When it comes to inspired casting choices in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are a few that come to mind. Robert Downey Jr.‘s Tony Stark/Iron Man, Chris Evans‘ Steve Rogers/Captain America, and Chadwick Boseman‘s T’Challa/Black Panther were instant hits for the MCU during The Infinity Saga. But there is one iconic Phase 1 casting choice that we wish we could have seen played out further in the franchise: Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, better known as the Incredible Hulk.

While Norton only appeared as the scientist-turned-monster in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk (and was glaringly omitted from Captain America: Brave New World), which was released only months after the original Iron Man, many have clung tightly to his superior portrayal, wondering how differently Banner’s story may have played out if Norton and not Mark Ruffalo were inducted into The Avengers.

Edward Norton Nailed Bruce Banner’s Persona in ‘The Incredible Hulk’

Yes, Mark Ruffalo eventually took over the role in 2012’s The Avengers and made it his own. However, in some of the most important respects, Ruffalo never fully embodied the character of Bruce Banner that was made so popular by the original Incredible Hulk comic books (not to mention the popular television show). In fact, by comparison, Ruffalo’s Bruce feels far too self-assured, too stable, and too “consequence-free” to accurately portray the neurotic, depressed, and lonely Bruce Banner that he should have been. Say what you will about The Incredible Hulk, but for many, it remains among the MCU’s best features. As far as adaptations go, it nails the character in every way. Bruce is a hero, yes, but not because he is a god among men or is able to utilize his genius to save lives; it’s because he is cursed.

What Norton was able to accomplish in The Incredible Hulk builds off what Eric Bana had done previously in 2003’s Hulk, though the films are not technically connected. Norton, like Bana, explores the depths of Bruce Banner’s psyche, examining his need for control despite the constant peril that proves he will never have it. We see this in his attempts to command both his breathing techniques and his anger when put to the test by civilians and soldiers alike. In contrast, The Incredible Hulk also makes it clear that Bruce cannot control his fate. He cannot control how his relationship with Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) will turn out. He cannot control how the people around him will view the Hulk. In fact, he cannot even really control the Hulk. There is even a deleted scene from the film where Bruce, unable to come to terms with his curse, attempts suicide before the Hulk stops him. This moment is referenced in The Avengers, but it doesn’t come across as convincingly as when Norton contemplated the issue.

Furthermore, what makes Norton’s Bruce Banner so memorable is the pure attention to detail. Bruce spends all his free time looking for a cure to his gamma-disease. He teaches himself other languages and other skill sets just to survive. The Hulk has destroyed his life, and he fights with all he has left to try and eradicate his “other half.” It’s this tortured relationship between Bruce and the Hulk that shifts and changes over the course of the film, and by the end, we see that while Bruce may still wish the Hulk was gone, he has embraced the monster as another part of himself. This isn’t so different from what Bana’s Bruce goes through in Ang Lee‘s Hulk, or even what we see of Ruffalo’s in The Avengers. But what makes Norton’s portrayal here different is that it feels earned. We understand why his relationship with the Hulk changes, but even as he begins to accept the occasional necessity of his other half, the film still ends with his attempts to control the beast.

The Hulk’s “Lonely Man” Theme Is Essential to the Character

Part of why Edward Norton’s Bruce Banner is so profound is that he is an echo of Bill Bixby’s David Banner from the original Incredible Hulk TV show. There is an iconic musical composition that ends each episode of the television program titled “The Lonely Man Theme,” and it speaks masterfully to the sad reality of Banner’s life. In the world of the Hulk, actions (good or bad) always have consequences for Bruce Banner, and most of those are negative ones. His life is a lonely one because of his curse. He isn’t able to live the life he wants to with Betty, nor is he able to freely pursue his scientific or academic ambitions, because the last time he did, he created a monster. The Incredible Hulk gives Bruce only rare moments to breath, and even then he remains anxious that the Hulk may come out or that the U.S. government may burst through the door. We see almost none of this throughout Ruffalo’s tenure.

There is a reason that Craig Armstrong‘s soundtrack for the film contains trace elements of Joe Harnell‘s original “Lonely Man” theme from the TV show. It’s a purposeful note that underscores the sad reality that Norton conveys in Bruce. Indeed, Norton effortlessly simplifies the deep layers of Bruce’s frustrations and fears. He isn’t some larger-than-life scientist like Tony Stark, but rather, he’s a downtrodden, disgraced genius who cannot even save himself. This is something we never get to explore with Mark Ruffalo’s version. To be fair, it’s not Ruffalo’s fault. After The Incredible Hulk, Marvel Studios never pursued another solo Hulk feature, and any time Bruce was written into the larger MCU story, he was rarely (if ever) the focus. As a result, Bruce’s long-form character arc across all four Avengers movies (as well as Thor: Ragnarök) fails to effectively build off what Norton first established.

Frankly, Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner feels like a completely different character from Norton’s. He is more of a living cartoon than a complex individual, and it’s clear that Marvel dropped the ball. Sure, small allusions to what Norton first accomplished can be seen throughout. His apparent success at “controlling” the Hulk is paid off in The Avengers, and his ability to merge his two selves by Avengers: Endgame feels like the ultimate goal, even if it feels quite silly and unearned. (No wonder the original TV Hulk Lous Ferrigno was upset.) Ruffalo’s screen presence is far too charming and too “cool,” making him unable to emphasize that “weight of the world” feeling that Bruce should exude every moment. Following Norton’s departure, the MCU effectively turned Bruce into a more comedic and agreeable side-character than the tortured and lonesome protagonist we first fell in love with. If only Norton had retained some creative control over the property…

Edward Norton Best Understands What Makes ‘The Incredible Hulk’ Work

Because Edward Norton is known as something of a perfectionist in Hollywood, it’s unsurprising that, as noted by The Los Angeles Times, he reworked Zak Penn‘s original script himself. It helped that Norton was a Hulk fan from his youth, having grown up reading the original Marvel Comics and watching the Bixby-led TV series. Because of his deep love for the character, Norton always wanted to explore the man behind the monster, seeing The Incredible Hulk as a timeless heroic tragedy. “[Hulk] is Prometheus, right?” Norton expressed on The Joe Rogan Experience in 2019. “He’s trying to take the power of nature back out to people from the gods, and he gets burned, and that’s how I thought about it.” The intent with the 2008 film was to lean into what made the Incredible Hulk television series so successful. “At the end of every show you were like, ‘Oh my god, he’s still cursed,'” Norton noted. This is where we leave Bruce at the end of The Incredible Hulk, and it’s why Norton’s tragic portrayal is so successful.

Every scene, every powerful moment that Norton tackles this role, evokes the same character from the classic Marvel stories. Bruce is fundamentally alone. Yet, he still chooses to do good for those around him, knowing that he can never fully be close to anyone. Although Ruffalo’s Hulk wandered through these ideas in Avengers: Age of Ultron, he didn’t capture Bruce’s despair on screen the same way Norton could. Ironically, The Incredible Hulk director Louis Leterrier once revealed to The Huffington Post that he originally wanted Ruffalo for the role before Marvel pressured him to cast Norton. It turns out, Marvel was right to choose the bigger name in this case. It’s simply a shame that Edward Norton didn’t stick with the MCU long-term. If he had, we may have had another Hulk movie by now.

The Incredible Hulk is available to watch on Disney+ in the U.S.

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