The Hulk could’ve been them: 8 actors almost cast for the role

The Hulk is one of the central characters in the Marvel Comics. He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and was first introduced in 1962. In the comics, the character is portrayed as an alter ego of the anguished physicist Bruce Banner, who is withdrawn and physically weak. However, the Hulk is the complete opposite of the doctor and is a green, hulky brute and has immense energy. As the character is defined by two different personas, Banner and The Hulk, so the casting for the character has always been a complex process. Over the years, there have been many iterations of the character in TV and film, and various actors have portrayed The Hulk. From a TV series in the 1970s to Ang Lee’s version in 2003 and the famous Marvel movies, here is a quick breakdown of how various actors were almost cast for all these various adaptations but ultimately didn’t make the cut.

Tom Cruise, Jeff Goldblum, and other actors who were almost cast for the role of The Hulk

1. Matthew McConaughey

It is surprising to think that one of the most acclaimed actors of the present generation was turned down from playing The Hulk. However, in an interview with The Happy Sad Confused podcast, McConaughey accepted that he “wanted it,” but people at Marvel did not approve of him, and he was ultimately rejected, according to Business Insider. One reason could be that at the time of The Incredible Hulk, McConaughey was largely known for his rom-coms and had not undergone his “McConaissance” with movies like Dallas Buyers Club. The actor was therefore more famous for lighthearted and fluffy roles and not for serious ones. It could have also been that Marvel felt a mismatch in tone and demeanor, as McConaughey is known for his laid-back enigma and Hulk is a proactive and tortured physicist in the form of Bruce Banner. However, it’s interesting to think that McConaughey could have been the iconic hero in the Marvel movies.

2. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Many fans of the hunky actor might not know that before Arnold Schwarzenegger became famous as the Terminator, he was in talks for playing the role of The Hulk in the 1970s The Incredible Hulk TV series. The actor was considered for the role because of his fame as Mr. Universe and his intensely muscular body, which he had trained by participating in bodybuilding competitions. However, according to American Comic Book Chronicles, Schwarzenegger was ultimately sidelined because the producers felt that the actor was not tall enough to play the huge and giant figure. The actor still had an impressive height of 6’2’’, and even though he had the muscles to portray a heavily muscular character like The Hulk, his height became the major differentiator. The producers wanted someone who had a more intimidating height for the role. The role ultimately went to Schwarzenegger’s co-star from Pumping Iron, Lou Ferrigno. However, Schwarzenegger didn’t suffer a loss, as he made his mark as the famous Terminator.

3. Mark Ruffalo

Even though a whole generation now sees Mark Ruffalo as the definitive Bruce Banner/The Hulk, there was a time when his name was proposed by director Louis Leterrier, but people at Marvel went ahead with Edward Norton. In an interview with The Huffington Post, the director revealed that he originally wanted Ruffalo, but Marvel was hell-bent on going ahead with Norton. Many believe that Ruffalo was not as famous as Norton at the time, and therefore the studio did not want to bet on Ruffalo and instead wanted Norton as The Incredible Hulk. Even though Norton ultimately played the character and Leterrier agreed to it, things came full circle. Norton did bring a lot of creative input to the script and the character, but he had to depart due to disagreements with Marvel Studios. Ultimately, the original choice, Ruffalo, was brought back in The Avengers and became a definitive character.

4. David Duchovny

Interestingly, the process for casting the perfect actor for the role of The Hulk in The Incredible Hulk went through a lot of thought and was a time-consuming process. Another famous actor who was also in the running for being cast as the iconic comic book character was none other than actor David Duchovny. The actor is known for his roles in The X-Files and Californication and has a restrained aura about himself. Duchovny was one of the most prominent acting faces of his time, and he was definitely popular. The executives at Marvel might have earlier decided to tap into the brooding and intellectual aspects of the character, for which the actor is a good choice. Reports of him being considered were revealed in a Variety article. Duchovny’s cerebral and restrained style would have made for an interesting Hulk and Banner, one that leaned into the character’s more introspective characteristics. While Duchovny was not the final choice, him being considered does reveal that Marvel wanted to cast a more thoughtful version of The Hulk initially.

