File this one under the category of WTF!?!?! As most of us know, Zak Penn wrote the original draft of The Incredible Hulk. Later, Edward Norton took and re-wrote it (that’s the copy of the script I have… and it’s REALLY good). But apparently, Edward Norton will NOT have his name on the credits as a writer!
Now, some of you may jump to the conclusion that this might have something to do with those rumored troubles Norton had with teh producers… maybe Norton in a fit asked to have his name taken off. But that’s not the case… turns out the WGA ruled that Penn alone should have credit for the script. My friend Robert over at IESB broke the story and gives us this:
The IESB contacted Zak Penn’s office to ask about the credit. They confirmed Penn will be receiving sole writing credit on the film.
Universal reps are saying, “WGA determined the writing credit not Zak or Edward or Universal or Marvel. WGA always determines final writing credit for our films right before the film comes out. Up until that time, we include the writers on the project to date.” A call to the WGA got this response, “Zak Penn is receiving sole credit for story and screenplay.”
I’m not going to pretend to totally understand how the inner politics of the WGA works… but if a guy takes a script and basically re-writes it… and that’s the version of the script they make the movie around… then shouldn’t he at lest get SOME of the credit for it? Isn’t that just plain old common sense?
Seems to me like Norton is getting bull rushed and screwed out of a credit. Once again, the inner workings of the WGA are a mystery to me, so maybe there is a simple, easy and innocent explanation for this… but on the surface it looks like bullshit to me.
