Everybody is clamouring for the Hulk to have his own, standalone movie set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Okay, not everybody. Some people are just wrong. But it seems like all of us right minded people will have to be patient. According to Mark Ruffalo, who one hopes is well informed in these matters, Marvel Studios don't actually have the rights to make standalone Hulk movies. Ruffalo told Collider; "As far as a Hulk movie, a standalone Hulk movie, Marvel doesnt really have the rights to that yet. Thats still Universals property, so theres that issue. Thats a big impediment to moving forward with that." Which makes me wonder why Universal haven't tried to make another Hulk film of their own. Good taste and tact, maybe. I'm certainly glad they're not exploiting the character's newfound popularity with another incarnation. Sooner or later, and it will be sooner if they don't make another Hulk movie, those rights will return to Marvel, and then Big Green can get all the movies he wants. I want. We all want. In the meantime, we'll just be seeing him pop up in other characters' movies, or the Avengers team up chapters. Ruffalo thinks there are four more films on his contract, though that could, of course, be extended quite easily, if not exactly cheaply. The Age of Ultron will dawn on UK cinemas next Thursday, April 23rd. The US will be waiting until May 1st.
Brendon Connelly has been a film writer since the early 90s, with time on the staff of Orbit Magazine, Slashfilm, Bleeding Cool, Den of Geek and many more. He's a long time teacher of film studies and practical filmmaking classes, and has directed music videos, commercials, short films and more. His favourite film is Terry Gilliam's Brazil, his favourite food is pancakes or crepes, and he tries to live his life by the teachings of Kermit the Frog.
