I’m one of the few who actually enjoyed the first Hulk movie as directed by Ang Lee. It was a different kind of superhero movie for sure, but I enjoyed that. But even though I enjoyed that film, the idea of a Louis Leterrier directed (he directed the Transporter movies and Unleashed with Jet Li) more action focused Hulk film has me really excited. After all… who doesn’t want to see more “HULK SMASH!!!”?
The one thing that I thought was an absolute was that Eric Bana (an action who I LOVE) would NOT be in the new film. This was for a couple of reasons. First of all it was my understanding that since this new Hulk film was being made by a different studio, Bana’a contract wouldn’t allow for it… and that the new Hulk was going to try to distance itself from the first one. Well the good folks over at SuperheroHype just interviewed Louis Leterrier, and he brought that back into question:
SHH: Is Bana officially eliminated from contention or is he still a possibility?
LL: He’s not out
SHH: Is this a sequel or not? There has been alot of confusion over this. Sometimes yes, and other times no.
LL: It’s a hard question to answer. You have to be the judge of that when you see the film.
SHH: Was the distancing from the first movie (even as a sequel) at Comic-Con more of a way of getting attention of those that were dissatisfied with the first film rather than condemnation of the first film itself?
LL: I like the first film. I just think I’m a maggot compared to Ang Lee. I’m not going to try to copy him, it would be an enormous failure. I’m going to do my version of a Hulk film. There’s a lot of me in Unleashed. If you liked this film, you’ll like our Hulk.
Some pretty ambiguous answers. But I guess that’s ok since they’re still very early in the development stage.
But come on… “Is this a sequel or not” is a pretty damn simple question. It either is or it isn’t. I think it’s obvious that it’s NOT, but we’ll have to wait and see. Bana back as Hulk??? That would be interesting… but at this stage in his career is it something that he would even WANT to do? Somehow doubt it. Your thought?