Marvel To Norton: Sorry But You’re Kind Of A Jerk

And who says that those in power never listen to the common man? Yesterday we reported that Marvel Studios was allegedly going to go with a new actor to play Bruce Banner/the Hulk in their big action ensemble, The Avengers. Edward Norton had previously played the tortured scientist/purple pants enthusiast in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, but got into a bit of tiff with Marvel execs over his script and the focus of the movie. But late last night Marvel Studios released a statement to HitFix explaining away the whole situation.

And for a Hollywood statement, it’s a remarkably candid document:

“We have made the decision to not bring Ed Norton back to portray the title role of Bruce Banner in the Avengers. Our decision is 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. The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble, as evidenced by Robert, Chris H, Chris E, Sam, Scarlett, and all of our talented casts. We are looking to announce a name actor who fulfills these requirements, and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks.”

Wow. There was no, “We had separate visions” or “We enjoyed working with Ed Norton and wish him all the best,” or any other typical Hollywood breakup boilerplate. What kind of a colossal dick must Norton have been to Marvel for them to publicly announce that they’re only looking for easy collaborators and actors who work well with others, and that ain’t you, babe? The “this isn’t about money at all, by the way” proviso is just salt in the wound.

Color me disappointed that Norton won’t be reprising his role as Bruce Banner; I thought his Hulk was an underrated superhero flick and he had the perfect demeanor and build for puny Banner. At least Marvel is now saying that a “name actor” will be filling the role now, rather than the complete unknown rumored yesterday. As an astute commenter wrote yesterday, they could always cast Eric Bana just to complete the circle.

· EXCLUSIVE: Marvel confirms they will hire new ‘Hulk’ for ‘The Avengers’ [HitFix]