Mark Ruffalo Smashes Hopes For A Standalone ‘Hulk’ Movie: ‘It Will Never Happen’
There have been rumors of a soloHulkfilm since Mark Ruffalo stepped into the ripped purple pants in 2012’sThe Avengers. CouldThor: Ragnarokbe a film setting up aPlanet Hulkmovie, the Internet buzzed? Will we ever get the adventures of Hulk after he leaves in that tiny Quinjet at the end ofAvengers: Age of Ultron? CanMark Ruffalofinally get his due?
That doesn’t seem like it will happen, Ruffalo told an intrepid reporter at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California. In fact, don’t count on seeing a standaloneHulkfilm in the Marvel Cinematic Universe at all.
Ruffalo toldVarietythat despite fan demands for aHulkmovie, he doesn’t “see it in the cards.”
“I want to just make one thing perfectly clear today: A standalone ‘Hulk’ movie will never happen. Universal has the rights, and for some reason, they don’t know how to play well with Marvel. And, they don’t want to make money.”
Ruffalo first appeared as Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk, in 2012’sThe Avengers, when he is pulled out of isolation byScarlett Johansson’s Black Widow to join Nick Fury’s (Samuel L. Jackson) team of superpowered individuals set to save the world from an alien invasion. He reprised the role again inAvengers: Age of Ultron, and has appeared in cameos inIron Man 3and theTeam Thorshorts. He will make a full appearance in the upcomingThor: RagnarokandAvengers: Infinity War.
Ruffalo was not actually the first actor in the MCU to play the Hulk, asEdward Nortonfirst donned the green motion-capture skin in 2008’sThe Incredible Hulkin the early days of the MCU. As Ruffalo told Variety,The Incredible Hulkwas distributed by Universal Pictures, and that was the last time we saw a solo Hulk film (the first time being Eric Bana’s turn in Ang Lee’sHulkin 2003).
However, despite being part of the MCU,The Incredible Hulkfelt so disconnected that fans were eager to see Ruffalo do aHulkfilm in a solo capacity. Ruffalo said that Marvel has talked about it, but studio rights issues are too hard to overcome. The deal that Sony and Marvel made overSpider-Man: Homecomingseems like more of a fluke now than a trend.
Besides, Ruffalo joked, “I figure I’ve got like two or three more years left before I’m too old to play the Hulk.”
“You’re too old now,” Don Cheadle shot back.
See Ruffalo and Cheadle’s full response below:
“A standalone Hulk movie will never happen.” –@MarkRuffalo#D23Expopic.twitter.com/4QrZcoHm6Q
— Variety (@Variety)July 08, 2025
The Hulk will appear next inThor: Ragnarokas a “friend from work” onNovember 3, 2017.
