Hulk in 2008

[omelissokomos]

It's official: Marvel has set 27 June 2008 as the release date for the new Incredible Hulk movie to be directed by Louis Leterrier (Transporter 2).

Hope more news and especially pics crop up soon.

[RonnieRules]

Yay! Can't wait to see some muscles bursting through clothes

[Digibacker]

I just hope they use a real human bodybuilder for the role rather than a CGI character. It would be easy to make him look larger than the other characters (like Gandalf in LOTR). And there are plenty of massive guys out there who could do the role (even bigger than the Lou Ferrigno era).

[absfan131313]

Nah. Using a real human bodybuilder would just look cheesy and would be inconsistent with the first film.

[Digibacker]

From what I read previously, the new movie is going to "start over" and not be a direct sequel to Ang Lee's. If so, they won't need to make them consistent.

But from everyone I've spoken with, no one liked the CGI hulk from Ang Lee's film. They thought it looked cheesy.

[Yachirobi]

I agree that using a real bodybuilder won't work well...unless they use one who isn't one of the superhuge types. Most of the super heavyweights wear a lot of muscle but can't necessarily move well with it. When I see the Hulk I want to see a man-become-monster who has giant muscles and a body that actually suits them. One of my problems with bodybuilding in general is that some of these guys have muscles that are too big for their bodies and that, to me, doesn't look good.

A CGI hulk will look better. Actually, I'd propose doing an entire Hulk movie in CGI so that everything matches.

And can I put in myt two cents and say that I liked Ang Lee's Hulk? I can't say he had a gay sensibility in his version but this next one might not.

[Rannen]

I liked Ang Lee's "Hulk" too. The CGI Hulk didn't bother me. Would be interesting to see them try to pull off a more 'human' Hulk if they don't go with CGI for the new film--just look at the costume job for Hellboy and X-Men 3's Juggernaut. Those sizes were believable.

[glammaman2000]

...had its moments. I thought the split-screen "comic panel" thing was cool. But about halfway through the film I realised; "I don't care about what happens to any of these people." & Hulk looked like Gumby on juice.

[sexiscriptor]

a SEXY gumby on juice
Yachi--I agree completely. Completely. And Ang's hulk was sexy; fuck da'police. er. Nay sayers, I guess. ;p One thing they could do with Ang's was pump him bigger when he got more pissed. That was hot.

Is Duchovny still slated to play banner...? Cuuuz... 0.o Yeh.

[inbhm]

Saw what you will about that hulk movie, but when I saw some movie and the preview for that hulk came on, I finally knew what many people feel when they watch sexy previews. for the first time in my like I felt like had been grabbed by the crotch. when it ended I had a hard on harder than any I ever had in any theater. I forgot what the movie was going to be and what it was.

I want more growth scenes - real growth scene - where you can watch him get taller and stronger and thicker. if the rest of the movie is crap, so what.

[Yachirobi]

Well, I wouldn't say that. I don't even like crappy cinema in porn so I won't be happy if Leterrier turns this into another Transporter 2. Did anyone see that? Ooh, that was bad. The piss yellow glow, the scandinavian he-woman, the sidekick turned comic relief.

AND JASON STATHAM DIDN'T TAKE HIS SHIRT OFF!!!


See there was this scene in the first movie where Jason took his shirt off to fight a bunch of guys and then covered the ground in oil (but it was really chocolate sauce) and got oil/chocolate all over his body... DAMN!!!


Seriously, I don't have much confidence in the director. But maybe they'll have a nice script. At least they'll have hulk outs. Yeah, I'll be happy with well done hulk outs...

**goes off to combine the idea of Jason Statham fighting while covered in chocolate sauce with the idea of Jason Statham hulking out. ooooohhh...**

[BBMikeNJ]

Yep, saw Transporter 2, and I agree than Jason shoulda take off the shirt at least once, preferably in the very beginning of the movie, and then left it off for the rest of the show. In fact, Jason should just throw out all his shirts, and hulk up a good 80 to 100lbs for his next movie. Then back up a truck load of chocolate, have Jason lift the truck, and tip it til the syrup pours down all over him.

[explodingmuscle]

The giant gumby problem is real, but if they did the CGI with a comittment to keeping some bodybuilder style definition and shape, it could be good. It is easier to do growth scenes with CGI I think.

