Hulk Smashing Back to TV!!!!!

**machine** · 10-15-2010, 06:25 PM

Source IGN.com

Eric Bana, Edward Norton, Mark Ruffalo, move over. It looks like we might be getting the fourth actor to play Bruce Banner within a decade, as Marvel is developing a new live-action Incredible Hulk TV series.

Hollywood Reporter revealed the news that Marvel and ABC were working together on a potential new Hulk show, naming it as a priority at the recently launched Marvel Television. The other project of note in the TV realm for Marvel is Cloak and Dagger, which could headed to ABC Family.

When Disney bought Marvel last year, it seemed a no-brainer that a lot more TV series would be developed based on Marvel characters, with Disney owned channels like ABC, ABC Family and Disney XD all likely homes for such series. The selection of the Hulk as the first big project is a bit of a surprise though, given that he'd been used in films in the past decade (and will be again in Avengers of course), but in some respects makes sense, given the Hulk's history. The 1978 Bill Bixby/Lou Ferigno Incredible Hulk series was a big hit – easily the most notable live-action Marvel project until the past decade, when Blade, X-Men and Spider-Man began breaking through in theaters. However, the two Hulk films both failed to make much of an impact at the box office – despite the better-received reboot film in 2008.

The Reporter says that Marvel presented ABC with a list of potential series back in May that included Hulk along with Heroes for Hire (Luke Cage is mentioned specifically, but Iron Fist is not), The Eternals, Moon Knight, The Hood, Ka-Zar, Daughters of the Dragon (Misty Knight and Colleen Wing), and The Punisher. The Reporter also lists Agents of Atlas, Alter Ego as a title, describing it as "private investigator Jessica Jones takes on cases involving superhumans." This is a bit odd, in that the Agents of Atlas comic book had nothing to do with Jessica Jones, but there is also the fact that the Jessica Jones comic book was called Alias and would likely require a new title as to not confuse it with the former ABC (and Disney-owned) TV series, Alias.

[Update: "TitanMatrix2000" suggested in the comments that the Reporter might have accidentally combined two different titles - Agents of Atlas and Alter Ego, with the latter being the Jessica Jones concept. That sounds very likely. They also listed Moon Knight, The Red Hood as a title, which I'm sure is meant to be two projects: Moon Knight and The Hood - without the "Red" which would be a completely different DC character.]

According to The Reporter, while Hulk and Cloak and Dagger (the latter not part of that original pitch meeting) are the priorities now, The Punisher is also being viewed as a potential cable series down the line.

Unclear right now is if Marvel is going to work to interlink their TV series like they are their films, or even go further and make connections between the TV series and the films.

The Reporter describes The Incredible Hulk as being in a "showrunner wanted" position – the insinuation being that it is almost a sure thing to make it to series. Marvel Television head Jeph Loeb meanwhile is meeting with writers about Cloak and Dagger.

**bigdawg19** · 10-15-2010, 07:06 PM

If they do it they should get PJ braun for the part.

**Ibarramedia** · 10-15-2010, 07:32 PM

Great news Zimm.

**F.M.** · 10-16-2010, 09:54 AM

machine, thanks for the post!

Can't wait to see The Avengers - Joss Whedon is one of my heroes!

Growing up, The Incredible Hulk was the only show Mom would let me watch while eating dinner. LOVED it! I'd love to see a prime time, non-cartoon TV series again. They better get a physique worthy of The Hulk, though - Louie pretty much sets the bar.

I've also been waiting for them to do The Punisher correctly - the last one was ok, each a little better than the one before, but they have yet to do it right. With the new series Boardwalk, maybe the time is right for some mobster action.

Ok, I'll shut up about Marvel now...post is already too long for anyone to bother reading...

**ManimalPatB** · 10-16-2010, 03:38 PM

Luke Cage kicks ass!!!! I wish that they would have made that into a movie and given that to Wesley as well. Picture it, him being Blade and Luke Cage...two bad asses that just go around fucking shit up!!!!

So happy about the Hulk though. They need to destroy that Glee show imo