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May 27, 2012

Casting Marvel and ABC's 'Incredible Hulk'

by Chris Harnick, posted Jan 15th 2011 2:00PM
HulkIn order to make the Hulk "SMASH!," ABC is going to need the right leading man.

No matter the incarnation, Bruce Banner is a genius. He has trouble relating to others and is emotionally withdrawn, yet pines after and sometimes gets the girl: Betty Ross. Banner designed the gamma bomb that transformed him into the Hulk. His transformations generally come when his emotions get the best of him, you probably wouldn't like him when he's angry.

Whoever plays Betty Ross needs to be able to pull of the a certain sweetness, demonstrate intellect with ease, but not be afraid to get her hands dirty.

Take a look at who we think could fill Bruce Banner's purple pants and do Betty Ross justice.

James WolkJames Wolk
What can we say about this 'Lone Star' casulty that hasn't already been said? He needs a starring vehicle and has the chops to pull of Banner. Plus, as a journalist I'm contractually obligated to gush over Wolk until he finds a new gig. Just kidding.

Noah WyleNoah Wyle
If 'ER' taught us anything its that Wyle has range. He can play the emotionally cool Banner with ease, but it may be a little too similar to his time as Dr. John Carter. Wyle has the looks, the fandom and skill to make 'Hulk' a hit.

Jeremy DaviesJeremy Davies
Both Wyle and Davies may be a bit on the older side, we have no idea what age range ABC is looking at. However, what we do know is Davies ought to be on TV on a regular basis. Pretty sure he'll be awesome on 'Justified,' but he was so convincing as a spacey genius on 'Lost' that he'd be perfect for 'Hulk.'

Tina MajorinoTina Majornio
Where to start? She's all kinds of lovable and has that geeky vibe thanks to 'Napoleon Dynamite' and 'Veronica Mars.' 'Hulk' would be a nice breakout role for Majorino, something 'The Deep End' certainly wasn't. She has range, 'Hulk' would be a great venue for her to show it to audiences.

Keri RussellKeri Russell
Forget 'Running Wilde,' 'Hulk' could be the comeback story for Russell. She has the tender earnestness to pull of Betty, plus it doesn't hurt that she's a beloved actress.

Ginnifer GoodwinGinnifer Goodwin
'Big Love' made Goodwin a household name -- well for those with HBO -- while showcasing her fine acting talents. Similar to Russell, Goodwin has that certain earnestness about her that allows her to play the girl next door, but with a backbone.

Tell us: Who would you like to see in 'Hulk'?

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etoifilms

Non of those guys!

October 03 2011 at 12:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Michael McDonnell

Who should play Betty Ross Ideally?

My choice for Bruce Banner would be Michael Shanks from Stargate SG1.

My choice for General Ross would be Stephen Lang from Avatar.

They might put a fake muscle suit on somebody like what Del Toro did with Hellboy for the Hulk.

September 11 2011 at 2:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
BRKF06

Wolk is a great choice. He had amazing charm in Lone Star (reminds me of Kyle Chandler from Friday Night Lights).

Jeremy Davies always plays a creepy weakling. He will never get audience sympathy.

Keri Russell is an okay choice but her talent is wasted in a serious show. She's much better with comedy.

January 16 2011 at 9:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
General Kenobi

Off... it's a wonderful word... It's not just of's fatter brother, it does mean something different, you know?

January 16 2011 at 1:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joe Goforth

Jeremy Davies! Yes. He broke my heart as Daniel on Lost. I'm positive he could shatter it as Bruce Banner.

January 16 2011 at 11:13 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
lthrnck68

Tina might not be the best Betty Ross, but I think she'd be great for She-Hulk.

January 16 2011 at 8:39 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
wktlnk

Though I really don't see the need to this show again since the original still stands the test of time,I can say that,given that Banner travels frequently to find a cure for his rather unique ailment,that the character of Betty Ross would be totally redundant to the series.
Kenneth Johnson knew this when he produced the original series,and that's why she(along with General Ross and virtually ALL the villains) was written out of the TV show.
Again,I STILL say the show is a mistake. If it must be done,do it as a MINISERIES,something that will only take two or three nights and could easily work on DVD.
This is a sign of EGOTISM on the part of Disney,showing off their newly acquired product (MARVEL).

Sad ,really. I remember when Marvel Comics were a STATUS SYMBOL,right up there with Cadillac.

January 16 2011 at 12:37 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jimmy

Just considering the list you have, Wolk is the only one who would fit the role in my opinion. Besides, Wyle is already committed to his own sci-fi "drama" from Stephen Spielberg. As for Davies, a good actor, but wrong for this part.

As for Betty Ross, would she really be that important to the overall continuing story? Since Banner is often shown travelling the country trying to keep the beast at bay, would the Betty character even be necessary on a weekly basis?

January 15 2011 at 3:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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