Hulk Will Return -- and Doctor Strange Will Go Solo
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
Marvel Studios' top honcho Kevin Feige had a nice, long chat with MTV News, dropping all kinds of huge movie ideas left and right. They dream big over there at Marvel, and they make 2010 sound just around the corner, and yet oh-so-far away if your itching for that spin-off or sequel of your favorite character.Happily for Scott Weinberg and his fellow Hulk fans, the big green one is going to return. You might remember that Edward Norton cast some doubt on that, a big question mark that Feige is quick to dismiss. They not only made their money (always the deciding factor), but they got the origin movie they wanted. "Now we have a Hulk that we can be proud of and that is a better match and fits more with the tone of what had been in our comics and what we want him to be in our films going forward." Just because there isn't talk of a Hulk 2 doesn't mean the character is going away -- he's just taking a backseat. "The truth is that Hulk has had two films in the past five years, and it's time to give some of the other guys a turn. But certainly what we are doing is suggesting and cross-pollinating the characters between films, and like reading a comic, I'd like to set that expectation that anything can happen - and anyone can pop up - in anybody else's story. I would expect that people may see the Hulk again soon before he is again carrying his own film." (But whether Norton will play him again is left a mystery ...
And as for "the other guys," they're all going to get their turn. Feige also says that when the next crop of Marvel movies are announced, Doctor Strange will probably be among them. "I'd say in the next year, year and a half, as we start putting together our film slate for 2012 and 2013, I would not be shocked if we saw Dr. Strange on those lists. I love the idea of taping into the magical realm of the Marvel Universe, which is fairly significant and hasn't yet seen life on screen. It's something I'm very, very interested in."
Doctor Strange ... wow. Neil Gaiman and Stan Lee might love him, but does anyone else? I don't think I've ever seen him do anything but float in the astral plane, then go white, eyes bulging, gasping that something is blocking the mystical arts. I can get behind more Hulk, especially in a secondary role, but I don't want two hours of hijinks in the astral plane. I'm sure that's being quite dismissive of Marvel's magical realms, but I like my fantasy to be populated with hobbits and dragons, not Marvel's panethon. Yes, readers, you can flame me for that.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-21-2008 @ 4:09PM
Jonathan said...
Erik
Please....please... please.
Do not let Elisabeth blog on superhero movies.
She's more than welcome to weigh in on 'The Notebook' or "50 First Dates' or even "Madagascar Escape 2 Africa"
But she just doesn't get it when it comes to Marvel and DC.
Anyone else want to weigh in?
(and I'm fully prepared for E.R.'s snarky comments.)
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10-21-2008 @ 11:54AM
seraphflux said...
Man, if your intention was to come off as a jackass who gives comic book readers a bad name, what can I say? Mission accomplished pal...
10-21-2008 @ 4:23PM
Elisabeth said...
Oh, this is always par for the course when Jonathan disagrees with me.
Jonathan, your obsession with me is unhealthy, and it really needs to stop. The last time you went off like this was Superman -- and you couldn't even admit you were wrong when Kevin Smith, Jeph Loeb, Christopher Golden, and Mark Waid had the *exact same opinion* as I did. I guess they have no business talking about comic books either.
What's funny is all the times you happily post on stories I've written, seemingly oblivious to the name on the byline. Come something you disagree with, I'm an ignorant woman who needs to be writing about the dreck of film.
And really, the fact that my gender *always* comes into it pretty much says it all.
10-21-2008 @ 9:52AM
CGJung said...
Hey Erik,
I don't think you realize how sexist your comment is. To even insinuate that she would be more suited to review light romantic comedies rather than comics is short sighted and bigoted. You have no idea what her interests are, and your dismissal of her opinions seems to be based solely on her gender. Elisabeth seems to have a vast knowledge on comic books. More so than a lot of nerdy men that I know, which makes her more than qualified to review comic book movies, despite where her opinion lies.
Dr. Strange is a boring character. That is why he is satirized so well on the Venture Bros. Besides his origin story about being a dick surgeon who loses his hands, the guy doesn't have a lot in the exciting department. He is served best as that magic dude who keeps gateways to other dimensions open, while the other super heroes kick ass.
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10-21-2008 @ 1:29PM
Chango said...
