Everyone likes to pinpoint the launch of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the beginning of unexpected comic book crossovers we never thought we’d ever see being brought into live-action, but The Incredible Hulk technically got there first.
Once the classic series had wrapped up its initial episodic run, several made-for-TV movies were released in the years after, and it’s surprising to see just how many Marvel favorites ended up being brought into the cast to either team up with, face off against, or lurk in the background in tandem with Bill Bixby’s David Banner and Lou Ferrigno’s title character.
Across The Incredible Hulk Returns, The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, and The Death of the Incredible Hulk, audiences were given the gift of Donald Blake, Thor, Daredevil, Wilson Fisk, and others, but the one-shots don’t really hold anything that even comes close to resembling classic status.
One person who doesn’t seem to be too big of a fan is James Gunn, who subtly shaded The Incredible Hulk Returns after a retrospective “demanded” it be seen.
The Incredible Hulk Returns was a monster success from a ratings perspective after premiering in May 1988, but it’s hardly retained a position in the pop culture lexicon ever since. Of course, we’ve seen Hulk and Thor team up plenty of times since then, with modern audiences having no need to dip over 30 years in the past when they’ve got Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth right in front of them at the push of a button on Disney Plus.
Published: Jul 6, 2022 03:09 am