore. Sure, his portrayal comes to be less and less horrific and scary after each new film, and that's why Incredible Hulk got him at his best, most thrilling moments, but it's not a problem, it shows that Bruce get further in his quest for self-control. It's not the principle that is bad, it's the execution (the fact that his quest is poorly narrated)
I agree 100%, Norton is my favorite Hulk, but looking at how MCU has ruined the Hulk (and Thor!) over time, maybe it was good that Edward Norton was spared that same humiliation (instead, ruffalo will take most of it).
This, and a few other roles, is why Edward Norton will always be one of my favorite actors. The guy knows how to act, he knows how to sell emotion and convey that through the story he is given, and it's a crime to me that his role in this movie isn't talked about more. Hell, him as an actor isn't talked about more than he should be. He was the perfect choice for Hulk then, and I'd be happy to see him in another. I doubt he will, but it'd be cool to see him return.
Ruffalo in Avengers 1 was GREAT. He was smart and avoided conflict but was NOT a pushover. He stood on business when he felt called to do so, which gave this HINT to others that you do not want to push this guy. I like THAT hulk/banner dynamic the best
Yeah Black Widow pulled up on him and he was cool as a cucumber and was actually the one with the power in that situation. A cunning mfer. Then after that they made him a big dumb goofy ass character. A disgrace.
The Incredible Hulk is one of my favorite movies, it was really good up to the final scene and oh boy was that what truly made me respect the movie! The fight between Hulk and Abomination is one of the best CGI fights ive ever seen, you can feel the speed and power of every punch, the intent behind every move, the way they fight like wild beasts strong beyond reason is immaculate, not to mention how it all still holds up today just like Davy Jones still dones. That was peak!
Is Betty ever mentioned in the sequels? The isolation Bruce suffers and his separation from Betty is what made Norton Hulk/Banner compelling. Plus, I do not ship Bruce with Natasha.
I always preferred Norton’s Hulk, idc what anyone says that movie fucking rules. Not saying I don’t like Ruffalo’s, I actually loved the way he was in the first avengers movie. However they completely butchered his character starting with how he was in AOU. His character in the first movie had a level of confidence in himself, he didn’t want to hurt anyone but he let it be known that he would not be pushed around. Ruffalo played him so perfectly in the first movie but they just took the Whedon formula and ran with it like with the others. I hate the way he is now and now we may never get to see that Bruce Banner or the classic savage hulk ever again
Norton's 2008 Hulk was the best, he looked and behaved exactly the way the Hulk should. In the last 2 Avengers movie, disney destroyed the Hulk and turned him into a snowpuff.
2003 hulk is a marvel movie about hulk, 2008 is a marvel movie about bruce banner and because of that his hulk is good. 2012 is a marvel movie about the avengers. From then on they just made marvel movies about marvel
I’ve been telling people this! I hated mark ruffalo, even in the avengers. He always felt cringe to me. Everytime he got serious it sounded like he was confused, and every time he wanted to hulk out it was felt forced. Look at the fear in Norton’s eyes when the he’s getting bullied by the group in the bottle factory. The tension he builds. Mark Ruffalo was just body transforming in his scene.
Fine but that's not the thing, Mark Ruffalo plays Bruce banner AMAZINGLY well. Yes the things you don't like...are his literal charector, hers SUPPOSED to be super smart, polite, confused and a little weirdish guy.
@@The_one_that_got_away nah. Ruffalo was too loud. Constantly spitting out too much exposition about himself. Always threatening people with the Hulk. Granted, a lot of it wasn’t his fault, but he barely defined Bruce Banner.
For me the best Banner was always between Norton and _Bana._ Ruffalo did pretty good in the Helicarrier scene and in India, but Bruce Banner being a scientist is just half of the equation. The other half is that he's a timid wimp who is thinner and frail. He is not a jokester liker Tony Stark or Peter Parker, he is a man on the run doing everything he can to survive and build a happy and peaceful life despite the odds being overwhelmingly against him.
Another thing The Incredible Hulk got right that the rest of the MCU didn’t is making Hulk and Banner visually distinct. The MCU Hulk is just Mark Ruffalo but big and green. Norton’s Hulk actually looked monstrous and far from what a normal human would look like.
I love Edward Nortons Hulk. The performance of was amazing, the story told you the misery he was forced into by being a fugitive, and the hulk was treated like the threat he was meant to be.
Edward Norton's Incredible Hulk is the best Hulk ever to be seen on the silver screen. Everything about this movie is exactly how Bruce Banner would act if he was on the run, hiding from the US army, finding a cure for himself. The stress and the huge amount of fear that he can lose his temper and transform into the monster and put people in danger. That's what the Hulk is all about and this movie captured all of that. The Hulk looks amazing in this movie, loved those lit up green eyes when he transforms ( a nod to the Hulk tv series back in the 80's). We at least got this one movie. I hope to live to see a "sequal" or a " reboot" but that is highly unlikely to happen now Disney owns Marvel.