Let's not forget that it was Dr. Strange who saved Earth from Galactus when NONE of the other "super" heroes could in the Fantastic Four comic series...
So to say he is a bad /boring/ etc. character, you are just WRONG, SIR, WRONG
10-21-2008 @ 9:56AM
CGJung said...
Hmmm... "dick surgeon" seems to describe Dr. Strange as something other than I intended. Perhaps "jerk, surgeon" would have been better, with a comma to boot.
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10-21-2008 @ 9:56AM
Erik Davis said...
CGJung -- the other comment was left by Jonathan, not Erik.
Jonathan -- I agree your comment is a little sexist there pal, and it kinda feels like you're just looking to pick a fight with Elisabeth -- to get her attention for whatever reason. I mean, she's a pretty girl, so maybe this is your way of saying you have a crush on her.
Seriously, though, if you disagree with her opinion on a certain topic, then by all means disagree and start up an intelligent debate in the comments section. But don't just throw a smackdown on the gal without backing it up. That's not cool.
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10-21-2008 @ 9:59AM
CGJung said...
My apologies to Erik,
my comprehension skills seem to be shot this morning.
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10-21-2008 @ 10:01AM
Batzarro said...
Oh, Shuma Gorath should be played by Jack Black!
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10-21-2008 @ 10:09AM
Herff said...
Elisabeth, there is only one solution here. Bust out the tomb raider outfit, show up at Jonny's house, and give him a good pistol whipping.
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10-21-2008 @ 10:40AM
juana said...
Anyone who thinks Dr. Strange is a boring character who can't sustain a movie hasn't read the title comics widely enough over the years. That means actually picking up a Marvel Treasury or three, and not just watching him wasted as a gimmick in team books.
In fact, there are far more possibilities and approaches to take than with most Marvel superheroes. He's not tied to one type of action or story, and various runs of the book have science fiction, horror, gothic, historical fiction and romance approaches. Combining some or all of those elements would make an awesome movie. It's really all about the screenplay - isn't it always?
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10-21-2008 @ 11:11AM
Andrea Krantz said...
Meh, I'd be interested in seeing a Dr. Strange movie. There's definitely worse characters they could choose for the big screen. Much worse.
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10-21-2008 @ 5:15PM
Captain Obvious said...
Wow. So I'm not even going to comment on the whole Jonathan thing cause everybody already has and frankly they said it pretty damn well, like they pointed out how Jonathan was wrong. Ha ha Obvious strikes again. Anyway I agree that Strange was always kind of a hard character to get a hold on, because of who and what he is but I thought the Strange miniseries that came out a few years ago under the Marvel Knights imprint written by J. Micahel Straczynski was well done and would lend itself well to to a screen adaptation. Whcih makes sense because JMS wrote Babylon 5, which was like on T.V., which is written in a simlar style to screenplays. HA HA obvious you old dog you ahve struck yet again.
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10-21-2008 @ 7:13PM
Cate M. said...
If Norton isn't playing Banner, I'm not going to see any Hulk movie.
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10-21-2008 @ 11:50PM
Joe said...
What ever happened to the Silver Surfer getting his own movie?
That would be one awesome film though in the hands of Fox I don't think so but I still would have loved it.
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10-22-2008 @ 2:52AM
David said...
DR. STRANGE RULES!!!!!!!!! ANYONE WHO ISN'T DOWN WITH THE GOOD DOCTOR WILL BE DEALT WITH BY THE HOARY HOSTS OF HAGGOTH!!!!!
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12-20-2008 @ 5:51AM
Kyle said...
Doctor Strange has more potential than most any other hero that's not in the mainstream. The market is ripe in the realm of magical what-nots as we've seen with the immense success of Harry Potter, Narnia, Golden Compass, and even Eragon. Lord of the Rings could be included there, but magic didn't play such a huge role.. Oh yes, and Hellboy seems to have been fairly popular as well.
Speaking of LotR, Doctor Strange regularly fights off villains much akin the Balrog. Quite cool, if you ask me. I detest Harry Potter as a magical sort of character because it's crap kiddie "hocus pocus" stuff. I'd much rather be hearing "Crimson Bands of Cyttorrak" or something to that effect any day.
If you've been paying attention to recent story lines, Strange has played a crucial role in the post-Civil War arc.
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