Decades Later, I’m So Fascinated By The Original Hulk Show’s Plan For An Unmade Fourth Movie
The Incredible Hulk was one of the most popular superhero programs of the 1970s and '80s, and an unmade film in the franchise shared some interesting connections with stories that would later be told in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With a unique production design that saw different actors playing Hulk and Banner, many interesting facts from the Hulk show have since been forgotten. I've been looking back at some of these old episodes and movies, and I'm surprised by where the series went, and was planned to go.
Audiences have been waiting for another Hulk movie in the MCU, but while other Hulks have appeared in the franchise, Banner himself has been relegated to a supporting role, with only rare appearances. Fortunately, the Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby-starring series spawned five seasons and three sequel films, giving a great deal of Hulk content to go and revisit. With all of this behind, however, it is interesting to see the fourth film that the franchise nearly made, and how much it could have shared in common with the MCU iteration.
The Original 70s Hulk Show Had Three Movies
The Hulk Films Released Annually From 1988-1990
The original The Incredible Hulk series ran from 1977 to 1982, but there was still great interest in the character even after it went off the air. Following this, several sequels to the series were made as movies. These included The Incredible Hulk Returns, which featured Marvel's Thor, The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, and The Death of the Incredible Hulk. The third of these was true to its name, and gave what seemed to be a definitive ending to the story, with David Banner dying at the end of the film.
Bruce Banner was renamed David Banner in The Incredible Hulk because CBS executives reportedly thought the name Bruce sounded "too gay."
Interestingly, two of these films were intended as backdoor pilots for a potential new Marvel TV series. The Incredible Hulk Returns saw Thor in live action, with the intent of launching a Thor series, although this never came to fruition. The Trial of the Incredible Hulk then saw the first Hulk and Daredevil team-up, with the intention of leading into a Daredevil series. While none of these sequel series were ever made, I still find it interesting to look back on these details and consider what could have been from this other Marvel Universe.
The Story Of The Fourth Hulk Movie Has Made It An Even More Interesting Unmade Marvel Project
The Film Was Referred To As The Revenge Of The Incredible Hulk
At MCM Comic Con in 2017, Lou Ferrigno opened up about the canceled plans for a fourth Hulk movie. Ferrigno explained that the film would have seen the Hulk brought back to life, but with Banner's mind. This would have given audiences the first look at Professor Hulk, or Smart Hulk as he has become known in the MCU. The planned film would have been directed by series actor Bill Bixby, and would have given an unusual look at the popular character, giving him the ability to speak.
With that said, there are some conflicting reports about what the film might have been. Referred to as both The Revenge of the Incredible Hulk and Rebirth of the Incredible Hulk, writer Gerald Di Pego outlined a different proposed story for the film in a 2014 issue of Back Issue. According to Di Pego, the film would have seen Banner return to government work without the ability to transform into the Hulk, leading him to recreate the original accident that had given him his powers.
The Lack Of Hulk Movies Since The Original Trilogy Make The Unmade Fourth Movie All The More Fascinating
Only Two Live Action Hulk Movies Have Been Made Since
There have not been nearly enough Hulk movies, especially considering the popularity that the character has had over the years. While Hulk has had many MCU appearances, the lack of stories specifically about him has been disappointing. Hulk has been a great supporting character in the Avengers films, and I loved seeing him Thor: Ragnarok, but the character has so much interesting backstory to tell and a whole world of great supporting characters. Marvel really needs to do more with the character.
With so few Hulk movies to see, it is rewarding to discover that there are several made-for-TV films about the character. While the Bixby and Ferrigno starring films are certainly dated, and while their effects do not come anywhere close to what is now seen in the MCU, it is compelling to see Hulk stories highlighted, even on television. The details of this fourth Hulk movie suggest a promising story, and I hope that we can see more of these details told in future MCU projects.
10 Ways Rewatching The Hulk’s MCU Story In 2025 Changes The Way It Looks
The Hulk has changed a lot since his MCU debut in 2008, so much so that rewatching his development in 2025 feels very different than in Phase 1.
The Hulk is a compelling character in his own right, and it is disappointing that he hasn't received the focus that he deserves in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While much of this is reportedly to do with Hulk movie rights issues, I'd still like to see the studio figure this out and provide more Hulk stories soon. In the meantime, fortunately, there are a plethora of stories from The Incredible Hulkthat can give audiences many more hours with the gloriously violent green giant.
The Incredible Hulk
- Release Date
- 1977 - 1982-00-00
- Network
- CBS
- Directors
- Frank Orsatti, Reza Badiyi, Sigmund Neufeld Jr., Jeffrey Hayden, Barry Crane, Kenneth Johnson, Larry Stewart, Kenneth Gilbert, Jack Colvin, Ray Danton, Michael Preece, Alan J. Levi, L.Q. Jones, John McPherson, Bill Bixby, Bernard McEveety
- Writers
- Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Tom Szollosi, Richard Christian Matheson, Karen Harris, Andrew Schneider, Rick Rosenthal, Robert Wolterstorff, Todd Susman, Jill Donner, William Schwartz, Paul M. Belous
Cast
Bill BixbyDavid Banner- Lou FerrignoHulk
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