Eric Bana. Seriously, the 2003 movie includes Banner's abusive childhood - something the later Hulks lack, that tragic element that precedes the advent of the Hulk. It is an important element to the character, because it is why Savage Hulk is the way he is. The main problem with that movie was the pacing - but its rendition of Hulk was pretty spot on.
I've been saying this since the beginning! Edward Nortons Hulk movie is the best! Glad to see you and all the other Marc Ruffulo fan boys finally come around to reality!
I might be in the minority here but I loved the 2003 HULK, I put that ahead of Mark Ruffalo’s hulk but no hulk tops Edward Norton’s hulk. 2003 Hulk literally felt like we were literally watching a comic book movie it was amazing and still holds up to this day.
Ruffalo Hulk always had consistency problems… but just like Thor, I fully blame Taika Waititi for turning Hulk (and Thor) into a joke. He took two complex characters, and turned them into silly haha “dude bro” characters… just because they’re two of the strongest Avengers. What a surface level understanding of the characters… then again, he never claimed to be a fan of the comics, and openly said he didn’t use any source material in his films. Taika Waititi not only ruined Hulk and Thor, he changed the aesthetic of the MCU from a cinematic drama that arched through years of development… into a quirky self aware/self deprecating serial of films where flashy colors, endless attempts at humor, and over the top CGI spectacle took precedence over the overarching story, the drama, and the cinematic aesthetic. Ragnarok (for some reason) did so well that it convinced Bob Iger (of current day Disney) to enforce that all future releases going forward must mirror the energy of Taika’s Ragnarok… to recapture the money Ragnarok made again and again and again… and thus, we’re now seeing just how far the MCU has decayed since then… it’s only now that Disney’s realizing Taika’s style isn’t working anymore… so they’re experimenting with No Way Home, Werewolf by Night, Daredevil Born Again, and other upcoming projects. Drama and tension are slowly making a comeback to the MCU, and I’m actually excited for it!
I wish this hulk movie had potential to grow into a series like the spider man series (with tobey McGuire). I saw similar vibes in the tone of nortons hulk with McGuire’s spider man. The whole point of a superhero movie is the tone and personality of the main character . 2008 hulk was more believable and could have been expanded upon.
I always thought that the Ed Norton Hulk movie was a lot better and a lot closer to the old TV show Hulk with Lou Ferrigno, it was just a lot better because like being werewolf it seemed it was almost an oh my God moment that he had to fight off, trying to turn into the Hulk or try to find a safe place and he was always on the run going to small towns and doing odd work this made the Hulk story around him on top of him a whole other facet where Mark Garofalo, which to me really doesn’t even look like the David Banner which I grew up with in the old Hulk TV show Ed Norton looks closer More true to the Hulk. Also, it’s a lot of what you said in this clip.
I always thought Mark Ruffalo was a serious downgrade from Edward Norton. Norton is one of the greatest actors of our generation, and really, one of the best actors of all time. He excels at dual roles where he switches personality (Primal Fear, American History X, Fight Club etc.), whereas Ruffalo is basically just a bum who can't act. So Norton's casting as Bruce Banner was perfect. Norton took the character of Bruce Banner seriously, and his Hulk is a great film (box office performance does not correlate with quality), and Norton's Hulk pays homage and respect to the Bixby/Ferrigno TV show.
I love how in Hulk’s story he’s known to increase in size and become stronger and stronger the angrier he gets and yet it’s never been depicted this way.
It is my dream to direct a Hulk movie. Official or not, I’d love to have a Hulk that has a massive impact on anyone or any place he goes. A timid man turned beast that is actually scary to see.
Isn't it funny how we hear a tale such as Norton wanted to change the script so he was hard to work with, etc... we paint him in a negative light almost but upon the last 10 years you realize that there are no writers in film... And then you realize that they and the producers were actually problem.
I could not agree more. No matter how hard he tries, Rufalo cannot play dark or brilliant, and is supposed to have both. Ed Norton did a great job, showing intelligence and darkness, but so did Eric Bana. Bana's movie has grown on me, (from trash to ok) but Bana's performance was excellent. But Norton, was perfect as Banner. Problem is, and the reason why I believe they moved on without him is Norton is infamously difficult to work with.
norton was hard to work with apparently because he wanted more themes from ang lees movies while the mcu wanted more action since the lack of action in the ang lee"s . i persoally think ang lee had better story telling and yeah he was a bit extra with the comic edit. ill always wonder what it wouldve been like if edward norton got the movies to blend between that level of storytelling and action.
