The Untold Story Behind Guillermo Del Toro's Unraveled Hulk TV Show in the Early Days of the MCU

Summary

The planned Guillermo del Toro Hulk show never happened because del Toro chose to direct Pacific Rim instead, causing conflicts with filming schedules.

Del Toro envisioned a show with a younger Bruce Banner and a combination of practical effects and CGI for the Hulk, straying from previous versions. This would have disrupted MCU continuity as it could have been set approximately 10 years earlier, conflicting with the established timeline and potentially causing confusion among viewers.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has featured the Hulk in various movies and TV shows, but there were plans for a standalone Hulk show from Guillermo del Toro that ultimately fell through. In 2010, shortly after the release of the first MCU Hulk movie and Disney's acquisition of Marvel, Marvel and ABC were in talks for a Hulk show, with del Toro, known for directing Pan's Labyrinth, set to lead the project. Unfortunately, del Toro's vision for the show never materialized, and the Hulk wouldn't make another appearance until The Avengers in 2012, with a notable change in casting.

As reported by Deadline at the time, del Toro's concept for the show involved a younger and less reactive Bruce Banner. His Hulk form was intended to combine practical effects with CGI, deviating from the fully digital look of previous live-action versions. Del Toro had long been passionate about making a Hulk film and had been pursuing the idea since 2002. He and his partner David Eick aimed to retell the Hulk's story in a way that was both respectful and powerful.

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Why Guillermo Del Toro's Hulk Show Never Happened

According to a new book titled MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios by Dave Gonzales, Joanna Robinson, and Gavin Edwards, the Hulk show never materialized because del Toro had already committed to directing Pacific Rim, a prominent science fiction monster project. The book explains:

Following its acquisition by Disney, Marvel gained access to the ABC broadcast TV network, on the condition that it produced new shows. Renowned director Guillermo del Toro showed enthusiasm for creating a Hulk series, but ultimately chose to focus his efforts on the film "Pacific Rim" instead.

Del Toro commenced filming this thrilling dystopian movie featuring colossal sea creatures and robots in 2011. As reported by Deadline, Marvel had plans to debut the Hulk series shortly after "The Avengers" premiered. Consequently, the development and filming of the show would have coincided with the production of "Pacific Rim."

At the same time that plans for the Hulk show were announced, del Toro was also experiencing conflicts with another project that ended up falling through. It was an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness for Universal Studios, which unfortunately didn't come to fruition. The reason behind the cancellation was that del Toro strongly believed the movie should have an R-rating, but Universal executives disagreed. Shortly after the cancellation of his Lovecraft movie, del Toro signed a deal to direct Pacific Rim. If he and Universal had reached a mutual agreement, del Toro could have potentially been juggling three major projects simultaneously, including the Hulk show. However, given the circumstances, this would not have been viable.

How Guillermo Del Toro's Hulk Show Would've Reshaped The MCU

If del Toro's Hulk series had premiered, it would have disrupted MCU continuity due to conflicting details about Bruce's age. The show was planned to depict Bruce in his mid-twenties, contradicting his established age in the MCU at that time. In The Incredible Hulk film, Bruce is portrayed as being in his 30s when exposed to gamma radiation and acquiring his powers. Considering the linear progress of MCU films and shows, if the Hulk show were considered canon, it would be set approximately 10 years in the past. Such a narrative choice following The Avengers would have been deemed unsuitable.

If the younger Bruce had transformed into the Hulk, as it was anticipated considering del Toro's plans for his monstrous form, he would have become a completely different Bruce altogether. The Hulk may have not appeared in The Avengers in the same manner as we know him. This alternate Bruce could have potentially maintained continuity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) if he were introduced as a variation from another dimension, just like they did with the three live-action Spider-Men. However, during the time when the Hulk show was supposed to be released, the MCU was still in its early stages and had not yet incorporated the concept of a multiverse into its main storyline until Phase 4. As a result, there could have been two versions of Bruce existing at the same time without any explanation for a significant period, which would have undoubtedly confused audiences.