Marvel’s Hulk, Mark Ruffalo discusses how Marvel’s irate green giant could impact Thor: Ragnarok.
While fans may have left Avengers Age of Ultron thinking that they’ve seen the last of Mark Ruffalo’s MCU rendition of Bruce Banner/The Hulk, that misconception was nixed with the recent news that Ruffalo would be bringing the character back in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. Of course, given the way Age of Ultron ended, the field of speculation is more than open when it comes to exactly what Hulk will be doing in the Thor threequel. Well, Ruffalo recently discussed some ideas.
In an interview with Ain’t it Cool News, Ruffalo, walking the non-spoiler line ever so cautiously, discussed the mindset of Bruce Banner and his oddly evolving relationship with his bulkier emerald alter-ego. After the wanton array of Hulk-caused global destruction depicted in Age of Ultron, Banner initiates a memorable self-imposed exile by way of a stolen Quinjet at the end of the film. In regards to where that apparently sacrificial act has left Banner by the time he shows up in Ragnarok, Ruffalo explains:
“It's very subtle, but the Banner/Hulk consciousness is beginning to meld a little bit. Who decided to leave? Was it Banner or Hulk? It's not really in the (cinematic) mythology of Hulk up until that moment to be that conscious and pro-active. It's interesting, right?”
Thor: Ragnarok will see Chris Hemsworth’s titular God of Thunder engaging an immense battle to prevent the titular Asgardian Apocalypse against some still-unnamed powerful new foes. While Ruffalo is obviously nowhere close to dishing on exactly where Hulk would possibly fit into that realm-traversing affair with potential cosmic implications, his comments on the dueling dynamic between the Banner and Hulk personas seem to be indicative of where the character is heading in this next critical MCU iteration.
Indeed, the long history and myriad of iterations of the Hulk comic book series have focused on not only the internal turmoil between Banner and Hulk, but the emergence of alternate personas of the Hulk; notably the cognizant and cunning Grey Hulk and Professor Hulk, who maintains the exceptional intelligence of Banner in the Hulk body. When it comes to the dual personality angle, Ruffalo sees plenty of potential for pathos-based exploration that utilizes his Oscar-nominated acting chops. As he explains:
“I think it's really exciting where we could go with it. Now I feel like we're kind of in No Man's Land. I mean, the comic books have kind of broached the subject, but we're moving away from the traditional Hulk/Banner relationship. We're starting to mess with it a little bit.”
Ruffalo’s Hulk was clearly left in a bad place when it came to the perpetual struggle with his dualing persona. He left behind his spot in The Avengers team, his Science Bros. friendship with Tony Stark and potential sparks of romance with Black Widow. Those aspects could be potent fodder for the stalled efforts of another Hulk solo movie. However, it will be interesting to see if the sublime skirmishes in Thor: Ragnarok will provide the self-loathing Banner opportunities for a kind of redemption.
Thor: Ragnarok hits theaters with the might of Mjolnir on November 3, 2017.