Yes, I loved Edward Nortons. He needed a trilogy. Hulk should've been a loner, never fitting in. Never becoming smart hulk. The best MCU hulk is hulk in the first avengers because he was just an extension of the Norton Hulk.
Combine the 03 and 08 Hulk movies and you have a perfect hulk movie. Bana and Norton both had their faults but they atleast felt like an actual attempt at Hulk.. whereas Ruffalo is completely unrecognizable as the character and always was (for the most part).
Size, strength, reflexes, healing factor, running speed, jumping height, & jumping distance of 2003 Hulk combined with the anger, aggression, fighting style, physical appearance, & overall design of 2008 Hulk. Combine all that with Hulk's true power in Avengers Assemble & Hulk's moveset in The Incredible Hulk Ultimate Destruction & you make the perfect version of Hulk.
Although there were reported behind-the-scenes tensions between Marvel and Edward Norton, I STILL believe that he was the best on-screen Bruce Banner/Hulk. No disrespect to Mark Ruffalo. He is a very good actor. However, I did not truly see him as Bruce Banner. His version of the Hulk was more like a larger, green version of Ruffalo and NOT the Hulk. Edward Norton brought out the fear, isolation, and inner turmoil of Bruce Banner, as well as the comic book Hulk IE: "Hulk smash!" I am sorry that Mr. Norton did not remain with the MCU. However, he and Marvel had to make the choices that they believed were respectively right for them.
Ed Norton's hulk is my favourite because ut reminded me of bill bixbys banner/hulk 'problem' more the scientific aura I love about Norton's banner. And hes a brilliant actor 👍🏻
My brothers and I have been saying this since Ragnarok. The MCU completely wasted hulks potential and made him a joke. They wasted a lot of potential though tbh
you are spot on. what always bothered me was they changed the actor, but completely forgot the original storyline from this great movie. they got it right with the incredible hulk (better than hulk), but never continued his movie's great storyline. just sad.
OMG yes. I love the idea of Bruce Banner on the run. When Nick fury recruited him, we couldn’t even get a scene of him hesitating of Nick fury like wiping his legal slate clean. Norton, as Bruce Banner is basically like you’re replacing the hulk with an uncontrollable werewolf transformation. And I love that movie. I want an else world movie where we get Edward Norton as Bruce Banner again. The hulk is more of a monster than a hero.
The reason why Edward Norton left the MCU because he wanted to explore Hulk and Bruce banner's character in detail and wanted to take the character in a serious direction but MCU rejected that.
Disney hate strong masculine serious alpha males
@@alsimmonshellspawn6021 for nowadays, it's true.
What's your source?
@@MorrisMeynolt check it out on internet
@@alsimmonshellspawn6021 Well guess what. Number one Disney is a PG company & Elon Musk is now a thing so say goodbye to the wokeness
Edward Norton hit the comic book Banner perfectly.
This current hulk, makes me angry.
I'm trying to contain myself because I tend to rant on this topic. You're 100% correct. There was so much subtle storytelling and world building with this movie, it doesn't deserve to be where it is on the MCU tier list and Norton knocked it out of the park. He knew exactly where he was going with this character.
One of the MCU's biggest casualties IMO
100% agree with your take on this. Edward Nortons Hulk is so under-rated. I recently watched it again. The whole time, I was asking myself "why did they move away from this". Hulk was legit scary.
Norton was the truer version of the Hulk, an uncontrollable monster of pure rage.
Ruffalo's was like a giant, dumb baby.
MCU ruined the character.
I wholly agree with your take here! 💯
Norton didn't give shit when it came to rage. ERIC did. You believed it when he cried or growled. Norton just did the "green eyes" and "oh no I can't stop it" face.
Ed Norton for the win all day. The Hulk is a character who is always struggling. Seeing him hassle for a pair of stretchy pants on the street and waking up dirty and lost is 100% Hulk. Having him even set foot on American soil, let alone New York to attend n after party without Ross breathing down his neck is not Hulk. In fact, the very thought of it makes me…hungry. And you wouldn’t like me when I’m hungry.
What will happen if ur hungry
@@_trafalgar Aplastaré el sabor con grande apetito!!
Ed Norton Hulk looks better in every way 😀
Agree 💯💯💯 Mark's Hulk looks like had a down syndrome and looks weak against Thanos 👎
i don't really read comics, but ed norton made me fall in love with hulk
And rural made it seem like you are watching a strongman Shrek
THANK YOU! Finally, somebody recognizes the greatness of the 2008 Incredible Hulk was it the greatest movie? No! But to me, this one is a lot closer to the Bruce Banner/Hulk than any of Mark Ruffalo‘s appearances and I do agree his best one was in the first avengers film!
