We’ve heard mention of a potential Planet Hulk movie and maybe even World War Hulk some time down the line; however, now it’s learned there can be no new Hulk solo movie.
While many have been asking Marvel and Mark Ruffalo about a new solo Hulk movie for years, now Ruffalo comes out with it and says Marvel can’t even make a Hulk solo movie.
The rights to Hulk solo movies seem to be tied up with Universal Studios (whom also happen to have the rights tied up for Namor).
Ruffalo tells the Collider in an interview: “As far as a Hulk movie, a standalone Hulk movie, Marvel doesn’t really have the rights to that yet. That’s still Universal’s property, so there’s that issue. That’s a big impediment to moving forward with that. Now I don’t think that’s insurmountable, by the way, but I don’t know where it’s going from here for me.”
So we gather from what Ruffalo is saying is that the Hulk can’t be the main character of the movie, like in a “Planet Hulk”; however, as we see with the Avengers movies, the Hulk can be a supporting character in other films. I suppose if Marvel really wanted to, they could do Planet Hulk, but call it “The Warbound” (or some other title) and make sure the Hulk has just enough less screen time than another Marvel character (i.e. another team movie).
Universal apparently has the distribution rights to the Hulk solo films, with Marvel’s parent company, Disney, more than likely not wanting to pair up with Universal.
Ruffalo also mentioned he thinks he has around four Marvel movies left on his contract
– which could be for a Hulk standalone movie if it ever happened – and offers he can appear in any Marvel movies, not just Avengers films.
“I think it’s four now, but that could always go further. That could include different—I could show up in another character’s movie; I could do Avengers 3 and 4; I could do a Hulk standalone; I could do a combination of those things. That’s four or five, I think.”
Regarding Captain America: Civil War, Ruffalo said he hasn’t gotten a call for it, but says: “Sometimes these things happen at the last minute in this world.”
Mark Ruffalo stars as Bruce Banner and the Hulk in The Avengers: Age Of Ultron out May 1, 2015.
Hulk vs Hulkbuster Iron Man Clip: