With “Iron Man 3,” “Thor: The Dark World,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and a possible “Ant-Man” movie in the works, where is the next adventure with everyone’s favorite big green guy The Hulk? Apparently, nothing is cooking on the burner for a Hulk film until after “The Avengers” sequel in 2015. In his last film, The Hulk had defeated the Abomination, and his intellectual opposite The Leader had been accidentally created. The question is, where will the storyline take the emerald giant?
Marvel’s Kevin Feige commented on a movie based version of “Planet Hulk” based on writer Greg Pak’s legendary storyline, “I don’t think there’s a lot that we couldn’t do someday, as the cinematic universe continues to grow and expand and get as big as the comic book universe.”
“‘Planet Hulk’ is a cool story,” he added. “‘World War Hulk’ is a cool story.”
Feige sees some possible concerns about any possible Hulk-in-space solo films. “I think there’s pitfalls of continuity-overload, and mythology getting so dense that it almost collapses in on itself,” he said. “It happens every few decades or so in the comics. Apart from that, I’d say everything is on the table.”
Even with the possibility of a “Planet Hulk” feature, it will have to wait until a much later date. “Do I think Hulk can carry a movie and be as entertaining as he was in ‘Avengers’? I do believe that. I do believe he absolutely could. We certainly are not even going to attempt that until ‘Avengers 2,'” said Feige. “So there’s a lot of time to think about it.”
“Part of what’s fun about the way we played him in ‘Avengers’ is the ensemble quality of it,” he continued of why Hulk resonated with so many fans this summer. “I think the pathos and humor, most importantly, that Mark and Joss brought to it showcased a different element of Hulk that’s there in the comics, and was always inherent in his character. But when he was so brooding in his other two films, he didn’t get to have that wry sense of humor that Mark did such an amazing job performing.”
Here is the plot for “Planet Hulk:”
The Hulk’s allies on Earth decide he is too dangerous, so they put him in a shuttle and attempt to send him to a peaceful world. He awakens on board the shuttle before it arrives at its intended destination. When he goes into a fit of rage, breaking his restraints, he also causes enough damage to veer it off course, resulting in a crash on the planet Sakaar. Imperial guards appear and attach an obedience disk to the Hulk, allowing them to communicate. The Hulk is imprisoned with Hiroim, Korg, Miek, Elloe Kaifi, Lavin Skee, an Android, and a few hive natives.
The slaves are forced to fight for their freedom in three gladiator battles. Their first opponents are Korg’s brothers. Lavin Skee and the natives die in the battle. Hulk attacks the Red King who presides over the arena, but is defeated by the emperor’s lieutenant, Caiera. Red King allows the Hulk to live because the crowd is entertained, but secretly plots his death.
The other gladiators hold a service for Lavin Skee and form a Warbound pact, revealing their pasts to each other. Elloe also tells Hiroim that some civilians believe the Hulk is the true “Sakaarson,” a foretold savior. Hulk refuses the title. The other gladiators fight their second round against the Wildebots, and are victorious.
Later, Caiera comes to the Hulk and reveals her past. As a child, creatures known as “Spikes” attacked her home-town. The Red Prince (now the Red King) killed off the Spikes with his Death’s Head guards (Hiroim called them Death’s Hand,) after which Caiera pledged allegiance to the prince. She worries Hulk’s popularity will turn the people away from the Red King, and encourages him to escape. That night the resistance comes to rescue the gladiators but the Hulk refuses to go, warning there’s a trap. Elloe leaves, and the rest of Warbound are forced to listen to the resistance fighters being attacked.
For the third and final fight, their opponent is Beta Ray Bill, compelled by an obedience disk to kill or be killed. The Hulk and Bill battle fiercely. During their fight Hiroim notices Hulk’s blood on the dirt is bringing plants to life – a sign of the Sakaarson. Hulk destroys Bill’s obedience disk, but continues his attack, pummeling Bill to near-death.
The Red King announces the Warbound as free citizens, but asks them to show loyalty to him by executing Elloe. They refuse and the Red King orders their death. However, Beta Ray Bill awakens and uses the power of his hammer to destroy all obedience disks in the colosseum. Bill offers to take Hulk back to Earth, but he refuses. Bill leaves the planet as Warbound escape to the resistance’s hideout at a nearby town. The Hulk goes his own way.
Caiera catches up to Hulk after the Red King orders her to kill him. They fight until Caiera spots a Spike ship, which they follow to the town where the Warbound are staying. Caiera, Hulk, and the Warbound work together to protect the town. When she calls the Red King for help, he reveals the Spikes are his creation. A bomb hits, destroying almost everything except the protected civilians of the cave. After the smoke clears, the unharmed Caiera finds the Hulk’s body and informs the Red King he is dead. The King demands Hulk’s body.
Caiera, the shackled Warbound, and the Hulk’s corpse are brought to the Red King, who is wearing his imperial armor. As he gloats over the Hulk’s death, Hulk’s is revealed to be alive and attacks the king. Caiera sets the rest of Warbound free and they fight the guards. The Hulk and Red King continue to fight, and Hulk overpowers him. The Red King is infected by a spike bug and is killed by his Death’s Head guards.
Order is restored to Sakaar and the Hulk accepts the role of Sakaarson and the new king of Sakaar. He, his wife and queen Caiera, and the Warbound stood as heroes in front of the whole of Sakaar’s citizens.
Should Marvel/Disney make a Hulk film sooner rather than later?
Sources: MTV, wikipedia