In all honesty, Nortons version is enjoyable for me because I was a child when the late Bill Bixby was on TV with his Incredible Hulk along with Luke Ferrigno that’s another reason I’m biased towards Norton film because it felt like almost a tribute to that show!
The 2003 Hulk movie was way ahead of it’s time. Hulk was not just a misunderstood guy with anger issues but a physical manifestation of his trauma. The acting, the story, the effects and transitions *chefs kiss.
2003? That one...is...just awful. It had Banner on the run from the government...and that is pretty much *everything* it has I common with the comics.
Absolutely everything else is like the world's most underwhelming acid trip.
@@brendonw456 thats the ONLY thing it had in common with the comics?
@@NoHandlzz Oh yeah.
Him dealing with the turmoil caused by his destructive side? Gone. The people who are hurt by Hulk are all actively trying to wrong and harm him.
Isolation? Well this version of Bruce has like...a day of that, so there isn't anything to explore.
Hulk himself barely even appears.
The mutated dogs. Omfg the dogs...
His dad's horribly mutilated backstory.
Hulk fighting a freaking cloud. Before "Old man yells at clouds", we had "Hulk smashes clouds"
I guess...Betty was okay? Idk, this movie fell into obscurity for good reason, and I haven't voluntarily turned on that hot garbage in ages.
@@brendonw456it bothers me that people praise the 2008 Hulk movie as if it was actually that good if I remember correctly the 2008 movie was almost all Hulk being chased by the army anyway, plus the Hulk was much less strong than the 2003 version, plus the background of traumas and the message of fighting against them is much better than Hulk beating up a version of the abomination that came out in the last moments of the movie. plus the 2008 version was a bait in its trailers because we all thought it was a continuation of the 2003 one.
@@brendonw456 Technically you are right. However, at the end (in spite of that incomprehensible fight scene) it FELT like Hulk. Everyone was only interested in what they could get out of him. Hulk didn’t have a friend. There was purpose for Hulk’s action/destruction. There was nuance to fighting. He didn’t destroy and kill wantonly. He considered others’ lives. He shook the tank operators out of the tank. He saved the fighter pilot when he would have crashed into the bridge.
Yeah the dogs were random and lame. Many of Hulk’s adversaries were born of the same “gamma” processes that Hulk was so that is a tip of the hat to the source material.
I thought if they could combine aspects of the first two Hulk movies and reference the source material more directly, deeply and responsibly it would have been best. It is rather frustrating having been a fan since I was a wee lad.
That was probably what Norton was fighting about, the quality of the character.
The Incredible Hulk of 2008 is such a great and underrated movie.
Edward Norton's Hulk is definitely the most underrated, my personal favourite.
Just imagine Norton delivering the "I'm always angry" line. You would see that repressed anger in his eyes. Ruffalo looked bored saying that.
Edward's Hulk was always my favorite. Massive and SAVAGE.
MCU ruined the Hulk especially with making Planet Hulk into a joke movie.
Ed Nortons Hulk and the film he was in are severly slept on, its criminal. Not only is that movie pretty dang good, but Norton was actually clearly passionate about the serious nuances of Hulk as an allegory for both Prometheus and Jekyll/Hyde
Norton was absolutely badass as the Hulk. And, Norton's Hulk was actually TERRIFYING in that 1st scene. The build-up to the first transformation was brilliant!!
Yeah. The first time I say Norton's Hulk rage out all I could think was "Holy crap, that's terrifying!"
Watching Ruffalo's Hulk rage out, was like, "Hey, that's pretty cool, right?"
@@CaptainKirkDiggler i agree that Edward Norton's transformations into the Hulk was terrifying and exactly like the 80's TV show. I was not impressed with Rufallo's Hulk transformations and after Marvel making it worse by making this hulk a big joke. Edward Norton's Incredible Hulk is still the best Hulk on the silver screen.
The last time we saw the real Hulk was in Age of Ultron, then Disney was to blame for hiring a comedy director to kill him.
Norton's version of Hulk is THE best its just pure anger savage Hulk exactly what Hulk is.
Agree bro. And the struggle he has to go through everyday just told back his anger
@@777kerokeropi4 Exactly.
I agree 💯
1 Edward Norton
2 Mark Ruffalo
3 Eric Bana
Eric Bana
Edward norton
Mark ruffalo
The Incredible Hulk 2008 is very underrated
Your confused about over vs under!
@@timnoyb2431it's definitely underrated
The Incredible Hulk is actually my favourite MCU movie. Glad to see more and more people appreciate it now
Banner is a haunted man and Norton played that to the T.
He also reminded me a lot of Bill Bixby's performance.
I really like Edward Norton's portrayal of Bruce Banner and the Hulk. He shows his inner conflict within himself like Jekyll and Hyde.
he went from the incredible hulk to the incredible joke
Edward Norton is a better Bruce Banner and the incredible Hulk looks better, ripped and more monster than the Ruffalo-Hulk... In my opinion.
