Marvel Cinematic Universe star Mark Ruffalo, known for his role as the Hulk, recently opened up to "GQ," expressing his continued desire for a standalone Hulk film while candidly admitting the dream's realization remains "honestly uncertain."
Despite becoming a central figure in the MCU since "The Avengers" franchise, Ruffalo's Hulk has yet to receive a solo outing, unlike many of his superhero counterparts.
While 2008's "The Incredible Hulk" is considered canon within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Edward Norton starred as the titular hero. Ruffalo took over the role in "The Avengers" and has since made appearances in films like "Thor: Ragnarok," "Captain Marvel," and "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," consistently in supporting or ensemble capacities. Fans have long clamored for a dedicated solo project for his iteration of the character.
"I would love to do a Hulk movie," Ruffalo stated. "But you might not know that the film rights for the Hulk don't actually belong entirely to Marvel; they're Universal Pictures' assets." This long-standing copyright entanglement has historically hindered the development of new solo projects, restricting Marvel to featuring the character primarily in ensemble films.
Ruffalo, however, revealed that internal discussions at Marvel are ongoing. He shared, "We're always talking about it, figuring out what we could do. It's like, 'Has there been enough Hulk movies? Do people really want another one?' I really want to do it, and I think audiences would love it, as long as we find the right angle."
The Hulk's most recent appearance was in the Disney+ series "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law," which concluded by revealing Banner's son, the young Hulk "Skaar." However, further developments for Skaar have yet to materialize.
Meanwhile, "Captain America: Brave New World" is set to introduce Harrison Ford as the Red Hulk, suggesting at least four distinct Hulk characters will coexist within the MCU. This has fueled fan speculation that Marvel might be building towards the iconic comic book storyline, "World War Hulk."