The Hulk was last seen flying off into uncharted territory in Avengers: Age of Ultron this past summer. When will we next see the green giant? Mark Ruffalo, he actor who portrays The Hulk (as well as his mild mannered alter ego Bruce Banner) isn’t set to join the rest of his team on Marvel’s forthcoming Captain America: Civil War (a film in which nearly everyone in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is set to appear), so that’s left lots of unanswered questions dangling in the air. Now comes word that The Hulk will likely make his return in Thor: Ragnarok.
It makes a certain degree of sense considering Marvel’s latest penchant of treating their solo films more like super-sized ensemble events onto themselves. The aforementioned Civil War features the grand bulk of the Avengers crew, Ant-Man will be joined by The Wasp in just-announced sequel; 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier pretty much started the idea as that feature was just as much focused on Chris Evans’ boy scout crusader as it was on Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).
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JoBlo confirmed The Hulk’s return to the Marvel fold in Thor: Ragnarok along with the returns of fan favorite baddie Loki (Tom Hiddelston, Crimson Peak) and Sif (Jaimie Alexander, currently all tatted up on the NBC thriller Blindspot). All will join Chris Hemsworth for a new adventure. The site also details that the film will include a “distant planet,” one “not Asgard and not Earth.” Could this be a place for Marvel to usher in the Planet Hulk plotline? Maybe, maybe not. Marvel, and director James Gunn have both adamantly denied The Hulk will be a part of Guardians of the Galaxy 2.
In the meantime, preparation for Thor: Ragnarok are definitely well underway. Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows) is attached to direct and the film is set to be released on November 3, 2017. This would be third “solo” entry for Thor following the 2011 original and 2013’s Thor: The Dark World.