Nah Edward as hulk is best and mark as banner is best
Debatable. Mark Ruggalo's performance as Banner is way Banner.
Ed was more like Bill Bixby. That's what a lot of people appreciated about him, and he did it without trashing the famous line, "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." Instead, he played it like a regular guy still trying to learn Portuguese, and that was a brilliant subversion. Not only did it help to humanize Bruce, but it gave the audience some idea of how long it had been since he'd said the woods. Also, the pizza delivery scene. When Lou stands up from the security desk, and you see Ed's face visibly jump back in fear for that fraction of a second, that was peak MCU comedy.
the thing I loved the most about norton hulk is one small dialogue hulk said at the begening fight scene ( leave me alone ) that means he is not just a monster who wants to fight and rage, he is just protecting himself.
@@sornagedl4407 Well said. Another great point.
I've always Been a fan of the 2008 Hulk & never changed
Amen 🙏🏼
Edward Norton was the perfect live action movie adaptation of Bruce Banner, in my opinion. Marvel Studios (looking directly at Kevin Feige) screwed him over. The thing about Norton is that he is not only a remarkable actor, but a damn good writer. And Marvel Studios wasn't interested in Norton's input. Mark Ruffalo is a weak sauce interpretation of Bruce Banner.
I liked Edward's hulk because he was a scientists always searching/looking. Always on the run from himself in search of solace in solitude rather than isolation.
Norton was also a comic fiend. He loved comics
the idea of the hulk and banner merging and banner coming to control the hulk is a fine character arc. the problem is that it happens OFF SCREEN.
I have been saying this for years now, The Incredible Hulk would never be scared of Thanos. Yes, Thanos may have beaten him with the stones but the moment Banner senses that Its Thanos or his Minions attack, The Incredible Hulk would have forced the transformation and attacked Thanos the first chance he gets. HULK IS THE STRONGEST THERE IS. : Hulk vs Wolverine
Exactly
The Incredible Hulk is the ideal and original concept of hulk, who he is, and he should be
Disney fans who have bitched about Edward Nortons Banner have clearly never read a comic.
Idk man, I read comics all the time and I don't like Norton's hulk for a multitude of reasons, comics don't have anything to do with it.
@@sagjovial7651 Ruffallo is just bland and dry... Just doesn't fit Banner at all. I've always said this since 2012 when the first avengers movie came out.
Edward norton is the best version of hulk and I never thought ruffalo’s even came close .
Agreed
Mark ruffalo was great in the first avengers. Every movie and series after, he gets worse and worse. Hulk from the incredible hulk is the best hulk.
I have been saying this for years!! Mark is watered down Hulk and Edward is the Hulk we deserve.
At last, some recognition for the Incredible Hulk movie. It's a really good dark and tragic movie, and Ed not only portrays an original heroic figure (his heroism comes from his sense of sacrifice, of responsability, boldness and cleverness), but he also had his say on the screenplay to make it less cartoonish and childish, to make a great adult genre movie.
Ruffalo's line "I'm always angry"in Avengers doesn't bother me though. I always felt that it means that Bruce can hulk out when he wants (and then, if he let him come out, he controls him a bit) but not that he can't transform when he doesn't want to anymore.
Sure, his portrayal comes to be less and less horrific and scary after each new film, and that's why Incredible Hulk got him at his best, most thrilling moments, but it's not a problem, it shows that Bruce get further in his quest for self-control. It's not the principle that is bad, it's the execution (the fact that his quest is poorly narrated)
id say ruffalo banner suffers from disney writing more than anything
I absolutely agree with every point in this Video we went from The Incredible Hulk to the incredible joke 😢
Honestly, every frame of ed nortons Bruce looks like he's in deep and unspoken pain, pain he can't express or he'll hurt people, perfect for the huĺk
Ed Norton is the best Hulk hands down 😊
Marvel made me hate the Hulk. Used to be my favorite superhero even above batman.
Edward Norton made hulk my 2nd favorite hero (no one can top spidey as my no.1 lol)
Glad to see Nortons hulk getting some love! I remember being obsessed with this movie growing up
Finally someone else gets it. The Incredible Hulk was the best and helped established the MCU.
I hope they bring back ed Norton hulk in an alternate universe type thing
I think he retired
Also... lou ferrigno, the OG hulk makes a cameo.
And for a brief moment you get the 1970s lonely man music.
Nort is the GOAT hulk
we should all write fan mail to Edward Norton, I just love how much public respect from fans he has over ruffalo it’s so funny.
Eric Bana and Edward Norton really respected the Hulk.
