While Marvel has been tentative about giving the character another solo film, no one can deny that the Hulk completely stole the show in The Avengers, giving the beloved giant green rage monster his best live-action adaptation yet. So, fans of the character will be happy to hear that the Hulk will have an even bigger role to play when Earth’s mightiest heroes re-assemble in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
In an interview with Total Film, Ruffalo talked about returning for the sequel and said:
“[My role’s] even bigger than last time, and it’s more complex and it has more layers and a bit more arc.”
The actor also talked a bit about the motion-capture process that allows him to embody the Hulk. This time around, Ruffalo is getting a bit of help from motion-capture legend Andy Serkis, and the actor has fully embraced the technology:
“I’m really tripping on the technology of this motion-capture stuff… now I just completely embrace it and see it as this other exciting place we can go as performers.”
I’m happy to hear that the Hulk (and his mild-mannered alter-ego, Bruce Banner) will have even more screen time in the sequel, and I cannot wait to see what arc they’ve given the character. The Hulk has, unfortunately, been given a bit of a short shrift in Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so hopefully he will get some more time in the spotlight as we move into Phase Three. Perhaps we can finally get that third Hulk movie we’ve all been dying to see?
Another thing worth noting is that the Hulk isn’t the only Avenger getting a beefed-up role this time around. We’ve heard previous reports that both Black Widow and Hawkeye will get bigger roles. Is Joss Whedon using the sequel to focus more on these secondary characters, and less on the “flagship” Avengers like Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America (who have all been given their own movies in Phase Two?). I guess we’ll just have to wait until Avengers: Age Of Ultron hits theaters on May 1st, 2015 to find out.