Hulk's Solo Sequel: The Long-Awaited World War Hulk

The Absence of a Hulk Solo Movie

Hulk’s long-awaited MCU solo sequel comes alive in stunning World War Hulk digital art. None of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies released since 2008's The Incredible Hulk have focused on Hulk. Instead, the Jade Giant has been relegated to a supporting character in other characters’ MCU movies and shows, including the Avengers movies, Thor: Ragnarok, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, where Bruce Banner and his Gamma-powered counterpart have developed their own character arc, albeit not as thoroughly as other MCU characters.

Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner and Hulk in the MCU and Marvel Comics

One of the possibilities for Hulk’s hypothetical solo movie is a live-action adaptation of Marvel Comics' World War Hulk storyline, which follows Hulk as he seeks revenge on the Illuminati for banishing him from Earth. On Instagram, digital artist @marvels.wolverine shows what the poster for the MCU's World War Hulk poster could look like, with Mark Ruffalo reprising his dual role as both Bruce Banner and Hulk, and with Hugh Jackman in a supporting role as Wolverine. See the artwork below:

Instagram article posted by marvels.wolverine

The Reasons Behind the Absence

While The Incredible Hulk wasn’t a resounding success, Hulk’s importance within the MCU since Phase 1 could have guaranteed at least a solo trilogy similar to that of Captain America and Iron Man. However, Universal’s ownership of Hulk’s distribution rights for several years limited Marvel’s potential earnings, which raised the threshold for profit, and in turn raised the risk of underperformance at the box office. So, instead of gambling on Hulk solo movies during the MCU's early years, Marvel relied on the properties they had the full rights to — a decision that clearly paid off throughout the Infinity Saga.

The Multiverse Saga's increased output has also disguised the MCU's lack of Hulk-centered content, as sequels, spinoffs, shows, and Special Presentations starring a variety of new and old MCU characters have taken center stage since Phase 4. And now that the MCU is lowering its output, Marvel Studios is unlikely to shift focus towards an unannounced project like World War Hulk or any other Hulk movie or show. Hence, it may take at least a couple of years for a Hulk project to make any significant progress, and that's if Marvel chooses to begin working on it soon.

The Future of Hulk in the MCU

Marvel Studios acquired Hulk’s distribution rights in June 2023, which raises the chances of a new Hulk solo movie being added to the MCU’s release slate in the next few years. There's still enough time in Phase 6 for new MCU projects, and a Hulk solo movie like World War Hulk could be the ideal project to revisit the hero before Avengers: Secret Wars concludes the Multiverse Saga. Until then, Hulk's next MCU appearance remains unconfirmed, and The Incredible Hulk remains the only Hulk movie in the MCU more than 15 years after its release.