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I agree 100%, Norton is my favorite Hulk, but looking at how MCU has ruined the Hulk (and Thor!) over time, maybe it was good that Edward Norton was spared that same humiliation (instead, ruffalo will take most of it).
Bruh there was nothing more badass to me than Hulk fighting Abomination in the old Hulk movie. Hulk is an extra at this point in the MCU.
Thank you! We finally have a mature discussion on the best Hulk adaptation.
This, and a few other roles, is why Edward Norton will always be one of my favorite actors. The guy knows how to act, he knows how to sell emotion and convey that through the story he is given, and it's a crime to me that his role in this movie isn't talked about more. Hell, him as an actor isn't talked about more than he should be. He was the perfect choice for Hulk then, and I'd be happy to see him in another. I doubt he will, but it'd be cool to see him return.
Epic film, the artist behind the Hulk in this film deserve immense praise.
No Hulk has looked better since.
Ruffalo in Avengers 1 was GREAT. He was smart and avoided conflict but was NOT a pushover. He stood on business when he felt called to do so, which gave this HINT to others that you do not want to push this guy. I like THAT hulk/banner dynamic the best
Yeah Black Widow pulled up on him and he was cool as a cucumber and was actually the one with the power in that situation. A cunning mfer. Then after that they made him a big dumb goofy ass character. A disgrace.
@@AtracBreezy yep
Avengers Hulk can both voluntarily transform but can also involuntarily transform. This was foreshadowed at the very end of The Incredible Hulk.
The Incredible Hulk is one of my favorite movies, it was really good up to the final scene and oh boy was that what truly made me respect the movie!
The fight between Hulk and Abomination is one of the best CGI fights ive ever seen, you can feel the speed and power of every punch, the intent behind every move, the way they fight like wild beasts strong beyond reason is immaculate, not to mention how it all still holds up today just like Davy Jones still dones.
That was peak!
To be fair, the Norton movie did end with him gaining some control so that checks out
Is Betty ever mentioned in the sequels?
The isolation Bruce suffers and his separation from Betty is what made Norton Hulk/Banner compelling.
Plus, I do not ship Bruce with Natasha.
@theashwoodfaerie Good to know she will return.
I have always thought this. I was so mad when they switched to Mark Ruffalo
I’ve always thought the Edward Norton Hulk was Underrated but after this it’s serverly underrated
I always preferred Norton’s Hulk, idc what anyone says that movie fucking rules. Not saying I don’t like Ruffalo’s, I actually loved the way he was in the first avengers movie. However they completely butchered his character starting with how he was in AOU. His character in the first movie had a level of confidence in himself, he didn’t want to hurt anyone but he let it be known that he would not be pushed around. Ruffalo played him so perfectly in the first movie but they just took the Whedon formula and ran with it like with the others. I hate the way he is now and now we may never get to see that Bruce Banner or the classic savage hulk ever again
Norton's 2008 Hulk was the best, he looked and behaved exactly the way the Hulk should. In the last 2 Avengers movie, disney destroyed the Hulk and turned him into a snowpuff.
Best comment yet! You hit it right on the head!
I AGREE 100%
I DEMAND REMATCH BETWEEN THANOS AND 2008 HULK.
2003 hulk is a marvel movie about hulk, 2008 is a marvel movie about bruce banner and because of that his hulk is good. 2012 is a marvel movie about the avengers. From then on they just made marvel movies about marvel
I’ve been telling people this! I hated mark ruffalo, even in the avengers. He always felt cringe to me. Everytime he got serious it sounded like he was confused, and every time he wanted to hulk out it was felt forced.
Look at the fear in Norton’s eyes when the he’s getting bullied by the group in the bottle factory. The tension he builds.
Mark Ruffalo was just body transforming in his scene.
Fine but that's not the thing, Mark Ruffalo plays Bruce banner AMAZINGLY well.
Yes the things you don't like...are his literal charector, hers SUPPOSED to be super smart, polite, confused and a little weirdish guy.
@@The_one_that_got_away nah. Ruffalo was too loud. Constantly spitting out too much exposition about himself. Always threatening people with the Hulk.
Granted, a lot of it wasn’t his fault, but he barely defined Bruce Banner.
I dont think world breaker hulk is possible with ruffalo's hulk.
We need Norton's version of hulk in secret war and he's gone berserk
For me the best Banner was always between Norton and _Bana._ Ruffalo did pretty good in the Helicarrier scene and in India, but Bruce Banner being a scientist is just half of the equation. The other half is that he's a timid wimp who is thinner and frail. He is not a jokester liker Tony Stark or Peter Parker, he is a man on the run doing everything he can to survive and build a happy and peaceful life despite the odds being overwhelmingly against him.