Another possibility would be to base the CGI image on extreme extrapolations of someone like Markus Ruhl or Branch Warren, and use a nimble actor to trace the action before applying the image.

The Ang Lee film had some problems, but overall I'd say it was great. The final showdown with his dad when they grow super gigantic made me want to chomp on that power cable myself. What a rush!

It can only get better.

[redwolf64]

The CGI effects have probably improved, in subtle ways, since Ang Lee did his version. I admired what he was trying to do, but I think he ultimately failed trying to make it more of a "thinking man's" superhero movie because we just lost interest in and sympathy with the characters somewhere along the way.

Ang Lee himself did the motion capture for the Hulk character from what I remember from the DVD extras. Probably not a good idea.

The things that bugged me about the movie were that there weren't enough xform scenes and the CGI suffered from the same problems I see with all CGI material - the Hulk didn't look like he had weight, heft and presence. Something about the physics are wrong - I can't give you a specific example, but it's like the Hulk's body didn't react to his surroundings in the way you'd expect a creature with his weight and strength would do. He looked "rubbery", like a character from an early 30's Betty Boop cartoon, made before the Disney guys had done studies of muscles and anatomy of real animals and people to give their animation a little more realism when they made "Snow White" and "Bambi". I think the Hulk's "Gumby" effect can partly be attributed to that.

[TheMM]

I rather enjoyed the CGI Hulk. My favorite scene is when he is beating the hell out of those dogs.

Yes, I'm a cat person.

[mutador]

I'd prefer a bodybuilder for the role of Hulk, rather than a CGI character... It'd also be cool if they came up with some sort of in-between transformation phase where the character is still human and rational but with huge muscles and superstrength. As if the aim of the experiment was finally reached, even if temporarily.

[kirby_freak15]

CGI for mee, that way u can make it as big as you want XD

[Digibacker]

Originally Posted by redwolf64

Something about the physics are wrong - I can't give you a specific example, but it's like the Hulk's body didn't react to his surroundings in the way you'd expect a creature with his weight and strength would do.

Yes, exactly. That's been a major problem with an number of CGI creatures. For example, in the US version of "Godzilla", the monster leaps from the Brooklyn Bridge but doesn't "push-off" properly -- he just flicks his feet and sort-of rises into the air. A beast that large would have to squat down and release a great deal of force to move that much mass. Not to mention the laws of physics would've destroyed the bridge in the process (even in the unlikely event it would've survived to that point anyway).

I think that's my main gripe with the CGI Hulk -- it just looked phoney. I didn't believe it.

[Yachirobi]

I think with the last Hulk the FX guys may have been better served by reanimating the Hulk by hand rather than use Ang Lee's motion captures raw.

That said, the same technology Hulk used worked wonders in LOTR for Gollum. But, then again, Gollum is a more realistically sized person.

[jiggyborg]

I hope Louis does a better job on the Hulk than Transporter 2. The first Transporter was perfect (like ronin), Transporter 2, not so much.

I doubt they can get away from CG Hulk unless there's some secret lab where they're making the world's largest bodybuilder into the Hulk.

[glammaman2000]

I think you're right about doing motion-capture on a bodybuilder who moves well. One of the bigger pro-wrestlers? (Battista?) Motion capture basically tracks the movements of the SKELETON (Andrew Serkis was actually kind of chubby). Maybe if they used a guy who already has some MASS; they could better chart( & EXAGGERRATE!) the movements of MUSCLE!

[Ogrebear]

I saw some footage from Ang Lees Hulk with the Hulk coloured normal pink-white instead of green- in that form he looked totally belivable- veins pulsed, muscles rippled etc. Add the green in and it looked totally fake. The 15' tall think only heighterned the 'unreal' sence of it all.

I do wish Ang had stuck to his orginal promise to make Hulk nude and avoid 'ripped pants' problem.

I think Hulk can be done in CGI as long as they remember someone that big has weight and mass and they destory the pavements, cars, etc appropiatly. Using many of the big/biggest bodybuilders around as movement/mass guides would be the first stop for me.

As long as they avoid the pitfalls of a man in a suit e.g Thing in the crappy FF movie then we will get something - hopefully- watchable.

[Kyrosan]

For the Hulk movie with Eric Bana, they used Lee Priest's body as the model for the hulk...just a little bit of trivia.

