Despite the recent success of the multiverse storytelling approach in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), actor Eric Bana has made it clear that he has no interest in revisiting the role of the Hulk, which he portrayed in 2003. During a podcast interview, Bana expressed his disinterest in returning as Bruce Banner, indicating that he is not keen on playing the character again. This comes as a disappointment to fans who may have hoped to see Bana’s incarnation of the Hulk in the current MCU landscape.
Following the monumental success of “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which saw the return of previous iterations of the web-slinger alongside the current portrayal by Tom Holland, there has been speculation about the potential for similar team-ups within the MCU multiverse. However, the likelihood of an ensemble featuring the different versions of the Hulk seems slim, given the historical performance of standalone Hulk films at the box office.
Bana, along with Ed Norton and Mark Ruffalo, has been part of the lineage of actors to take on the role of the Hulk in film adaptations. However, the standalone Hulk films have not achieved the same level of success as some other Marvel properties. This, coupled with the lukewarm reception and criticism of Bana’s portrayal in 2003, has led Bana to express his reluctance to return to the role. Given the underwhelming performance of the 2003 film and the subsequent portrayal by Edward Norton, it seems that the prospect of a multi-Hulk team-up in the MCU may not materialize.
Bana’s stance on not reprising the role of the Hulk aligns with the challenging reception of his previous portrayal and suggests that he is content to move in a different direction in his career. While fans may harbor hopes for a potential reunion of the Hulk actors in the MCU, it seems that Bana is resolute in his decision to not pursue a return to the character, citing the difficult history of the Hulk adaptations.
