The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character the Hulk. Produced by Marvel Studios and Valhalla Motion Pictures, and distributed by Universal Pictures, it is the second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). It was directed by Louis Leterrier from a screenplay by Zak Penn, and stars Edward Norton as Bruce Banner alongside Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson, Ty Burrell, and Christina Cabot. In the film, Banner becomes the monstrous Hulk as an unwitting pawn in a military scheme to reinvigorate the "super soldier" program through gamma radiation. He goes on the run from the military while attempting to cure himself of the Hulk.

After the mixed reception to Universal's 2003 film Hulk, Marvel Studios reacquired the rights to the character, though Universal retained distribution rights. Leterrier was hired to direct, and Penn wrote a script that was closer to the comics and the 1978–1982 television series. In April 2007, Norton was hired to portray Banner and to rewrite Penn's screenplay. His script positioned the film as a reboot of the series, distancing it from the 2003 film to give the new version its own identity. Norton was ultimately not credited for his writing. Filming took place from July to November 2007, primarily in Toronto, with additional filming in New York City and Rio de Janeiro. Over 700 visual effects shots were created in post-production using a combination of motion capture and computer-generated imagery. Norton and Marvel Studios had various disagreements during production, including over the final edit.

The Incredible Hulk premiered at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California, on June 8, 2008, and was released in the United States on June 13 as part of Phase One of the MCU. It was deemed a moderate success, grossing $265 million and receiving slightly better reviews than the 2003 film. A sequel was discussed but never materialized, in part due to rights issues with Universal. Mark Ruffalo took over the role of Banner for subsequent MCU appearances, starting with the crossover film The Avengers in 2012.

Plot

At Culver University in Virginia, U.S. military general Thaddeus Ross meets with Dr. Bruce Banner, the colleague and boyfriend of his daughter Betty, regarding an experiment that Ross claims is meant to make humans immune to gamma radiation. This is part of Ross's attempts to recreate a World War II-era "super soldier" program. The experiment fails, and Banner is exposed to high levels of gamma radiation, causing him to transform into the Hulk if enraged or if his heart rate rises above 200 beats per minute. The Hulk destroys the lab and injures the general, Betty, and others outside. Banner becomes a fugitive from Ross, who wants to weaponize the Hulk.

Five years later, Banner works at a bottling factory in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and has not transformed in five months. He trains in yoga and breathing techniques while collaborating anonymously with an internet user called "Mr. Blue" in his search to cure his condition. After Banner accidentally cuts his finger, a drop of his blood falls into a bottle of soda, which is eventually ingested by an elderly consumer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, giving him gamma sickness. Using the bottle to track Banner, Ross sends a special forces team led by Emil Blonsky to capture him. Banner transforms into the Hulk and defeats Blonsky's team, though Blonsky survives. After Ross explains how Banner became the Hulk, Blonsky agrees to be injected with a similar serum, gaining enhanced speed, strength, and agility.

Banner returns to Culver University and reunites with Betty. Her new boyfriend, Dr. Leonard Samson, contacts Ross, who soon arrives with his forces and Blonsky. They attack Banner at the university, and he transforms into the Hulk again. Blonsky, whose judgment is impaired by the serum, attacks and mocks the Hulk. The Hulk severely injures Blonsky, but the serum allows him to heal quickly. Betty is almost killed by military fire and is saved by the Hulk, who flees with Betty and eventually reverts to Banner. The pair go on the run, and Banner contacts Mr. Blue, who urges them to meet him in New York City. Mr. Blue is cellular biologist Dr. Samuel Sterns, who has developed a possible antidote to Banner's condition. After a seemingly successful test, he warns Banner that the antidote may only reverse an initial transformation. Sterns reveals that he has synthesized Banner's blood samples, which Banner sent from Brazil, into a large supply, and wants to apply its "limitless potential" to medicine. Fearful of the Hulk's power falling into the wrong hands, Banner wants to destroy the supply.

Blonsky and Ross's forces take Banner into custody. As Banner and Betty are taken away in a helicopter, Blonsky stays behind and orders Sterns to inject him with Banner's blood, as he covets the Hulk's power. The experiment mutates Blonsky into the Abomination, a monstrous creature that surpasses the Hulk in size and strength. He attacks Sterns, who gets some of Banner's blood in a cut on his forehead and begins mutating as well. The Abomination rampages through Harlem. Realizing that the Hulk is the only one who can stop the Abomination, Banner convinces Ross to release him. He jumps from Ross's helicopter and transforms after hitting the ground. The Hulk battles and defeats the Abomination by nearly strangling him to death with a chain, but spares his life upon hearing Betty's plea. The Hulk leaves the Abomination for Ross and his forces to arrest and flees New York.

A month later, Banner is in Bella Coola, British Columbia, where he practices controlling his transformation. Sometime later, Tony Stark approaches Ross at a bar and informs him that a team is being put together.

