It’s time for a different type of Hulk movie.
Now before I start this, let me say that I do understand that Universal Pictures owns part of the Hulk movie license, and at this current time a solo Hulk movie will not happen. But you never know what will happen tomorrow.
Growing up, Hulk in the comics always spoke. Somewhat like a child, but he would speak. Not just growl and roar all the time. Though when it came to live action interpretations of the Hulk, he really didn’t speak. In the now-famous Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno Incredible Hulk series, Hulk never said a word. In the 2003 Ang Lee Hulk film, Hulk spoke once. Same with the Incredible Hulk film with Edward Norton, and the Avengers films with Mark Ruffalo.
This was never the case in the cartoons of Hulk, he spoke. As time when on, the more complete sentences he spoke.
Then Thor: Ragnarok we saw a huge improvement with Hulk speaking. He was talking how most people are familiar with him in the comics. It was a much-needed change.
So that got me thinking if we are ever to see another Hulk film, why not take it to the next level?
In issue #377 of Incredible Hulk, then writer Peter David, came up with the concept of the entire Bruce Banner/Hulk complex was due to multiple personality disorder.
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Banner became traumatized as a young boy when his abusive father killed his mother in front of him. The gamma energy just made one of those personalities an unstoppable rage monster, or the Hulk It was in this issue where Banner had overcome the trauma and a brand new Hulk emerged. The new Hulk, sometimes known as the Professor Hulk. Since his body was still irradiated with gamma energy, he still became the Hulk, but now it was Banner’s mind in the driver’s seat. (This is a simplified version of events. We can always talk more details at another time.)
This would make for an excellent film! It’s a different take on the Hulk. Plus you can have actor Mark Ruffalo really push the bounds of acting as this new smart Hulk. Professor Hulk was a tad arrogant, but that’s such a great contrast to the way Ruffalo has been playing Banner.
Here’s a little sampling from the comics:
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There were some really great stories from Peter David on the Professor Hulk run. The studio could also look to Gerry Duggan’s Doc Green run as well.
We are in an age where audiences are looking for different types of superhero films, which is why I believe that the Professor Hulk should be considered for the next Hulk film. It’s definitely something a lot of people wouldn’t expect, especially from the Hulk!