Another thing The Incredible Hulk got right that the rest of the MCU didn’t is making Hulk and Banner visually distinct. The MCU Hulk is just Mark Ruffalo but big and green. Norton’s Hulk actually looked monstrous and far from what a normal human would look like.
I said it before and I say now that no one is better role for the hulk as Edward Norton 😢😢
I love Edward Nortons Hulk. The performance of was amazing, the story told you the misery he was forced into by being a fugitive, and the hulk was treated like the threat he was meant to be.
The hulk is one of marvel’s biggest fuck ups Edward nortons hulk should’ve never been touched imagine Edward Norton’s planet hulk
At least the animated Planet Hulk was a killer little film
Edward Norton's Incredible Hulk is the best Hulk ever to be seen on the silver screen. Everything about this movie is exactly how Bruce Banner would act if he was on the run, hiding from the US army, finding a cure for himself. The stress and the huge amount of fear that he can lose his temper and transform into the monster and put people in danger. That's what the Hulk is all about and this movie captured all of that. The Hulk looks amazing in this movie, loved those lit up green eyes when he transforms ( a nod to the Hulk tv series back in the 80's). We at least got this one movie. I hope to live to see a "sequal" or a " reboot" but that is highly unlikely to happen now Disney owns Marvel.
Never gonna forgive them for giving away arguably the gretaest Hulk story to Thor.
Edward Norton's physique also matches the physique of Bruce Banner in the comics.
You mean the human character or the Hulk character .But if the human then yeah they match
Eric Bana. Seriously, the 2003 movie includes Banner's abusive childhood - something the later Hulks lack, that tragic element that precedes the advent of the Hulk. It is an important element to the character, because it is why Savage Hulk is the way he is.
The main problem with that movie was the pacing - but its rendition of Hulk was pretty spot on.
I've been saying this since the beginning! Edward Nortons Hulk movie is the best! Glad to see you and all the other Marc Ruffulo fan boys finally come around to reality!
I might be in the minority here but I loved the 2003 HULK, I put that ahead of Mark Ruffalo’s hulk but no hulk tops Edward Norton’s hulk. 2003 Hulk literally felt like we were literally watching a comic book movie it was amazing and still holds up to this day.
Nortons Hulk from top to bottom we need back all the way!!
Ruffalo Hulk always had consistency problems… but just like Thor, I fully blame Taika Waititi for turning Hulk (and Thor) into a joke. He took two complex characters, and turned them into silly haha “dude bro” characters… just because they’re two of the strongest Avengers. What a surface level understanding of the characters… then again, he never claimed to be a fan of the comics, and openly said he didn’t use any source material in his films.
Taika Waititi not only ruined Hulk and Thor, he changed the aesthetic of the MCU from a cinematic drama that arched through years of development… into a quirky self aware/self deprecating serial of films where flashy colors, endless attempts at humor, and over the top CGI spectacle took precedence over the overarching story, the drama, and the cinematic aesthetic.
Ragnarok (for some reason) did so well that it convinced Bob Iger (of current day Disney) to enforce that all future releases going forward must mirror the energy of Taika’s Ragnarok… to recapture the money Ragnarok made again and again and again… and thus, we’re now seeing just how far the MCU has decayed since then… it’s only now that Disney’s realizing Taika’s style isn’t working anymore… so they’re experimenting with No Way Home, Werewolf by Night, Daredevil Born Again, and other upcoming projects. Drama and tension are slowly making a comeback to the MCU, and I’m actually excited for it!
I wish this hulk movie had potential to grow into a series like the spider man series (with tobey McGuire). I saw similar vibes in the tone of nortons hulk with McGuire’s spider man. The whole point of a superhero movie is the tone and personality of the main character . 2008 hulk was more believable and could have been expanded upon.
Exactly. Some say Ed wanted to do something like that and explore Hulk and Bruce properly but MCU didn't let him.
I agreed, i miss Norton hulk 😢
Never liked marks hulk compared to the two before him, he had some good moments but that’s it.
I always thought that the Ed Norton Hulk movie was a lot better and a lot closer to the old TV show Hulk with Lou Ferrigno, it was just a lot better because like being werewolf it seemed it was almost an oh my God moment that he had to fight off, trying to turn into the Hulk or try to find a safe place and he was always on the run going to small towns and doing odd work this made the Hulk story around him on top of him a whole other facet where Mark Garofalo, which to me really doesn’t even look like the David Banner which I grew up with in the old Hulk TV show Ed Norton looks closer More true to the Hulk. Also, it’s a lot of what you said in this clip.
I always thought Mark Ruffalo was a serious downgrade from Edward Norton. Norton is one of the greatest actors of our generation, and really, one of the best actors of all time. He excels at dual roles where he switches personality (Primal Fear, American History X, Fight Club etc.), whereas Ruffalo is basically just a bum who can't act. So Norton's casting as Bruce Banner was perfect. Norton took the character of Bruce Banner seriously, and his Hulk is a great film (box office performance does not correlate with quality), and Norton's Hulk pays homage and respect to the Bixby/Ferrigno TV show.
