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Mark Ruffalo on Playing Bruce Banner in The Avengers

July 29, 2010

"I look at it as my generation’s Hamlet"

The big climax of this weekend's Marvel Studios presentation at San Diego Comic-Con was Robert Downey Jr. introducing the new members joining Joss Whedon's The Avengers including Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye and Mark Ruffalo as the new Bruce Banner a.k.a. The Incredible Hulk. 

After the event, Jeff Jensen at Entertainment Weekly had a chance to talk to Ruffalo about taking over the role, and here's what he had to say about the recent revelation:

"It was very exciting — and I realized I had some pretty big shoes to fill. Those were my heroes up there! I was a comic book fan growing up. I loved The Hulk and The Avengers — it’s just strange to be entering that world as an actor. I never would have imagined that before."

As far as the character itself, Ruffalo had this to say: 

"He’s a guy struggling with two sides of himself — the dark and the light — and everything he does in his life is filtered through issues of control. I grew up on the Bill Bixby TV series, which I thought was a really nuanced and real human way to look at The Hulk. I like that the part has those qualities."

And some thoughts on taking over the role from his friend Edward Norton after the latter's public feud with Marvel:

"I’m a friend of Ed’s, and yeah, that wasn’t a great way for all that to go down. But the way I see it is that Ed has bequeathed this part to me. I look at it as my generation’s Hamlet."

He wasn't sure but he thought they would start shooting in the winter, which is likely next January or February. 

The Avengers is scheduled to open on May 4, 2012.

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Comments (99)
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July 29, 2010
Votes: +0
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Fantastic, I love it.
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Draven Cross
July 29, 2010
Votes: -2
Bad idea
I didn't complain when the replaced Eric Bana, or Terrance Howard but edward Nortan I have to complain. And to replaced with MARK RUFFALO...Come one marvel you guys are screwing with a good thing. Yes we have seen mark act...we have seen edward act. HAVE YOU!!!?
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July 29, 2010
Votes: +2
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"That wasn’t a great way for all that to go down." You think? I have to admit, that was a low for Feige & Marvel. Sounds like Ruffalo has the right attitude about this even if most of us would have rather had Norton. I'll give him the chance he deserves...albeit, reluctantly!
(But C'MON...The Hulk is this generation's Hamlet?! WTF?! LOL!)
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ManOfMagics
July 29, 2010
Votes: +8
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Good for him, and interesting choice, good luck to Ruffalo !

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Shaper World
July 29, 2010
Votes: +8
Shaper of Worlds
The comparison to Hamlet strikes to the core of the character. For those who cherish Hulk this is the real news not the Feige/Norton PR Disaster
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Dave
July 29, 2010
Votes: -4
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From what I have read and heard Norton (and I like him as an actor, he is awesome) was kind of a pain in the a$$ while making the incredible Hulk. Evidently he kept wanting to cut things the director and marvel did not want to and he was very controlling.
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Jamie
July 29, 2010
Votes: -2
Spidey
These new roles are starting to remind me of the National Lampoons movies, where the kids are different in every movie, but still play the same characters. 'Nuff said.
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the most intrig
July 29, 2010
Votes: +3
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It's going to be strange and fascinating to see a "new" new Banner in the big screen. Marvel sure knows how to piss people off. Still, lots of luck to Mark Ruffalo.
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caveboy
July 29, 2010
Votes: +6
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dave on the contrary they wanted to cut things from the inredible hulk and norton wanted to keep them in. he wanted the movie to keep alot of the character moments while everyone else wanted to just make it an all action movie.

you know how news works. always trying to make things worse then they are for a news story. i highly doubt he was a pain in the butt.
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