Marvel Studios has a “no assh*le policy” on its movies, coming after the studio recast one of its earliest Avengers following a creative clash.
Shortly after theMCUlaunched with Iron Man, the franchise debuted its next Avenger: The Incredible Hulk, played by Edward Norton in the 2008 film.
Until The Marvels, it was the lowest-grossing movie in the series, and it wasn’t exactly well-loved upon release either; it has a 67% critic score onRotten Tomatoes, plus a 69% audience rating.
Four years later, Bruce Banner returned in The Avengers… portrayed by Mark Ruffalo.
MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, a book chronicling the studio’s journey through the Infinity Saga, details the “chaotic battle” behind the scenes of The Incredible Hulk.
“A movie that seemed like a guaranteed smash almost fell apart, threatening not just the box office receipts of one summer movie, but the fate of a studio attempting to establish itself,” itreads.
“It’s the movie that newcomers to the MCU are encouraged to skip. But it also taught Marvel Studios a valuable early lesson about the limits of collaboration.”
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“And they were like, ‘That’s what we want!’ As it turned out, that wasn’t what they wanted. But I had a great time doing it. I got on great with Kevin Feige.”
Well, that last part may be up for debate. In an earlier statement, Feige said the decision to recast Norton was “definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members.”
According to the book,Norton is also effectively banned from returning to the MCU, alongside Joss Whedon.
As one unnamed Marvel performer explained, “we have a no-assh*ole policy on our movies.” Craig Kyle, one of the studio’s producers, said: “It’s a great policy.”
Make sure you know what’s coming with ourupcoming Marvel moviesguide, find out how to watch theMarvel movies in order, and check out ourranking of the MCU movies.
Cameron Frew is Deputy TV & Movies Editor on Dexerto’s UK team. He’s an action movie aficionado, ’80s obsessive, and Oscars enthusiast. He loves Invincible, but he’s also a fan of The Boys, the MCU, The Chosen, and much more. He has previously written for LadBible, UniLad, and Flickering Myth. You can contact him at: cameron.frew@dexerto.com.
