Recent Rumors Suggest That There Are Plans for Hulk to Feature in Both a Solo Movie and ‘Avengers: Kang Dynasty’
Despite being a beloved Marvel character and a key figure in the MCU, the Hulk has had notably fewer standalone projects compared to other Avengers. This scarcity is attributed to complex intellectual and distribution rights involving both Marvel Studios and Universal.
In 2003, Marvel allowed Universal Pictures to produce a Hulk movie, but a sequel wasn’t possible for Universal, leading the character rights to revert to Marvel. The 2008 collaboration between Marvel and Universal for ‘The Incredible Hulk’ resulted in Universal retaining distribution rights for 15 years, preventing another standalone Hulk movie during that period. The deal specified that Universal could distribute any Marvel film with Hulk as the main character, influencing the Hulk’s secondary role in MCU films to avoid Universal obtaining distribution rights over Disney.
The recent inclusion of ‘The Incredible Hulk’ on Disney+ has sparked discussions among fans about Hulk’s rights. The absence of the movie on Disney+ was due to Universal’s distribution rights, but now, fans are speculating about Marvel’s potential plans for the character. The 15-year deal with Universal appears to have concluded, and there are rumors, according to CanWeGetSomeToast, about both a standalone Hulk movie and an increased role for Hulk in ‘Avengers: Kang Dynasty.’
We recently addressed the rumor about the highly anticipated ‘World War Hulk’ movie, stating that it’s not in development and won’t happen. The central argument in this rumor is the ongoing confusion surrounding Hulk’s rights. For a new Hulk film in the MCU, Disney needs to reclaim rights from Universal or negotiate a deal, akin to what they did with Sony for Spider-Man. However, Universal isn’t interested in a new Hulk movie, and Disney is reluctant to share potential profits.
The report indicates that Hulk’s storyline will progress in other MCU projects, aligning with his development in previous Avengers films and ‘Thor: Ragnarok.’ While this aligns with Hulk’s role in the ‘Kang Dynasty,’ the other part of the rumor—suggesting a standalone project for Hulk—bewilders fans, especially considering the history of deflected ‘World War Hulk’ plans.
In any event, Feige holds the key to Hulk’s MCU narrative, and he’s keeping details under wraps. The only confirmed aspect is that Hulk’s story will continue, although the specific trajectory remains a mystery.
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