Endgame Writers Reveal A Very Different Hulk Storyline

During Marvel Studios' panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely revealed that Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner was initially meant to merge with his mean, green alter ego the Hulk in Infinity War rather than in Avengers: Endgame.

According to Polygon, Markus and McFeely explained that one of the most difficult things to get right was crafting the big character moment where Banner finally settles his differences with the Jade Giant, brings together his brain with the Hulk's brawn, arising a smart version of the Hulk. The duo wanted the character's arc to make sense, with viewers easily understanding the motivations behind and methods of Banner's metamorphosis, but it turned out to be more complicated than they initially thought.

As Markus explained, the Infinity War team wrote and filmed the whole transformation, saying:

"He achieved union with the Hulk while inside the Hulkbuster. He kicked Cull Obsidian's ass."

Banner and Hulk becoming one while wearing the Hulkbuster armor was such a hit with the Infinity War crew, they swiftly moved along to shoot Avengers: Endgame, thinking everything was ship-shape and would be satisfying for fans.

But Markus and McFeely found flaws in their plan to introduce Professor Hulk in Infinity War.

"If it works, it's gonna work, and you have a lot of chances to find that out. And if it doesn't work, we'll circle back around."

In their eyes, the magic of the Hulk-Banner union subsequent butt-kicking of Black Order underling Cull Obsidian faded fast, and they realized they absolutely couldn't have that in the film. Markus said:

"It didn't work. It was the wrong tone for the movie. A big sequence where you see the union take away from the attention of the story."

There was a big problem, though: directors Joe and Anthony Russo had already filmed Avengers: Endgame, where Banner and Hulk had merged. So it was reshoots to the rescue. Markus and McFeely re-worked the Endgame script, Banner actor Ruffalo came back to set to re-film some sequences, and the theatrical cut of Infinity War was permanently changed.

As fans will recall, Banner does indeed join his fellow heroes to take down Thanos and his army of aliens across the plains of Wakanda in Infinity War. And yes, he does wear Tony Stark's Hulkbuster armor, because Banner had trouble bringing Hulk to the surface after his initial, failed scrap with Thanos at the beginning of the movie. Following that tussle, which resulted in Loki's death, Banner couldn't "Hulk out" no matter how hard he tried. Keep watching the video to see the Endgame writers reveal a very different Hulk storyline for the end of Infinity War.

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