AVENGERS: ENDGAME Concept Art Confirms Marvel Studios Scrapped A Battle Between The Hulk And Thanos

AVENGERS: ENDGAME Concept Art Confirms Marvel Studios Scrapped A Battle Between The Hulk And Thanos

Avengers: Endgame concept art from Marvel Studios: The Art of Ryan Meinerding has confirmed there were once plans for The Hulk to go one-on-one with Thanos during the final battle at Avengers Campus...

By JoshWilding - Oct 01, 2024 09:10 AM EST
Filed Under: Avengers: Endgame
Source: ComicBook.com

This week sees the release of Marvel Studios: The Art of Ryan Meinerding, a book showcasing the artist's singular and iconic vision, from his work-in-progress sketches to his finished illustrations (and how they've shaped the MCU). 

Marvel Studios' Head of Visual Development Ryan Meinerding has been a key creative force in designing the look of the franchise since it launched in 2008 with Iron Man and ComicBook.com has shared a couple of preview pages from the book. 

There are some amazing shots of Captain America rallying Earth's Mightiest Heroes to battle Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, but one shot, in particular, has been generating discussion among fans on social media. 

As you can see below, there were once plans for The Hulk to get his rematch with the Mad Titan in the 2019 blockbuster. It's a great shame this didn't happen because the Jade Giant was never given the chance to get even with Thanos and to see this fight on screen would have been an undeniable highlight in a movie full of them. 

Of course, this wasn't the only Thanos-related disappointment because Drax also never had a proper fight with the villain despite vowing to kill him in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy

Meinerding's book will also include:

  • Character designs for Iron Man
  • Keyframe and concept designs for Thor
  • Concept designs for Captain America’s many suits
  • Character designs for Marvel's The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron, created in collaboration with Charlie Wen
  • Suit and gear designs for Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

The lavish book includes more than 500 illustrations and provides unprecedented insight into Meinerding's creative process and his view on the essential collaborations behind contemporary concept and character design.

avengers-endgame-art-of-ryan-meinerding
avengers-endgame-hulk-thanos-ryan-meinerding

The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios’ grand conclusion to twenty-two films, Avengers: Endgame.

Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the movie features an epic ensemble which includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Benedict Wong, Jon Favreau, Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Josh Brolin.

For a time, Avengers: Endgame was the highest-grossing movie ever released with $2.799 billion at the worldwide box office. However, Avatar's re-release during the pandemic saw that return to the top spot. 

Avengers: Endgame is now streaming on Disney+.

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ItsNotForMeWahh
ItsNotForMeWahh - 10/1/2024, 9:07 AM
While cool, I'm not sure Smart Hulk would be able to hold his own when regular Hulk got owned

User Comment Image
newhire13
newhire13 - 10/1/2024, 9:17 AM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - I think the difference would have been that Hulk would be working with the best of both worlds by that point: the power of the Hulk with the intelligence and calmness of Banner. Instead of running in with blind rage he’d be intelligent enough to be strategic, more cunning.
MotherGooseUPus
MotherGooseUPus - 10/1/2024, 9:27 AM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - 100% agreed with this. plus is arm was all jacked up from the snap... so he literally would of been destroyed
Vigor
Vigor - 10/1/2024, 9:34 AM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - he wouldn't. He's a foot or so shorter, less muscular build too.

He could match him in wits tho. So I think the fight would last longer! I can see weapons involved
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 10/1/2024, 10:05 AM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - I think Hulkand/or Smart Hulk would’ve been a little more prepared to fight someone like Thanos as Hulk had never come across someone like Thanos before and most likely was caught off guard in that first fight. Not saying he would’ve won just saying he would’ve done better than the first time.
Slotherin
Slotherin - 10/1/2024, 12:48 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - in fairness to Hulk, he was used to winning and having a crowd cheer him on. This was the first time in a while he went up solo against someone who was actually a match for him
WruceBayne
WruceBayne - 10/1/2024, 2:12 PM
@newhire13 - Thanos is a warlord so it only makes sense that he’d beat Hulk every time. Hulk couldn’t fight, he was just always the strongest person in the room. It hasn’t been shown or even mentioned that Banner has had any type of martial arts training. Smart Hulk wouldn’t have fared any better than Not so Smart Hulk.
MyCoolYoung
MyCoolYoung - 10/1/2024, 9:08 AM
Once he did the snap he would've gotten his ass handed to him again
WruceBayne
WruceBayne - 10/1/2024, 2:13 PM
@MyCoolYoung - 100%
JobinJ
JobinJ - 10/1/2024, 9:11 AM
One thing that always bugged me was Thanos was easily able to kick hulks butt, but somehow Captain America was able to hold his arm back when he was battling him in infinity war.
Vigor
Vigor - 10/1/2024, 9:35 AM
@JobinJ - thanos went to grab cap. Not punch him (he didn't eventually just swat him away)

