Mark Ruffalo has hinted that future Marvel projects beyond She-Hulk: Attorney at Law may explore more of the Hulk’s life on Sakaar prior to the events of Thor: Ragnarok.
In Thor: Ragnarok, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor is reunited with Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk in a gladiatorial contest on the planet of Sakaar. By the time they meet, the Hulk has already been living on the planet for two years, in which time he has never once changed back into Bruce Banner.
Hulk’s years on Sakaar are yet to be explored in the MCU, though that may be about to change. As She-Hulk sees the character returning to the stars, Mark Ruffalo has dropped hints that audiences could be set to see the Hulk’s past – and possibly even his distant future.
The Hulk’s MCU Future
In a recent interview with Variety, Mark Ruffalo spoke about the Hulk’s time on Sakaar, his imminent return there and the possibility of playing a much older Hulk.
The second episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law featued a big reveal for Ruffalo’s Hulk, showing him aboard a Sakaaran ship, setting off into deep space. Talking about this possible tease of a return to Sakaar and a potential World War Hulk storyline, Ruffalo said:
“It certainly does suggest that. There has been some conversations about what happened in the two years where Hulk abandoned Banner and the Avengers [on Sakaar], and the emergence of Smart Hulk, which hasn’t ever fully been answered. I think maybe we’ve given four sentences to that time period since then. It’s really an interesting, exciting part of the Hulk story and Banner story. I do think that the trip to Sakaar is a good place to start… this idea of Planet Hulk or World War Hulk or just the journey that Banner and Hulk have to make to come to peace with each other… I do feel like there is some interest in exploring that down the line.”
The topic of World War Hulk has proven a popular one in fan circles since She-Hulk began, with the first episode’s reveal of the Sakaaran ship hinting that Bruce Banner may soon have to revisit his time as his jolly jade alter ego on the distant planet.
In the comics, it was the Hulk’s time on Sakaar during the Planet Hulk storyline – elements of which were adapted in Thor: Ragnarok – that would ultimately lead the Hulk into the vengeful rage that sparked World War Hulk. She-Hulk could be hinting that Ruffalo’s version of the character is about to embark upon a similar story.
However, Mark Ruffalo also spoke about taking the Hulk in another direction from the comics. Beyond the possibility of a World War Hulk storyline, Ruffalo touched upon the idea of playing an older Hulk, possibly a reference to the villainous Maestro – a persona adopted by the Hulk in one possible future in Marvel’s comic continuity:
“I mean, you know, when you look at the comics, there’s some pretty grizzled, old versions of him. I’m like, OK, the 67-year-old Hulk, that would be interesting — if all of us are still here making movies and there’s a world that allows for us to do that anymore.”
It sounds like there’s a whole world of possibilities Mark Ruffalo is eager to explore in his future as the Hulk in the MCU. World War Hulk currently seems the most likely candidate for an upcoming Hulk story, given the character’s current interstellar travels, but it sounds like Ruffalo is prepared to take the character into stories far beyond that.
Here is the synospis for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law:
“She-Hulk: Attorney at Law follows Jennifer Walters as she navigates the complicated life of a single, 30-something attorney who also happens to be a green 6-foot-7-inch superpowered hulk.”
Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law stars Tatiana Maslany, Mark Ruffalo, Tim Roth, Benedict Wong, Ginger Gonzaga, Josh Segarra, Jameela Jamil, Jon Bass, and Renée Elise Goldsberry.
New episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law premiere every Thursday on Disney Plus. Stay tuned for all the latest news on the Marvel series and the future of Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk in the MCU, and be sure to subscribe to Heroic Hollywood’s YouTube channel for more original video content.
Source: Variety