5. Richard Kiel

Apart from Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was declined from playing the role of The Hulk in the 1970s TV series, there was another actor, Richard Kiel, who was also ultimately removed from the role. Kiel was finalized for the role and even began filming the pilot episode. However, in an interview with The Guardian, actor Lou Ferrigno, who ultimately played The Hulk, claimed that a young comic book fan visited the set and criticized the casting. While Kiel had a towering 7’2’’ height, which is perfect for a character like The Hulk, he did not have the big muscles that were so emblematic of the character. The kid suggested that the producers need to have a Hulk who had bigger muscles and a more physically prominent build. Ultimately, the producers agreed with the child, and Kiel had to lose out on the role for his slim frame. Another round of auditions was done, and this time, Ferrigno was brought in. The actor checked off all the boxes as he had the dense muscles and a silent intensity that brought an intense energy to the character. Ferrigno became iconic as The Hulk, and some clips of Kiel playing the character have still survived.

6. Edward Norton

Hollywood is a place where sometimes what goes around, often comes around. Edward Norton might have played The Hulk in the Marvel movies, but he was also in early talks to play the tortured and iconic comic book character for Ang Lee’s adaptation called Hulk. According to Super Hero Hype, screenwriter Zak Penn confirmed that Norton was among the top choices to play the role when the movie was still in the early development phase. However, according to Total Film and CBR, the actor initially refused to play the character and did not pursue it further. According to a snippet from Total Film, Norton was apprehensive of playing the character and doing it wrong. Therefore, Norton said no to it a couple of times. Ironically, when Norton was approached to play the character again, this time for the Marvel movies, the actor agreed. But Norton had to leave because of reported creative differences with the studio. Norton playing The Hulk in Ang Lee’s version would have been interesting because the actor is known for his intense acting style and that is exactly what Lee wanted in his movie. Therefore, Lee’s interpretation was much closer to Norton’s own vision and the actor might have been happier playing the character for Ang Lee.

7. Tom Cruise

While Tom Cruise has repeatedly been seen as an Iron Man variant for the MCU among fan circles, many fans might not know that there was a time when the actor was approached to play a different Marvel character. According to The Cinema of Ang Lee: The Other Side of the Screen by Whitney Crothers Dilley, Lee and the producers were initially looking at Cruise for the lead role of The Hulk. However, the actor declined the offer when he was offered the role. Tom Cruise is an actor who is known around the world for his acting, and therefore, Lee and the producers might have wanted a global face. However, the actor was busy with more action-packed roles in movies like Minority Report and might have felt that he was not the right fit for the more introspective version of Ang Lee’s Hulk. Cruise is known for his high-energy and risk-taking roles, and the offer of a brooding hero might not have appealed to him. In a sense, it seems right that Cruise was not the final choice because the actor is known for his action roles, and a somber hero might not be his expertise.

8. Jeff Goldblum

This might be a surprise for many fans, but the quirky Jeff Goldblum was also interested in playing Ang Lee’s Hulk. According to the book by Dilley, Jeff Goldblum had once auditioned for the role. While the actor was tested for the role, the part ultimately went to Eric Bana, as Lee chose him. While it might seem that Goldblum is only known for his idiosyncratic characters and distinct speech patterns, the actor has played roles in the past where he showcased emotional struggle and transformed himself literally. The biggest example is the movie The Fly. However, Lee and the producers might not have felt that Goldblum was the right actor to portray the cerebral nature of the role in the movie. Nonetheless, it would have been exciting to see Goldblum play The Hulk because he has his own frenetic energy that he brings to any role. However, the actor did join the Marvel franchise as the eccentric Grandmaster in Thor: Ragnarok, and the actor even made a reference when he mentioned that he has an affinity for The Hulk.