Ever since the Marvel Cinematic Universe was launched over a decade ago, the studio have dished out fan service on an unprecedented level, giving us interactions between countless superheroes on the big screen that many thought they’d only see in the pages of comic books. After all, one of the major benefits of having a shared universe is that you can do whatever you want featuring whoever you want, provided it makes sense in the context of the story that’s being told.
However, the MCU has faced several restrictions, mostly due to the tricky rights issues that surrounded several of their major characters, although things have been made a lot easier following Disney’s takeover of Fox. It took a lot of negotiations to bring Spider-Man into the franchise, for instance, while the Hulk has only been allowed to be used as a supporting character with Universal holding distribution rights to solo movies.
We’ve now received word though that not only have Marvel Studios secured the rights to the Hulk, but they’re planning something big for his first major outing as a leading man. According to our sources – the same ones who told us a She-Hulk show is coming to Disney Plus, Ahsoka Tano will cameo in The Mandalorian and a Justice League Dark series is in the works for HBO Max, all of which were correct – the much rumored Hulk vs. Wolverine movie is back on the table, and in the very early stages of development.
Apparently, the current plan is to reward Mark Ruffalo with a starring role, while also introducing the MCU’s Wolverine into the franchise, which looks to be a daunting task for any actor faced with the prospect of stepping into Hugh Jackman’s shoes. It wouldn’t happen for a few years yet, we’re told, but given that Ruffalo has admitted he’d love to cross paths with the adamantium-infused mutant, we imagine it won’t be long before he gets his wish.
What’s also interesting though is that we’ve been told this film could even arrive before the eventual X-Men reboot. That’s not set in stone just yet and the exact timeline for when it would materialize is still unclear, but our sources say Marvel wants to make it happen before Ruffalo is done with the role and hope to have it out in the next 3-4 years.
Unfortunately, that’s all we’ve been told for now, but the prospect of seeing this showdown on screen is obviously hugely exciting and as soon as we learn more about the proposed Hulk vs. Wolverine movie, we’ll be sure to let you know.
