THE HULK
1. Abominable Hulk
2. Eric Bana
3. Mutant Hulk
4. Jennifer Connelly
5. Joe Fixit
6. Nick Nolte
7. Hulk Genius
8. Sam Elliot
9. She Hulk
10. Logan Vs. Banner
11. Ang Lee
Betty Ross: "What happened to you last night?"
Bruce Banner: "I had the most vivid dream. It was like being born. Coming up for air. The light hitting my face. Screaming. My heartbeat was like, Boom…Boom…Betty, what's happening to me?"
Spider-Man. X-Men. Daredevil. Now another cornerstone of the Marvel Comics Universe is coming to the big screen. The Hulk explodes into theatres in the US on June 20th and the rest of the world later this summer.
1. Abominable Hulk
Doctor: "I don't understand this, you were exposed to a dose of gamma radiation that should be lethal. But, you seem just fine."
Betty Ross: "Maybe there's something different in you."
For most of the population, exposure to gamma radiation means certain death. However for mysterious reasons, these very same rays have given Bruce Banner unmatched super-human strength. In the comic, Bruce Banner's personal history has lead to development of Multiple Personality Disorder. Each of his personalities in turn had their own distinct incarnation of the mutation known as Hulk. These four different Hulk personas are: Bruce Banner, Savage Hulk, Grey Hulk and the Professor. Over time, each of these mutations developed their own splinter incarnations, including: Mindless Hulk, Savage Banner, Ultimate Savage Hulk, Banner-Controlled Hulk, Post HR Hulk, Guilt Hulk and Devil Hulk. The classic Hulk we are most familiar with and that is portrayed in the new film is, Savage Hulk. Savage Hulk first appeared in the comic, The Incredible Hulk #2.
2. Eric Bana
Dr. David Banner: "How little do you understand Ms. Ross, my son is… unique. And because he is unique the world will not tolerate his existence."
Eric Bana, from the acclaimed film "Black Hawk Down" stars as cutting-edge scientist Bruce Banner. After a detrimental experiment goes astray, Bruce's own personal inner demons transform him into the shape-shifting superhuman known as the Hulk.
Eric Bana, was born Eric Banadinovich in Melbourne, Australia as the son of a Croatian father and a German mother. Despite his mysterious leading man persona, he started out as a comedian while working as a barman in Melbourne's Castle Hotel. Gaining major favor in Hollywood after his turn in "Black Hawk Down", he had his pick of several Marvel Comic adaptations offered to him but landed on The Hulk with a contract for two sequels. A deal leaving many Hollywood leading men, green with envy.
Through the marvels of modern special effects, Eric also plays the Hulk. His actions and acting were recorded on a special stage then laser scanned into a computer where he was transformed into the Hulk and later composted back into the finished film. That's incredible, Hulk.
3. Mutant Hulk
Betty Ross: "I think the rage is triggering the transformations."
General Thaddeus Ross: "Sounds a little far fetched."
Betty Ross: "I think we pasted far fetched a long time ago."
Like the Hulk, the storytelling of the Hulk has gone through many incarnations. There was a live action TV show with Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk. In the new film, Lou plays a security guard along with Hulk creator, Stan Lee. There was also a Saturday morning cartoon that most closely resembles the film. The only major difference now is the setting, switching from the deserts of New Mexico to the urban highlands of San Francisco. The new location suited director Ang Lee just right, San Francisco is his favorite city right behind his home of New York.
4. Jennifer Connelly
Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly takes on the role of Bruce Banner's beautiful girlfriend, Betty Ross. Unknowingly, her scientific genius adds in unleashing the mighty transformation of the Hulk.
Jennifer grew up in Brooklyn Heights and began modeling at the age of 10. Multi-faceted Jennifer has appeared in commercials, TV movies, feature films and music videos. She even released her own single called, "Monologue Of Love" in Japan in the mid-eighties. In which she sings in phonetic Japanese. Asides from that she speaks fluent Italian and French. Artistically inclined, loves the outdoors (having backpacked through Tibet) and dabbles in Quantum Physics. Oh yeah, she won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, BAFTA and AFI award for her role in A Beautiful Mind. If that weren't enough, she was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in People Magazine for 2002.