Cast

Edward Norton as Bruce Banner:A nuclear physicist and biochemist at Culver University who, because of exposure to gamma radiation, transforms into an enormous green humanoid monster when enraged or agitated. David Duchovny was a front-runner for the film before Norton's casting, while director Louis Leterrier's original choice was Mark Ruffalo, who would later play Banner in future Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films. Producer Gale Anne Hurd recalled the duality of Norton's performances in the films Primal Fear (1996) and Fight Club (1999), while Norton reminded producer Kevin Feige of Bill Bixby, who played Banner in the 1978–1982 television series. Lou Ferrigno, who played the Hulk in that series, said Norton "has a similar physique [and a] similar personality" to Bixby. Norton was a Hulk fan, citing the early comic books, the Bixby series, and Bruce Jones's run on the comics as his favorite depictions of the character. He had expressed interest in the role for the previous film, Hulk (2003), and was initially reluctant to take on the part after that film had strayed from the fugitive story that he associated with the character. He was won over by the vision of Leterrier and Marvel Studios and believed they were looking to him to guide the project. Norton subsequently rewrote the script. Leterrier praised Norton for bringing gravitas to the script, and said they were both approaching superheroes as "the new Greek gods". Norton was particularly drawn to the Greek myth of Prometheus for the character. Lou Ferrigno voices the Hulk. During the 2008 New York Comic Con, Leterrier publicly offered Ferrigno the role. This marks the third time Ferrigno portrayed the Hulk, having also voiced the character in the 1996–97 animated series. Originally, the Hulk's only line was "Betty" at the film's ending, which would have been his first word. Leterrier was aware that fans wanted him to speak normally and added "Leave me alone!" and "Hulk smash!". The latter line received cheers during a screening Leterrier attended. Ferrigno also has a cameo appearance in the film as a security guard whom Banner bribes with a pizza. Liv Tyler as Betty Ross:A cellular biologist and Bruce's former girlfriend, from whom he is separated as a result of his condition. Tyler was attracted to the love story in the script and was a fan of the Bixby series because of the "humanity and what [Banner] is going through". She was called about the role while driving home and accepted the part after a day, without reading the script. Tyler and Norton spent hours discussing Bruce and Betty's life before he became the Hulk. She said filming the part was physical and fun, and compared her performance to "a deer caught in the headlights" because of Betty's shock at Bruce's unexpected return into her life. Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky / Abomination:A Russian-born officer in the United Kingdom's Royal Marines Commandos who is loaned to General Ross. Lusting for the Hulk's power, Blonsky is injected with various serums that transform him into a near-skeletal humanoid monster as strong as the Hulk himself. Roth said he took the part to please his sons, who are comic-book superhero fans, and because he found Leterrier's ideas "very dark and very interesting". Roth was a fan of the Bixby series as a teenager. He started watching the 2003 film to prepare for the part, but stopped as he did not want to compare himself to it. It was Roth who suggested Blonsky be a soldier rather than a KGB agent as in the comics. Leterrier was a fan of Roth's work and felt it was "great watching a normal Cockney boy become a superhero", but Marvel and Norton were initially reluctant to cast him. Before he was cast in the film Punisher: War Zone (2008), Ray Stevenson was in discussions for the role. Roth trained with gun and military experts in preparation for the role, but it did not work out due to Blonsky's aging. This made it difficult to film some stunts, including being pulled by a harness to show Blonsky's enhanced 30–40 mile-per-hour running speed. Cyril Raffaelli performed some of his stunts. Roth enjoyed the motion capture for Abomination, which reminded him of fringe theatre. He worked with Terry Notary, his trainer from the film Planet of the Apes (2001), on the monster's movement. Roth was signed on for three more films. William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross:Betty's father and a U.S. Army general who has dedicated his life to capturing the Hulk. Leterrier cast Hurt because "Ross is more physical, more explosive in this movie, and no actor goes from zero to 100 as well as William". He compared Ross to Captain Ahab. The Hulk was Hurt's favorite superhero, and his son is also a big fan of the character. Hurt found production very different from the typical "pure anxiety" of a studio film, finding it more akin to an independent film. He described Ross as "humiliated by Hulk's conscience: he actually sees and recognizes that it's more developed than his own, even though he's a patriot and a warrior for his country. He's sacrificed [much] for that purpose, but at the expense at times of his humanity—which he occasionally recovers." In June 2015, when reflecting on how his reprisal in the MCU film Captain America: Civil War (2016) was different from this film, Hurt said, "What I created [for The Incredible Hulk] was a Ross who was right out of the graphic novel type of thing, where he was as much of a cartoon, in a way, as the monsters were. His ego was just as big and his problems were just as big. I really did do that consciously. I created a General Ross before which created a verisimilitude for the monsters, by making him a human monster. I worked really hard on the makeup and the exaggerated behavior and things like that and a controlled psychosis." Sam Elliott had expressed interest in reprising the role from the 2003 film before Hurt was cast. Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns:A cellular biologist who develops a possible antidote to Banner's condition. Towards the end of the film, Sterns is exposed to a substance that begins his transformation into the comic book villain "The Leader".