Summary
Ang Lee’sHulkmovie might be moving to Disney Plus after the famous Marvel film leaves Hulu.
TheHulkis the alter-ego of the mild-mannered scientist Bruce Banner. The Green Goliath is a powerful giant born after Banner was exposed to Gamma radiation in a scientific trial exercise with military applications in view gone awry. Being one of Marvel’s oldest and most well-liked characters, the Hulk’s cinematic escapades predate the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and he is one of the fewheroes like Spider-Man that don’t entirely belong to Marvel.
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Due to this, many cinematic Hulk projects have been available on several non-Disney Plus platforms, such as when 2008’s well-rememberedThe Incredible Hulkwas released on HBO Max. However, the first solo live-action project featuring the character, 2003’sHulk,might have taken its first steps towards joining Marvel content on Disney Plus. A listing by Hulu for its September 2023 content schedule reveals that the project’s days on the streamer are numbered, with the film’s license set to expire on September 30th.
Hulkwas the first attempt at a box office play for the character after small screen shows and appearances before the 2000s. The film was met with mixed reviews despite netting multiple award nominations at the time, with an emphasis on the lack of action relative to the character’s potential. While the project has since developed a cult following, the lack of mainstream critical success means the film has been largely set aside, with many fans far more familiar with 2008’sThe Incredible Hulk,which fans have theorized can beintegrated into the mainline Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Hulkmaking its way to Disney Plus after it leaves Hulu seems consistent with Disney’s recent moves to consolidate the more errant parts of the Marvel brand, with the previously missingThe Incredible Hulkreleasing on Disney Plusafter an update to the deal with Universal Pictures, who held the rights to the film. The same content strategy has been employed in addingSpider-Manprojects and solo projects likeLoganto Disney Plus, and it will likely eventually extend to the twoPunisherfilms that will make up Hulu’s Marvel offering afterHulkleaves the platform.
While it is not yet confirmed, having 2003’sHulkon Disney Plus would be a treat for the character’s fans and might even bring more attention to the potential for additional Hulk content, as Marvel has a long and profitablepre-MCU history of successful Hulk video gamesand other such content. In the meantime, fans can only wait to see whereHulkheads off to after September 30th.
