Hulk has always been one of Marvel’s most powerful characters, and he lives up to his moniker as the strongest there is.
Created in 1962 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the green-hued fan-favorite superhero has received several reinventions over the decades. Most fans know the Hulk alongside his human counterpart, Dr. Bruce Banner, a scientist who accidentally mutated himself due to exposure to gamma rays. However, like many other characters, Hulk has undergone multiple storylines which have introduced different versions of the character, each with its own unique distinctions. With the MCU entering Phase Five and beyond, it’s about time other versions of Hulk are given the live-action treatment.
With the introduction and exploration of the Multiverse, here are 10 of the best versions of the Hulk that would smash in the MCU, either as heroes or terrifying antagonists.
Ultimate Hulk
The Ultimate Marvel comics re-introduced many popular characters with brand new backstories in a different universe. This was an effort to bring some balance to the continuity problem of the original stories. While it proved entirely risky for the franchise, the Ultimate stories were widely accepted by readers. One of the bigger hits was Ultimate Hulk, who lives in the universe of Earth-1610. Like many Ultimate characters, this version of Hulk was significantly weaker than his Earth-616 counterpart, but he did have some interesting storylines. One of these was when he was used as a lackey by Kang the Conqueror on the quest to collect all the Infinity Stones, a storyline that the MCU should consider adopting in the future.
Spider-Hulk
One thing that Marvel Comics has always loved to do is combine fan-favorite characters to create new and unique hybrid versions. Spider-Man often gets mashed up with other characters, but none are as interesting as Spider-Hulk. Marvel has featured many different versions of Spider-Hulk in their storylines, with each having the incredible strength of Hulk as well as the speed and reflexes of Spider-Man, thus proving a formidable superhero. Meeting a version of Spider-Hulk somewhere in the Multiverse would be exciting for fans, considering both characters have proven highly successful among moviegoers.
Red Hulk
Unlike many versions of Hulk, Red Hulk is not a Bruce Banner alter ego. Instead, it’s Hulk’s archnemesis, General Thunderbolt Ross. As the Red Hulk, General Ross has all the regular powers of the Hulk, as well as the added power to absorb energy, including gamma energy. His blood-red skin and yellow eyes make him look even more terrifying than the green monster. Putting the gamma-powered Ross on the screen would be a sight to behold.
Red Hulk is one of the Hulk versions that we may likely see soon, as Thunderbolt Ross is set to feature in Marvel’s upcoming films, Captain America: New World Order and Thunderbolts.
Green Scar
During the Planet Hulk event, Hulk found himself stranded on the planet Sakaar. While he was there, he became a gladiator, fighting under the alias Green Scar. Eventually, the brutality of the planet and the games caused Hulk to fully adopt the persona of a ruthless and cutthroat fighter who was a crowd favorite at the gladiator games. Green Scar eventually became so powerful and beloved that he took the throne of Sakaar.
Blue Hulk
Blue Hulk came as a result of Hulk bonding with the Uni-Power, which caused him to be Captain Marvel for a short period of time. The Uni-Power is one of the most powerful forces in the Marvel Universe and has bonded with many characters in the past, including various Avengers. With the Uni-Power, Blue Hulk had powers such as flight, telekinesis, and more. This made him one of the most powerful beings in the universe, not only physically but mentally as well, and is ultimately one of the strongest versions of Hulk.
Titan Hulk
Titan Hulk is one of the most recent and horrifying versions of the Hulk ever created. Known as the “Hulk’s Hulk,” Titan is the result of the Hulk at his angriest. A 30-foot-tall, Kaiju-sized version of the Hulk, he made his first appearance in 2022’s Hulk #6 when Bruce lost control of Starship Hulk. While he would make quite the foe in the MCU, his late introduction to the franchise might push any potential appearance further down the road.
Kluh
Kluh, which is just Hulk spelled backward, was created as sort of a reverse Hulk. As Hulk was the monster that Bruce Banner tried to hide, the Hulk worked hard to repress Kluh. He was introduced in 2014’s Avengers & X-Men: Axis as one of Banner’s many alter egos. Some of Kluh’s unique powers include regeneration, telekinesis, and immunity to telepathy.
Maestro
While many know the Hulk as a hero, there have been more than a few villainous versions of the fan-favorite green monster. Maestro is one of the most popular and deadliest and is arguably one of the strongest versions of Hulk ever introduced. He first debuted in 1992’s Future Imperfect #1 as a future Hulk. After surviving a nuclear war, he underwent extra gamma ray exposure to give him the best of Banner’s brains and the worst of the Hulk’s strength and aggression. He would be a great Multiversal threat in future MCU projects. He would need an established—albeit treacherous—arc much like Thanos had against the Avengers.
World Breaker Hulk
World Breaker Hulk is one of the most popular versions of Hulk, especially among comic book fans. World Breaker was formed after the Planet Hulk event where Hulk found himself stranded on the planet Sakaar. When his wife and son were killed, Hulk lost his mind with rage and absorbed the planet’s radiation, destroying Sakaar and becoming the World Breaker. This version of the Hulk would have to be greatly watered down if he’s ever to make a live-action debut anytime soon.
The Immortal Hulk
The Immortal Hulk is the closest that Hulk has ever come to becoming a god in Marvel Comics. Immortal Hulk was created due to the many times’ Hulk had been killed and regenerated. He learned how to resurrect himself and discovered the source of his gamma powers, allowing Hulk to be untouchable. While this would be a difficult character to transition into live-action, he would make for a wonderful addition to the MCU.
