Mark Ruffalo Candidly Talks Awkward Edward Norton Hulk Replacement Situation

Mark Ruffalo, who took over for Edward Norton as the Incredible Hulk in the MCU during Phase 1, has spoken out about the issue.
After the success of MCU starter Iron Man in 2008, the sequel The Incredible Hulk debuted the MCU's Hulk with Norton.
After the release of the film, Norton decided to step down from his role as Hulk due to a variety of production concerns; Ruffalo was cast in the character for The Avengers in 2010.
Ruffalo has spoken out about the replacement's awkwardness now that characters from The Incredible Hulk have returned to the MCU.


The Incredible Hulk, in which Norton starred in 2008, has been firmly reinserted into the MCU canon, with significant characters from the film making cameo appearances in later films.
William Hurt, who played Thunderbolt Ross in The Incredible Hulk, returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in numerous films beginning with Captain America: Civil War in 2016.
The role of Thunderbolt Ross, the United States President in the MCU, had been held by the late John Hurt, but now that he has passed away, Harrison Ford has been cast in the role. His first appearance as Ross will be in the upcoming Captain America: New World Order.


There are persistent rumors that the film featuring Anthony Mackie as the next Captain America, Sam Wilson, would have a significant role for the Hulk.
Given that Marvel has already cast Ford as the new Thunderbolt Ross and that Tim Blake Nelson will be playing Samuel Sterns, the villain from The Incredible Hulk, in the MCU (in the form of the fully realized villain The Leader), this makes sense.
Fans of The Incredible Hulk will be pleased to know that Ruffalo's Bruce Banner and Tim Roth's Abomination have already met on the Disney+ series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, so they won't have to wait for the upcoming Captain America picture.


Now that both Banner and Ross are back, the only Incredible Hulk actors still absent from the Marvel Cinematic Universe are Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) and Ed Norton.
Neither Norton nor Ruffalo's return to the MCU has been confirmed, although they might potentially play the Hulk together in a next film.
The Multiverse Saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will continue till 2026's Avengers: Secret Wars, according to Marvel Studios.
The Incredible Hulk's primary actor, Edward Norton, may be reconciled with the studio by playing a role in the multiverse film with his pal, Mark Ruffalo.