The Incredible Hulk heading back to television

[JacksonArcher]

In the wake of Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment taking Wonder Woman to the small screen after languishing for years in development hell for a theatrical version, it looks like Marvel is going to try the same for The Incredible Hulk, after not doing so well in the past two recent theatrical adaptations that have graced the screen over the past few years, starting with 2003's Hulk starring Eric Bana and 2008's The Incredible Hulk with Edward Norton. Mark Ruffalo will play the character in the forthcoming Avengers movie, due 2012.

Cinema Blend is reporting that Marvel Entertainment will take The Incredible Hulk to ABC as a primetime network drama. No other details have been announced, and no creative team has been yet attached. It is unlikely that Mark Ruffalo will make the transition from theatrical Hulk to small screen Hulk. Which means yet another new actor for Bruce Banner.

Thoughts? I think Marvel should have done this from the beginning. The Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno show is seen by most as the definitive version of the character, aside from the comics, and obviously audiences didn't connect with him on the big screen. So it make sense to return to the one medium where the character excelled (again, apart from the comics).

 

[JonnyQuest037]

So we're going to see 4 different actors play the same character in less than a decade? Weird. Is that a new record?

 

[JacksonArcher]

Quite possibly. It looks like companies like DC and Marvel are turning to the small screen after not being able to successfully position their respective properties to moviegoers. While we're at it, I think The Punisher would also do really well on the small screen after failing to connect with moviegoers, on a cable network like HBO.

 

[Davros]

So we're going to see 4 different actors play the same character in less than a decade? Weird. Is that a new record?

James Bond would have that beat, if you count the original Casino Royal.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

So we're going to see 4 different actors play the same character in less than a decade? Weird. Is that a new record?

James Bond would have that beat, if you count the original Casino Royal.

That's a somewhat different situation, though, since that was a different studio, a different set of producers and a parody. And I just meant for comic book characters.

 

[Gaith]

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after not doing so well in the past two recent theatrical adaptations that have graced the screen over the past few years

At $263m worldwide, The Incredible Hulk did just f****** fine considering the prior movie probably turned a bunch of people off who would otherwise have given it a shot. Not every first superhero movie needs to be a humongous smash (pardon the pun).

If they thought Hulk fatigue was bad in '08, they might have a rude shock in store if they actually do try and launch a TV series post-Avengers...

 

[JonnyQuest037]

At $263m worldwide, The Incredible Hulk did just f****** fine considering the prior movie probably turned a bunch of people off who would otherwise have given it a shot. Not every first superhero movie needs to be a humongous smash (pardon the pun).

I thought that The Incredible Hulk movie did not end up doing substantially better financially than Ang Lee's version did in '03. Wasn't that the whole problem?

 

[PsychoPere]

At $263m worldwide, The Incredible Hulk did just f****** fine considering the prior movie probably turned a bunch of people off who would otherwise have given it a shot. Not every first superhero movie needs to be a humongous smash (pardon the pun).

I thought that The Incredible Hulk movie did not end up doing substantially better financially than Ang Lee's version did in '03. Wasn't that the whole problem?

Looking at Box Office Mojo, it looks like The Incredible Hulk did barely outperform Hulk.

2003: $132 million + $113 foreign = $245 million
2008: $134 million + $128 million = $263 million

 

[JonnyQuest037]

Yeah, $18 million ain't too much in Hollywood terms. Pretty negligible difference, especially if those figures are not adjusted for inflation.

 

[JacksonArcher]

Ang Lee's Hulk made $132 million domestically, on a $137 million budget (not factoring in advertising and other costs). It made all-together $245 million worldwide. Louis Lettetier's The Incredible Hulk made $134 million domestically (only $2 million more than Hulk) on an increased budget of $150 million (again, not factoring in advertising and other miscellaneous costs). It made $263 million worldwide, just slightly ahead of Lee's movie.

I think had Universal and Marvel been happy with the performance of either film, we would be seeing sequels. If Universal and Marvel liked the performance of Lee's movie, we would have seen a sequel and not a reboot. If Universal and Marvel liked the performance of the Lettetier version, we would be seeing a sequel (however, having to recast Norton for The Avengers might have also factored in Marvel's decision to take the character to the small screen). The fact that after the clearly lackluster box office performance of the last two movies, Marvel is interested in taking a new approach for the character should tell you why we're not seeing sequels to either version of the character.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

I do recall that Ang Lee's film opened pretty big and then underwent a HUGE dropoff in the second week due to the poisonous word of mouth (I remember this because I was one of the people bad-mouthing it ). I suspect that Louis Leterrier's film was more of a steady performer, but it didn't look so hot in comparisson to the breakaway hits that Iron Man and The Dark Knight were in the same summer.

 

[JacksonArcher]

I was surprised at the huge drop-off for Hulk. I remember seeing it with a packed audience on a Friday night and people absolutely loved it. They laughed, cheered, and eventually clapped at the end. The disappointing response was somewhat of a surprise to me, especially since I have a soft spot for the film.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

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AWWWWW!!!!

Hulkie isn't the first, second or forty-fifth superhero I'd want to see in a TV series. How about some guys who haven't been run into the ground, who have interesting character background and the opportunity for visual spectacle (which might go beyond a TV budget but oh well): the Sub-Mariner or Doctor Strange?

 

[JonnyQuest037]

The '03 film had its moments, but it didn't work for me. I hated that Bruce Banner was called by an alias for much of the film. I thought that Ang Lee was working WAY too hard to make the comic book science plausible (Starfish? Really?). And the multi-panel shots just seemed stupid and condescending to me. Eric Bana seemed miscast, IMO. The guy looks like a linebacker, not a repressed scientist.

I hope whoever is doing the Hulk TV series has the sense to incorporate the Rick Jones character. I think it was a big mistake not to include him in either movie. He could add some much-needed comic relief and be a good audience identification character.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

As much as this makes sense, I'll probably not bother with it. There's no topping Bill Bixby and I honestly would spend too much time thinking "That's not how Bill would have done it."

 

[Gaith]

Wonder if this means that Hulk'll die in Avengers? Could that have factored into Norton's leaving? Because if Ruffalo's Hulk goes over well, why bet against even exploring a solo movie with him? And dueling continuities would be rather confusing, so maybe Hulk'll die on the big screen, leaving the series to do a whole other continuity?

Whedon certainly proved his willingness to off major characters in Serenity, after all... and what with Trek XI, everyone's talking up TWOK, but surely no one thinks Quinto's Spock is in any danger...

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Bill Bixby? Hulk hate puny Bill Bixby!

 

[Mr. Adventure]

As much as this makes sense, I'll probably not bother with it. There's no topping Bill Bixby and I honestly would spend too much time thinking "That's not how Bill would have done it."

We know how Bixby would do it, he'd say "Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." and then get beat up and thrown behind a bar where he transforms into the Hulk.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

As much as this makes sense, I'll probably not bother with it. There's no topping Bill Bixby and I honestly would spend too much time thinking "That's not how Bill would have done it."

We know how Bixby would do it, he'd say "Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." and then get beat up and thrown behind a bar where he transforms into the Hulk.

If you think that's the summation of Bixby's performance, then you weren't paying attention.

 

[JacksonArcher]

Wonder if this means that Hulk'll die in Avengers?

Spoiler: "The Avengers" character death

I've heard significant buzz that a character WILL die in The Avengers, however I haven't heard speculation over who that person will be. However, it makes sense that Hulk will bite the dust, considering at one point in the film he becomes one of the villains.