Although Hulk has been in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) since 2008, Marvel Studios still has Five Green Goliath Stories That Need A Proper Conclusionmany of them related to the remembered film The Incredible Hulk, which never had a sequel.
As he recalls a report published on the website of screen rantDue to rights issues with Universal, Marvel has been unable to make a true Hulk movie, forcing the studio to use the character in crossovers and other superhero movies.
However, the increase in MCU content over the years has given Marvel more opportunities to continue certain elements of its story. By bringing back the likes of the Abomination in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and She-Hulk: The House of Ideas has had a chance to revisit the Hulk’s past.
But There are five other stories that the Cinematic Universe needs to end… or continue.
What happened to Betty Ross?
Despite having strong ties to not one, but two key MCU characters, Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross never made a second live-action appearance. What she has been up to since The Incredible Hulk is unknown to this day.
From the sounds of it, she’s no longer a part of Bruce Banner’s life in any way, but being the character’s main love interest, so it would make sense that their paths would cross again eventually.
Betty’s status is relevant to the MCU, even when it’s not about Banner. After all, she is the daughter of a major recurring character: General Thunderbolt Ross, who has appeared in several movies since The Incredible Hulk. With Ross, now played by Harrison Ford, returning in Captain America: New World Order, Marvel can finally catch up with the character of Tyler, who would return in the fourth installment of Cap.
The transformation of Samuel Sterns into The Leader
Sam Wilson’s first big screen adventure as the next Sentinel of Liberty will see him take on Samuel Sterns, The Leader. Years after playing the character in The Incredible Hulk, Tim Blake Nelson will reprise the role in Captain America 4, this time playing a proper version of the Leader, the Hulk’s arch nemesis and a villain with genius-level intellect.
The scene of Sterns’ brain bulging out after receiving a dose of gamma radiation set the stage for Sterns to become the leader of the MCU and fight the Hulk, but this taunt was never followed up in any of the Hulk’s subsequent appearances.
Doc Samson never became an MCU superhero
Similar to the situation with Samuel Sterns, Leonard Samson was introduced in The Incredible Hulk and was never seen again. But unlike Sterns, Leonard doesn’t yet have a confirmed future in the MCU.
Since Doc Samson has a reputation as a superhero in Marvel Comics, his introduction created the impression that Marvel had places to take his character after The Incredible Hulk. As someone powerful enough to physically challenge the Hulk in the comics, his inclusion was a great addition to the movie, but his debut has yet to happen.
Skaar’s surprise visit to Earth
She-Hulk created her own Hulk mystery by bringing her son, Skaar, to Earth. Obviously, the character was conceived off-world between the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Thor: Ragnarok. But exactly why he was there and what else the Hulk was doing off-screen are questions Marvel deliberately avoided answering in She-Hulk.
But from the sounds of it, this is a Hulk story that Marvel seems intent on continuing, though when Marvel plans to deliver another development remains to be seen. This turn was presented as a setup for an adaptation from Planet Hulk or World War Hulk.
The return of the original Hulk
Avengers: Endgame treated the Smart Hulk twist as a friendly solution to the Hulk-Banner dilemma, but really, it could only be seen as a satisfying answer for one of these characters. Essentially, Banner suppressed the Hulk persona and took permanent possession of his shared body.
By taking this course, Banner inadvertently created a massive problem waiting to be unleashed on the MCU. As long as Mark Ruffalo is in the MCU, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before the original Hulk has a chance to emerge once more.
The return of the original Hulk should be explosive business for the MCU, whenever it happens. It could even be the basis for the MCU’s long-rumored World War Hulk project.