Hulk 2

[Ktrek]

I'm getting more hopeful about this film as it goes along. I wasn't overly fond of then first one but I'd welcome another try at the big guy. He was always one of my favorite comics.

Kevin

[Geekyfanboy]

Here's the official synopsis for the action-thriller:

"The Incredible Hulk" kicks off an all-new, explosive and action-packed epic of one of the most popular superheroes of all time. In this new beginning, scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) desperately hunts for a cure to the gamma radiation that poisoned his cells and unleashes the unbridled force of rage within him: The Hulk.

Living in the shadows--cut off from a life he knew and the woman he loves, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler)--Banner struggles to avoid the obsessive pursuit of his nemesis, General Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt), and the military machinery that seeks to capture him and brutally exploit his power.

As all three grapple with the secrets that led to The Hulk's creation, they are confronted with a monstrous new adversary known as The Abomination (Tim Roth), whose destructive strength exceeds even The Hulk's own. And on June 13, 2008, one scientist must make an agonizing final choice: accept a peaceful life as Bruce Banner or find heroism in the creature he holds inside--"The Incredible Hulk."

[Geekyfanboy]

The trailer for The Incredible Hulk debuts this Wednesday at 9:56pm EDT on the MTV networks and site, but you can already get a preview of the trailer by using the player below!

[Rico]

Here is the trailer.

http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1583143&vid=215625

[Geekyfanboy]

I wasn't a big fan of the first movie.. I think I didn't like the way it was shot.. but man this one looks good.. I'm looking forward to see it.

[Meds]

The MTV link doesn't work if you live outside the US so there is a link on youtube. I hope it's the same one as the MTV trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEcLISd5mZQ

[Geekyfanboy]

There is a really cool featurette at IESB.net.. follow the link to check it out.

http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_seyret&Itemid=227&task=videodirectlink&id=914

[Geekyfanboy]

Is The Incredible Hulk doomed to box-office failure?

When the new trailer for The Incredible Hulk debuted on-line several weeks ago, the fan reaction was overwhelmingly mixed. Scenes featuring Edward Norton, Liv Tyler and other members of the re-cast and re-imagining entry into a potential Hulk franchise drew positive response while scenes with the newly created CGI Hulk and his nemesis the Abomination drew criticisms of not being realistic enough. Entertainment Weekly called the new CGI Hulk and Abomination "totally fake-looking."

Add in reports of creative in-fighting on the set and in post-production (it's been reported that star Edward Norton would like do his own cut of the film) and you've got a recipe for what could be a second box-office disaster for the green-skinned goliath.

Since it's inception, the latest installment for the Hulk has been referred to a "re-do" for the franchise. The first Hulk film, directed by Ang Lee, reportedly cost $150 million to make and only took in $132 million domestically. According to the New York Times, the new Hulk film will feature more action, a stronger love-story to draw female audiences and the Hulk won't be mute in this installment. Lee's film feature a Hulk that grew to three different sizes based on his irritation. That has been dropped from the new movie as well as the emphasis on the loser-aspect of the Hulk's alter ego Bruce Banner. In addition, the green-skinned goliath will be portrayed as a more a hero.

But expectations for this film at the box-office are high. Marvel and distribution partner Universal need The Incredible Hulk to be a hit. Marvel cites an increased buzz for Hulk and an increase in Hulk comic book sales as indications this one could be the type of hit that's needed to kick start the franchise.

"We are really proud about how the new film came out," said David Maisel, chairman of Marvel Studios. "The 2003 movie was like test-driving a car. We were able to see what people liked and did not."

But others aren't as optimistic.

"There are people who clearly don't think it looks good and are expecting a bomb," said Doug Creutz, an entertainment analyst at Cowen & Company.

Even the man who created the Hulk, Stan Lee seems to be less than enthusiastic about the movie's chances at the box-office.

"My prediction is that it will be more popular than the last one," he said. His Iron Man prediction? "Enormous hit," he said.

But Universal is standing behind the product and dismisses any gloom and doom notions.

"I would caution anybody against betting against it," said Adam Fogelson, Universal's president for marketing and distribution.

Fogelson said the trailer has generated more buzz on-line than any trailer in Universal's history. He also cited a studio by Fandango that has the Edward Norton take on Bruce Banner and the Hulk as the fourth most anticipated new character portrayal for the upcoming blockbuster season and that the movie is the eighth most anticipated summer blockbuster by respondents to the poll. And the movie plans to take advantage of the overwhelmingly positive buzz for Iron Man by cross-promotion. A new Hulk trailer will debut when Iron Man hits theater and Robert Downey, Jr will cameo in the new Hulk movie as Iron Man.

