After the premiere of The Incredible Hulk trailer, Empire Magazine sat down with director Louis Leterrier to go through the preview. What he actually ends up revealing is what the plot is about, and what we can expect from this new Hulk Smash! adventure. Hint: Lots of action, but what sounds like a heart and a center.
I hope it goes without saying that with a title like “Incredible Hulk Director Reveals Plot Details!” it’s clear that there will be what could be considered spoilers below. 
The new Hulk movie opens with a bearded Bruce Banner (writer/actor Edward Norton) working in the Brazilian jungle. Hmm… Isn’t that essentially where the last movie left off?
Leterrier promises this isn’t an out and out origin story, and he turns into the Hulk within the first three minutes. I guess that takes care of the whole ‘Hulk shows up after hour one’ bit that annoyed so many of us in Ang Lee’s infamous version, five years ago. Banner also using meditation and Brazilian jujitsu to keep the monster at bay. (And yes, that’s a pre-Doc Samson, Dr. Samson. Yes, the close-up shots of his eyes remind me of Bill Bixby, and that’s a cool thing!)
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Leterrier also explains why the Abomination looks the way he does; he can’t justify the look of the comics on the screen, and I’m okay with that. It makes sense that Emil Blonsky (here, an older, not-quite-where-he-wants-to-be American military man who takes the ultimate risk) had the gamma juice put into his body and bones. Hence the exoskeleton. Looks like something out of the Resident Evil video games.
He then goes on to say that Betty Ross (Liv Tyler; hoping she does well in the role) is Banner’s true love, and with her around, he’s only going to get in trouble. Mainly by General “Thunderbolt” Ross (played by the always excellent William Hurt), who is obsessed with tracking down and capturing the Hulk for military purposes. Apparently, they’re going to focus a lot on the obsession, which sounds interesting. Don’t forget, in the trailer, General Ross says, “As far as I’m concerned, that man’s whole body is property of the U.S. Army.”
He also revealed that the scene in the trailer where The Hulk is running head-on towards the Abomination is the start of an extended third act fight scene. All right! Sounds like all-out action to me!
Finally, Leterrier explains why they waited to put out a trailer: they wanted the FX to be as close to finished as possible. Hmm, another lesson learned from the Ang Lee flick. I remember watching the teaser during the 2003 Super Bowl and my friend and her family remarked about how CGI-ish the VFX looked. And that was the beginning of the backlash. Yes, it did make sense to hire Ang to direct the film, after Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon… but it still stunk. (The scene of Banner Hulking out after getting pummeled by Talbot [Josh Lucas] notwithstanding.)
Yes, I have to say, I’m plenty excited about the new Hulk movie.
It almost seems like it’s a continuation and a re-imagining at the same time. I’m very cool with that, and since it won’t 100% be an origin movie (even Jon Favreau recently told our own Vic that origin movies feel like different movies - exactly! Good thing he’s looking to mix it in with the rest of the story in Iron Man), we’ll be able to enjoy it more. However, Batman Begins had one heckuva great origin story mixed in with the plot! They did it right by keeping focused on the entire story, instead of starting it halfway through (I’m looking at you, Spider-Man, etc.).
The movie opens June 13, 2008, from Marvel Studios and Universal Studios.
Source: EmpireOnline.com (which has an excellent play-by-play with secrets revealed of the trailer and movie)
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24 Comments
I am so very happy to read the full Leterrier statements on Empire. I makes me know that we should be getting less an ultimate alliance cinema scene and more a transporter-esque kick ass movie….here is hoping!
I want this to be good, I want this to be good, I want this to be good….
Vic
click your ruby slippers harder, vic.
>>they wanted the FX to be as close to finished as possible.<
gamma-powered ralph in progress
Very impressed with the design detail on Abomination’s origin and appearance. This film is not IM but will be a great quality film nevertheless. Just wish that ILM had done the CGI. WETA is good but not great. Marvel needs to strike a marriage with ILM for ALL their CGI work, period.
Just read a great bit of the interview and it sound like the final fight between the to main characters will be pretty hardcore! Hardcore meaning mass collateral damage, a large body count and blood from the ruthlessness of the Abomination! That’s fantastic news and very realitic to me. This movie sounds better and better with every detail.
The way there actually getting it to look so like the comic Hulk is just fantastic.
I like the Abomination look, he does look mean.
Everyone conected with this movie sound passionate about producing a classic comic hero to big screen, not like the firt movie where they all seemed a bit embarrased.
Yes chaps, looks like fans will at last be rewarded with a kick-ass hulk movie!
Hey Adrian WETA is not involved in this movie.
RYTHM & HUES, HYDRAULX, IMAGINE ENGINE, GENTLE GIANT STUDIOS are involved in this film.
Rythm and Hues did Aslan in Narnia movie and The golden compass. Hydraulx has done 300, Day after tommorrow and several other flicks. Imagine Engine is a new studio. These three are doing the CGI and explosions and stuff.
