11 Best Recast Movie Roles Of All Time
7. Mark Ruffalo As Bruce Banner
2008's The Incredible Hulk is not a bad film. In fact, it's a pretty good one and Edward Norton made a damn fine Bruce Banner. But when Norton and Marvel ran into some issues, the role had to be recast for the studio's 2012 team-up film.
The result was that Mark Ruffalo got to don the purple pants and give audiences the definitive version of this character. Whereas the previous two attempts at making a big-screen Hulk resonate with audiences had both suffered varying degrees of failure, Ruffalo's performance in The Avengers made audiences fall in love with the Hulk. Part of it certainly had to do with Whedon's writing and the fact that Hulk didn't have to carry a whole film by himself, but a lot of it comes down to Ruffalo's performance.
Ruffalo showed audiences a more nuanced take on the role of Bruce Banner, one that didn't have to be overtly sad all the time. Instead, he knows he's a danger and is undeniably depressed, but he's been living with the Hulk for so long that it's just become part of his life. In the years since The Avengers, Ruffalo has gone on to expertly play the role throughout various films in the MCU. And even as the dynamics of the role evolve, Ruffalo continues to be uncannily brilliant.