credit: Parade
There aren’t quite as many people who are sore about Mark Ruffalo taking over for Edward Norton at this point when it comes to playing the Hulk, but there are plenty of folks wondering how long Mark will want to portray this powerful figure. As Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk, Ruffalo has been around for a while now, and it’s easy to think that he’ll be the one that people will want to see more of if the MCU continues to use him. But with the rumor that he’d like to stick around floating around the internet, it’s easy to think that people would embrace the idea of seeing him even more as the years go by. The smart version of the Hulk has taken a bit to get used to since his rational way of thinking doesn’t vibe with what a lot of people feel about the Hulk, but it has been an interesting ride so far. Now, with Bruce heading off to Sakaar, apparently, it feels as though his future could easily become something akin to what fans have enjoyed in the comics.
credit: MCU
It’s yet to be seen if World War Hulk could be a possibility.
Right now, it doesn’t feel like it since Bruce is actively heading somewhere else on his own instead of being shot into space by the members of the Illuminati. Thinking that he could fall back into his rage-induced state doesn’t feel as likely at this time since he’s made peace with his more savage side and has even managed to forgive the Abomination, as it was heard in the latest episode of She-Hulk. That doesn’t sound like the type of character that’s going to go charging back toward earth from Sakaar after becoming king of a planet. There is a possibility of seeing a story develop, but it’s not bound to be what a lot of people are expecting, much as the Infinity Saga wasn’t. Things are changing from the comics in a big way, and it’s easy to assume that whatever does happen, it’s not going to be what the fans are thinking will occur.
There are still ways that the initial idea can be worked and reworked to make a connection that people might enjoy.
The upside for any Marvel character is that there are numerous storylines that can be used to paint a vivid picture of how their lives turn out. To be sure, any storyline that’s used for the Hulk will need to mesh with what’s already happened in order to maintain the continuity of the franchise. But one story that might be a little more compelling than World War Hulk would be that of the Maestro, the alternate version of the Hulk that ends up becoming stronger, more devious, and more bent on domination and destruction than the original Hulk ever was. With the use of the multiverse, the emergence of the Maestro would make a little more sense, and it could open up possibilities for other storylines that would be able to bolster and compliment this particular tale. There are a few ways that this could be done that fans might appreciate, and if Ruffalo is up for the challenge, it could be a lot of fun.
credit: Marvel Comics
Imagine the Hulk breaking bad. That would be the Maestro.
For all he’s done over the years, the Hulk has rarely ever been a cut-and-dried villain that was bent on total domination and destruction. Even during World War Hulk he was out for revenge and justice but wasn’t ready to condemn an entire world or even an entire group of people to death. He wanted to make everyone feel what had been done to him and to gain a measure of vengeance, but he wasn’t intending to kill anyone. The Maestro doesn’t have that limitation since he’s the type of guy that is out to make his own point and usually doesn’t care who he has to knock down to reach his goal. The ruthless nature of this character is enough to bring to the MCU in a manner that would up the stakes in one way or another, and using him to introduce another danger to the MCU would be kind of interesting.
Whether Ruffalo wants to stick around or not, it feels as though the Maestro should be revealed at some point.
The manner in which the MCU is moving forward feels like it could work as things continue to progress, but it does feel as though the edges are softening at times. The Maestro would be a great way to keep that edge sharp and to remind the fans that despite this franchise being created for families, there is still a very real threat. Thanos was that threat for a while, but it can easily be stated that his overall effect kind of faded over time.
If Ruffalo is up for it, the legend of the Hulk could keep growing.