[glammaman2000]

...there was also some "high concept" notion of Hulk being an incredibly powerful 3 yr. old throwing a tantrum. Sounded good on paper....

[omelissokomos]

Ed Norton is the new Bruce Banner according to Variety .

Interesting...

[Yachirobi]

Originally Posted by omelissokomos

Ed Norton is the new Bruce Banner according to Variety .

Interesting...

Purely in terms of Ed Norton's skills as an actor and resemblance to Bruce Banner, this is a good thing.

BUT...Mr. Norton is notorious for being a control freak on his movie sets even when he isn't producing or directing in any way. This could actually turn out to be a bad thing...OR it could be good if he stops Letterier's drive to make the movie all one shade of neon green with no shot staying on the screen for more than a second and lots of sped-up slow-mo shots (think Gladiator) that make everything look weird...

I dunno. I liked the Illusionist, I liked Unleashed (AKA Danny the Dog), I HATED Transporter 2, and I hope Jason Statham has a cameo so he can take his shirt off...and hulk out too. There's a lot of potential here, some good and some bad.

[Jace]

Originally Posted by omelissokomos

Ed Norton is the new Bruce Banner according to Variety .

Interesting...

Oh man! I can't stand Edward Norton!

[Mad Dog]

They also have a director and writer that I have absolutely no confidence in.

[Yachirobi]

Jace: Why don't you like Ed Norton? He's a good actor and he's one of the few Hollywood Stars that look like real people (although he has the requisite great abs.)

Mad Dog: Watch Unbreakable if you haven't seen it. I don't know what Leterrier was thinking with Transporter 2 but Unbreakable worked much better (and had a better-than-it-should-have-been script and cast.)

[Mad Dog]

...Unbreakable was M. Night Shyamalan.

[Jace]

Originally Posted by Yachirobi

Jace: Why don't you like Ed Norton? He's a good actor and he's one of the few Hollywood Stars that look like real people (although he has the requisite great abs.)

I dunno....I just have never liked him. There is something slimy about him! He's one of those people you wouldn't mind throwing something blunt at.

M'kay?!

[omelissokomos]

"Upon returning to civilization, our brilliant doctor is ruthlessly pursued by The Abomination -- a nightmarish beast of pure adrenaline and aggression whose powers match The Hulk's own. A fight of comic-book proportions ensues as Banner must call upon the hero within to rescue New York City from total destruction. And on June 13, 2008, one scientist must make an agonizing final choice -- accept a peaceful life as Bruce Banner or the creature he could permanently become: The Incredible Hulk."

---

The Hulk vs. The Abomination--Should be smashing good fun.

[Yachirobi]

Originally Posted by Jace

I dunno....I just have never liked him. There is something slimy about him! He's one of those people you wouldn't mind throwing something blunt at.

M'kay?!

How'd I miss this post?

Usually I get that feeling from male models and CW heart-throbs. Everytime I see Tom Welling, for instance, I don't feel lust but loathing. Pretty boys make me sick so I guess I understand although Ed's not pretty to me...he's handsome (nerdishly and commonly handsome but that appeals to me. To each his own.)

[Bull]

I think adaptations of comics that take themselves too seriously are deadly, which was the case with the first "Hulk" movie. Ang Lee to direct?! Why not Ingmar Bergman?

The basic premise of the Hulk is a silly adolescent fantasy, so if you can't have fun with it, why bother? That's why, unlike most people, I liked the "Fantastic Four" movie. It was just unpretentious fun.

[hickory]

The major problem with the Hulk movie was that it seemed, generally, to be created by people who hated or had no respect for comics.

[Mad Dog]

And yet took all the worst aspects of them. Hulk-dogs? I still consider the movie a sort of flawed gem, although a recent rewatching had me shaking my head at the movie's love of its own flashbacks.

[A.M.]

Tim Roth will be the abomination in Hulk 2008.

A.M.

[Wild]

Originally Posted by hickory

The major problem with the Hulk movie was that it seemed, generally, to be created by people who hated or had no respect for comics.

That reminds me of another Super Hero movie with 'muscle' in it. Joel Schumacher, fan's worst nightmare... next to Uwe Boll.

[omelissokomos]

First Hulk pic... sort of

[omelissokomos]

Looks like the graphic's improved a bit for the new movie