5. Joe Fixit
General Thaddeus Ross: "We're dealing with a monster."
Betty Ross: "He's a human being."
The first appearance of the Hulk in The Incredible Hulk #1 was the Grey Hulk who also goes by the alias of Joe Fixit. Like the Savage Hulk, this version also possess the "madder he gets, the stronger he gets" ability but it is much slower in growing and starts out at a lower level. Initially Bruce would transfer into this version of the Hulk at night and back again during the day. Later, the transformation came at will and was induced by rage just like the other versions of the Hulk.
6. Nick Nolte
Veteran Hollywood thespian, Nick Nolte, plays the brilliant father of Bruce Banner. Tragically, David Banner passes on a mysterious legacy to his son, Bruce.
Nick Nolte is infamous on and off the screen in Hollywood. In all ways, he is an actor that is not afraid to allow himself to be exposed or say what is on his mind. However what he does say might not be 100% accurate, he was quoted saying, "Early on I decided that I was going to lie to the press. The best approach to talking about my personal life was to lie." He, along with Christopher Walken, were both considered for the role of Han Solo in the original Star Wars.
7. Hulk Genius
Bruce Banner: "I will isolate it and treat it myself and I will kill it before it does any real harm."
Dr. David Banner: "Would you really destroy part of yourself? I don't think so."
The idealized version of the Hulk would be a Hulk with Bruce's brain in control of all of Hulk's abilities. Hence "The Professor" incarnation in the comic book. With the help of Doc Samson, in Bruce's mind, Bruce's mother convinced the other three incarnations of Hulk to merge together in order to cure him. Ultimately it didn't work and a new incarnation of "The Professor" was created. The conflict came when this new version believed that he was the true Bruce Banner, but with the aid of Doc Samson, Bruce was able to overcome this with therapy.
8. Sam Elliot
The mustached man himself, Sam Elliot, plays Betty Ross's father, General Thaddeus Ross. In command of a top-secret military research center, the General views the Hulk as a monster rather than a human and is bent on stopping the vehement rampage.
Epitomizing the classic American cowboy, it is fitting that his first screen appearance was "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". Over the years he has mostly played tough guys or cowboys, "I've spent my entire career on horseback or on a motorcycle. It boxes you in, the way people perceive you. I read a lot of scripts. Most of 'em go to other actors."
9. She-Hulk
She Hulk in the future? Well, for this film one Hulk was enough, but director Ang Lee mentioned that Jennifer Walter, aka She Hulk might appear someday in a sequel.
10. Logan Vs. Banner
Dr. David Banner: "We're going to have to watch that temper of yours."
In the Marvel Comic Universe, the Hulk and Wolverine face off many times. They each have their short fused tempers and the titans clash when they get close enough to tango. However, during one of their adventures the Hulk remarks to Wolverine that after fighting the same person several times, you begin to get to know and understand that person. He reveals his admiration for Wolverine because of this and the fact that in their own ways, they are both monsters.
11. Ang Lee
Bruce Banner: "You know what scares me the most? When I can't fight it anymore. When I totally lose control…I like it."
Ang Lee joins the ranks of Brian Singer and Sam Raimi as Oscar-nominated filmmakers who bring Marvel superheroes to life. After tackling more serious fare like the "Ice Storm" and "Ride with the Devil", the "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" helmer has pointed his powerful skills at the biggest Marvel Comic superhero around. Truly delving deep into the heart of the material, Lee sites his biggest influence as the original "Frankenstein" film rather any of the other comic book films such as "X-Men" or "Spider-Man". Lee is an in-demand director and turned down an offer to direct Terminator 3, so he could make the Hulk.
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