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.â€
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.
Ben (UK) says
I think it will do well, but not as well as Iron Man. I think the trailer looked great, as did the effects. All the comments I have seen have been positive. Maybe Marvel should have spaced Iron Man and this a little more. But my money is on a success.
Deven Science says
It looks just as CG ridiculus as the first. I LOVE me some Edward Norton, but count me out.
GazerBeam says
Someone tell me again why they couldn’t have a big muscle-bound guy do it instead of this cgi monstrosity?
Jeremy from Seattle says
Right, they could do forced perspective like with Lord of the Rings…
Magess says
That’s an interesting idea. I was sitting here wondering how you would make the Hulk look “realistic”, but I guess that’s it.
tim and darcy low says
wow this does look cool. hope it’s better than the first one. it was ok but his dad was like way way over acting. if he wasnt in it it would have been good.
darcy
Skiznot says
the CGI for trailers isn’t always the finished product also. I thought the CGI was fine for the A. Lee version but I also notice back then that the trailer wasn’t as completely rendered as the movie.
No musclebound guy is big enough to be the hulk. There may be some people tall enough but nobody is that wide and still fit. Guess we’ll see how it turns out.
EddieLa says
Hmm. Forced perspective might work, but I’m having a hard time picturing a green-skinned bodybuilder. It’ll just end up looking like the TV show. And if they go the digitally-coloring-a-guy-to-look-green route… I still can’t see it. Either way it’ll end up looking cheesy. A giant animatronic puppet would look like a giant buffed Yoda and will move mechanically. I’ll take a CGI Hulk any day if those are the only choices. I actually like this rendition of the CGI Hulk. It looks like a Dale Keown Hulk drawing come to life. It doesn’t have the babyface of the previous Hulk movie and it looks meaner.
I think that today’s audiences are spoiled on CGI to be honest. How is a green-skinned giant _supposed_ to look?
ninja trucker says
I caught the trailer on the web and even though I could not sit through the first ‘re-do’ of the Hulk and was a fan of the comic I am sort of looking forward to this new take on the comic. I like Edward Norton, as an actor his range is quite broad and to seem him branch even further into the more accessible realm of action/adventure it makes for a what I hope will be a film that doesn’t get lost in the CGI against a story that is timeless. Man overcoming not only his angers rage and passions but controlling them.