Gentle giant studios provided motion capture technology for this. They did Lotr, king kong and bunch more movies.
WETA and ILM are not involved in this movie in any shape or form.
ILM did shitty job with first hulk so they should stay away. Although weta would have been cool but I guess they were busy.
See the whole thing here is, if this is bad its not the end of the world. But if something like Iron Man or the scheduled Captain America is bad, I’ll have to do something drastic.
The Hulk Trailers (2008, 2003, 1966)
http://www.maxim.com/TrailerComparison2008Hulkvs2003Hulkvs1966HulkCartoon/articles/20424.aspx?src=tstht
Which is best teaser?
I always thought that calling this a “reboot” was a bit misleading as this is not really an origin story. Although all main characters have been recast, it feels like it could be considered a sequel to Ang’s version (from what we know so far). I consider Superman Returns more a reboot than a sequel but WB considers it a sequel, correct?
I am really looking forward to this. People complain about Norton’s ego, but I can’t say I have ever disliked him in anything.
The look of Abomination however? is an abomination (sorry).
I like the Hulk and Bruce Banner as characters more than Stark and IM, I hope Hulk is as good as IM. I know I’m in the minority on this one.
“Yes, it did make sense to hire Ang to direct the film, after Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”
sorry but this is a matter of opinion on which I am on the opposite side. I thought it didn’t make sense before I saw the movie… and after I saw it? Well… Crouching Tiger wasn’t that great, and it wasn’t the same tone of a superhero flick like Hulk.
“comic books are drawn with multiple frames per page, why don’t we make the movie like that?” If anyone ever asks themselves this ever again, it’ll be too soon.
Watched the trailer and it looked good.
Big battle at the end. Ok. Ed Norton not my first choice for Banner but it works. Abomination looked good.
I’m hoping this film is a success so we can get one step closer to an Avengers film!!
Adrian-
“Hardcore meaning mass collateral damage”
Oh great. Transformers II.
Graham-
“Everyone conected with this movie sound passionate”
OK, this helps…but they have to be good, too.
Jojo-
“Hydraulx has done…Day after tommorrow ” Fast-approaching Frigid! RUUUUUUUNNN!!!
Reed–
Ang Lee’s Hulk trailer rules. It was not blurry. The Hulk action–and there were oodles of it–was often in the strong daylight, not CGI clouded by dark of night. The whole reason for Banner-Hulk was given a comprehensive approach. I *liked* the multi panel segues–and apparently so did Jack Bauer.
Sounds great. I can’t wait.
“It almost seems like it’s a continuation and a re-imagining at the same time. ”
I hope they do something similar with the next Superman movie, something that wipes the bastard child incident out of continuity without doing an origin.
Ah come on KEL even bastard children need love.
Lol.
“Ah come on KEL even bastard children need love”
Next up on Dr. Phil, “Superman doesn’t pay his child support”
havent seen it yet
It will be progress if, as the trailer sets up, Banner is able to steer the Hulk. In fact, against a more powerful foe, Banner’s intelligence will have to guide the Incredible one.
Didn’t Ang Lee’s Hulk speak a word or two in a dream type sequence? I suppose this movie will bring us some Hulk Talk. No doubt when pinned against a wall, or when Betty is about to be harmed, or, when he wants to hail a taxi.
Next movie: Modok and the Leader? Nicolas Cage could portray the Leader…he already has the forehead for it.
The trailer sets up Banner being able to steer the Hulk. I predict that as the outer conflict against Abomination, a more powerful foe, unfolds, Banner’s intellect will need to exert itself to give the green giant some strategies.
I suppose this movie will bring us some Hulk Talk, and not just in a dream sequence like Ang Lee’s. Maybe when Betty Ross is in harm’s way, or when he’s pinned by Abomination…or when he’s trying to hail a taxi.
Next movie: Modok? Or, Nicolas Cage could portray the Leader…he already has the forehead.
The trailer sets up Banner being able to steer the Hulk. I predict that as the outer conflict against Abomination, a more powerful foe, unfolds, Banner’s intellect will need to exert itself to give the green giant some strategies.
I suppose this movie will bring us some Hulk Talk, and not just in a dream sequence like Ang Lee’s. Maybe when Betty Ross is in harm’s way, or when he’s pinned by Abomination…or when he’s trying to hail a taxi.
Next movie: Modok? Or, Nicolas Cage could portray the Leader…he already has the forehead.
Jim, Nic Cage allready plays a SuperHero.
“Ghost Rider” not a bad flick (IMO).
Am I the only one who think that the picture above looks like 2 action figures being brought together by a kid, but with the hands photoshopped out???
Haha that’s a good one Andy.
Let’s hope Marvel and Norton work this editing problem out soon so they can sell some action figures.
Andy,
Action figures would have resolution and clarity.
What's your opinion? Leave a comment!