I wouldn’t say Ruffalo can’t act, he was good in Shutter Island and Foxcatcher
I love how in Hulk’s story he’s known to increase in size and become stronger and stronger the angrier he gets and yet it’s never been depicted this way.
That’s how it was in the first hulk movie , I think 2003
It is my dream to direct a Hulk movie.
Official or not, I’d love to have a Hulk that has a massive impact on anyone or any place he goes.
A timid man turned beast that is actually scary to see.
Isn't it funny how we hear a tale such as Norton wanted to change the script so he was hard to work with, etc... we paint him in a negative light almost but upon the last 10 years you realize that there are no writers in film... And then you realize that they and the producers were actually problem.
Glad to hear some more support for Incredible Hulk. I loved the strong emotional core it had - I felt so bad for him the whole time.
I hate the fact that Disney owns Marvel, and now it looks like they’re about to screw up the new Blade movie as well… 😢
I could not agree more. No matter how hard he tries, Rufalo cannot play dark or brilliant, and is supposed to have both. Ed Norton did a great job, showing intelligence and darkness, but so did Eric Bana. Bana's movie has grown on me, (from trash to ok) but Bana's performance was excellent. But Norton, was perfect as Banner. Problem is, and the reason why I believe they moved on without him is Norton is infamously difficult to work with.
norton was hard to work with apparently because he wanted more themes from ang lees movies while the mcu wanted more action since the lack of action in the ang lee"s . i persoally think ang lee had better story telling and yeah he was a bit extra with the comic edit. ill always wonder what it wouldve been like if edward norton got the movies to blend between that level of storytelling and action.
Couldn't agree more.
They turned Hulk into a complete joke, and Norton wouldn't have wanted to have any part in that anyway.
Yes, I loved Edward Nortons. He needed a trilogy. Hulk should've been a loner, never fitting in. Never becoming smart hulk. The best MCU hulk is hulk in the first avengers because he was just an extension of the Norton Hulk.
They gave Hulk that disney treament.
It's sad to see it.
Just like Star Wars .
It’s torture watching new hulk
Combine the 03 and 08 Hulk movies and you have a perfect hulk movie. Bana and Norton both had their faults but they atleast felt like an actual attempt at Hulk.. whereas Ruffalo is completely unrecognizable as the character and always was (for the most part).
Size, strength, reflexes, healing factor, running speed, jumping height, & jumping distance of 2003 Hulk combined with the anger, aggression, fighting style, physical appearance, & overall design of 2008 Hulk. Combine all that with Hulk's true power in Avengers Assemble & Hulk's moveset in The Incredible Hulk Ultimate Destruction & you make the perfect version of Hulk.
@@forrestannis909Fuck no 2008 Hulk is the worst looking Hulk ever designed.
Although there were reported behind-the-scenes tensions between Marvel and Edward Norton, I STILL believe that he was the best on-screen Bruce Banner/Hulk. No disrespect to Mark Ruffalo. He is a very good actor. However, I did not truly see him as Bruce Banner. His version of the Hulk was more like a larger, green version of Ruffalo and NOT the Hulk. Edward Norton brought out the fear, isolation, and inner turmoil of Bruce Banner, as well as the comic book Hulk IE: "Hulk smash!" I am sorry that Mr. Norton did not remain with the MCU. However, he and Marvel had to make the choices that they believed were respectively right for them.
To me norton captured the jekyll&hyde of banner&hulk and hulk has always been that to me, the marvel jekyll and hyde
Ed Norton's hulk is my favourite because ut reminded me of bill bixbys banner/hulk 'problem' more the scientific aura I love about Norton's banner. And hes a brilliant actor 👍🏻
My brothers and I have been saying this since Ragnarok. The MCU completely wasted hulks potential and made him a joke. They wasted a lot of potential though tbh
you are spot on. what always bothered me was they changed the actor, but completely forgot the original storyline from this great movie. they got it right with the incredible hulk (better than hulk), but never continued his movie's great storyline. just sad.
I honestly think they wanted to distance themselves from the hulk dogs...
@pooboobob that was 2003, incredible hulk was 2008
OMG yes. I love the idea of Bruce Banner on the run. When Nick fury recruited him, we couldn’t even get a scene of him hesitating of Nick fury like wiping his legal slate clean. Norton, as Bruce Banner is basically like you’re replacing the hulk with an uncontrollable werewolf transformation. And I love that movie. I want an else world movie where we get Edward Norton as Bruce Banner again. The hulk is more of a monster than a hero.