Pretty much every hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe rallied to fight Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War (they lost, but that’s not the point). One hero, though, was totally MIA after a brief bout with the Mad Titan at the start of the movie: the Hulk. Fans assumed the Hulk wouldn’t emerge when Bruce Banner tried to transform because the big green guy was scared of Thanos, but one of the film’s directors says that, actually, the Hulk isn’t a giant baby scaredy cat, thank you very much.
Director Joe Russo explained the Hulk’s cowardice away on the digital release of Infinity War, which came out on Tuesday. Russo explained that the decision to sideline the Hulk came about because they wanted to find a way to develop Banner’s character, coming off of the heels of the very Hulk-centric Thor: Ragnarok.
“This was an interesting journey we went on with Banner, trying to decide how we move him forward in the Marvel Universe,” Russo said.
Russo explained that Banner “typically uses the Hulk to solve crisis situations,” but he and his brother Anthony thought it would be interesting to explore what would happen if “the Hulk were no longer interested in solving those problems for Banner.”
That, no fear, because the Hulk got his entire ass kicked to next Wednesday in a contest of brute strength, is the reason why the Hulk didn’t want to come out to play.
“People have speculated whether there was some fear on the Hulk’s part about having to face Thanos again,” Russo said. “But I think ultimately what it is, is that he’s tired of playing hero to Bruce Banner.”
It’s not the first time the Russos have said something to this effect. In May, Joe Russo said the Hulk was not scared, but that he “had enough of saving Banner’s ass.”
Hmm … I mean, Russo did make the movie, so maybe he knows what he’s talking about, but this sounds to like some revisionist pro-Hulk propaganda. Think about it. What sounds better for the big green guy? Wanting somebody to better themselves by fighting their own battles, or being a big giant weenie who got scared and then refused to come out to play?
Avengers: Infinity War is out digitally now.