Whatever the Hulk's fate on the big-screen, we'll have to wait and see what happens when The Incredible Hulk opens in theaters on July 13.

[Darth Gaos]

So Ironman is going to cameo in The Incredible Hulk?  Very interesting.  I like the look of the new movie.  And how "realistic" looking should a giant, green, gamma radiated behemoth look anyway?  People need to lighten up.

[Geekyfanboy]

Norton Responds to Hulk Rumors

In recent weeks, rumors have abounded that Incredible Hulk star Edward Norton was unhappy with the final cut of the upcoming potential summer blockbuster.

Last week, the New York Times reported on the potential for the second Hulk movie to collapse under the pressure being placed on it to invigorate a franchise that stumbled a bit out of the gate.  Now, Entertainment Weekly has a look at things behind the scenes of the next installment in the Hulk franchise.

EW spoke to director Louis Leterrier who said he and Norton hit it off from the first day on set and that there were no issues with Marvel during the shoot.  After the shoot was over, Letterier and Norton wanted a longer (135 minute) more cerebral cut of the film while Marvel opted for a shorter (120 minute) more action-driven cut.  Marvel won the argument but news got out that there was a dispute between the two parties.

Now Norton (who wants the film to be a hit) has come out and issued a statement saying that the Marvel cut, while not what he wanted, will be a better commercial success than his.

"Every good movie gets forged through collaboration, and different ideas among people who are all committed and respect the validity of each other's opinions is the heart of filmmaking," said Norton.  "Regrettably, our healthy process, which is and should be a private matter, was misrepresented publicly as a 'dispute,' seized on by people looking for a good story, and has been distorted to such a degree that it risks distracting from the film itself, which Marvel, Universal and I refuse to let happen. "

"It has always been my firm conviction that films should speak for themselves..." he added. "Our focus has always been to deliver the Hulk that people have been waiting for and keep the worldwide love affair with the big green guy going strong."

Movie-goers will get to decide if Marvel made the right call when The Incredible Hulk opens in theaters in June.  And with two cuts of the film, it's probably a good bet we'll get both on DVD in the future.

[Rico]

Have you guys seen the poster?  Looks nice!

[Darth Gaos]

Whoa....that is freakin cool!

As far as the "dispute"...In this day and age arguments over things like that should get fewer and farther between.  With DVD technology where it is now, there are plenty of ways to add deleted scenes into a movie or even have two differents cuts of the same movie.  So moviemakers should begin to breathe easier I think and feel confident that their preferred cut will be seen one way or another.

[Jobydrone]

Ed Norton is one of my most favorite actors.  He has had so many great roles:  Primal Fear, Rounders, Fight Club, Red Dragon, The Illusionist...some really fantastic recent films.  And did anyone see the Woody Allen musical Everyone Says I Love You?  Ed Norton can sing!  I know he will be a great Bruce Banner...great casting, can't wait for this.

[Geekyfanboy]

Finding the right Banner was key to Incredible Hulk

Finding the right actor to play the role of Bruce Banner was essential to getting The Incredible Hulk off the ground says the film's producer Gale Anne Hurd.

In a recent interview with SciFi Wire, Hurd said that casting of Edward Norton as the Hulk's alter-ego was a key element in getting the franchise reboot to the silver screen.

"We didn't have to go back and do an origin story," Hurd said. "We had the opportunity to continue and do a story where Bruce Banner is already the Hulk. So we asked, 'Who is Bruce Banner?'"

Hurd said that the actor who best captured the essential "duality" of Bruce Banner was Norton.

"He plays duality better than anyone out there today," she said. "From Primal Fear to Fight Club, he kind of defines that duality. So he's the quintessential Bruce Banner."

With a perfect Banner in place, all the film needed was to find the right threat to take on the Hulk. In this case, it was the Abomination, though the character won't be referred to by that name in the upcoming film.

"One thing that was important was to have a villain who was not only equal to the Hulk, but who actually makes Hulk an underdog," Hurd said. "We did that with Abomination. He's bigger, he's stronger, he's mean!"

Hurd went on to say that the new Hulk movie is a stepping stone toward a potential Avengers movie.

"It's nice to be able to let things evolve, and we set things up with this film," Hurd said. "We have Tim Blake Nelson playing Dr. Samuel Sterns, and anyone who is a fan of the comic books knows that Samuel Sterns turns into the Leader, so there is an opportunity to explore that. It's in this film, but for people who aren't aware of that, it's not confusing."

Audiences will decide if the new combination of the right actor with the right villian pays off when The Incredible Hulk opens in theaters June 16.

[Rico]

New trailer.  Looking very good.  Story seems well done too.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/theincrediblehulk/large.html