Thanos and hulk were going blow for blow
JobinJ
JobinJ - 10/1/2024, 9:39 AM
@Vigor - I get that, but if Thanos was as evil as he was supposed to be, he could’ve easily just squashed cap right then and there.
IAmAHoot
IAmAHoot - 10/1/2024, 9:41 AM
@JobinJ - Thanos simply took the time to be impressed by Cap's fortitude. He wasn't actually being bested in that moment.
Vigor
Vigor - 10/1/2024, 9:49 AM
@JobinJ - in an interview, Russo brothers said thanos was simply on a mission he considered righteous... in infinity war

He could have killed any of the avengers or guardians on titan but didn't. He just wanted the ring
The Endgame thanos was younger and ruthless and wasn't taking anything to chance. He would have squashed cap without hesitation

Fogs
Fogs - 10/1/2024, 10:27 AM
@IAmAHoot - Exactly, Caps was like a fly to him. He was having his fun testing this little-bit-stronger human.
Vigor
Vigor - 10/1/2024, 10:39 AM
@Vigor - omg i said "the ring" . Too much lord of the rings lately
I meant the other macguffin, the stones!
EskimoJ
EskimoJ - 10/1/2024, 11:20 AM
@Vigor - Endgame Thanos would have prevented Endgame, ironically, because he would've just obliterated the last line of Avengers in Wakanda when getting Vision's stone.
Vigor
Vigor - 10/1/2024, 11:54 AM
@EskimoJ - yep
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 10/1/2024, 9:16 AM
OT, but God damn...



TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 10/1/2024, 12:54 PM
@DrReedRichards - god , I can’t stand Jeremy Jahns anymore
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 10/1/2024, 1:28 PM
@TheVisionary25 -

Why not? I'm not as pro-WB or anti-Disney as he seems to be, but he's one of the few remaining who don't resort to clickbait or ragebait tactics.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 10/1/2024, 1:39 PM
@DrReedRichards - the more I see his videos , the more I can just see and feel him going down the right wing anti woke pipeline

I wouldn’t be surprised if in a few years or so , he’s spiting the same BS as Nerdrotic and his goons
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 10/1/2024, 1:49 PM
@TheVisionary25 -

Respectfully disagree, mate. Take his episodic Acolyte reviews, for instance. Jeremy's came across (in my eyes at least) as the gripes of a decade long fan of the franchise, whereas Nerdrotic's and Drinker's takes on the same series were the usual nonsense about female leads and great replacement narrative.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 10/1/2024, 2:04 PM
@DrReedRichards - idk man

I used to be a fan of the guy but especially with those reviews , it just felt like someone who wants to hate on Disney Star Wars for the sake of it and had already made up his mind
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 10/1/2024, 2:17 PM
@TheVisionary25 -

I mean, you're not entirely wrong on that. Even I could tell he was at least somewhat predetermined to not enjoy the show, but still I could see his gripes coming from disappointment with Disney's handling of the IP, especially the Sequel Trilogy, rather than whatever "wermen ere terkeng ell er perts" grifter bs that you see in other channels.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 10/1/2024, 2:19 PM
@DrReedRichards - that’s fair.

To each their own
JohnShaft
JohnShaft - 10/1/2024, 9:19 AM
PERSONALLY I believe that Edward Norton s Incredible Hulk would have SAVAGELY beaten Thanos Azz. BUT that Hulk wouldn't have joined the Avengers
newhire13
newhire13 - 10/1/2024, 9:22 AM
@JohnShaft - The same thing would have happened lol. The entire point was to show Thanos easily taking out The Avengers’ big gun. It establishes clearly that they’re outmatched and wouldn’t be able to punch their way out of the situation.
Vigor
Vigor - 10/1/2024, 9:36 AM
@JohnShaft - random branch off idea. But I'd like to see abomination vs cull obsidian
ShimmyShimmyYA
ShimmyShimmyYA - 10/1/2024, 10:30 AM
@newhire13 - the fact people still don’t get the point is sad. Film literacy in the gutter
SummersEssex
SummersEssex - 10/1/2024, 9:23 AM
Despite all the things that were great about Endgame and Infinity War, Hulk's arc was one of many giant missteps.
Huskers
Huskers - 10/1/2024, 9:40 AM
They turned Hulk into a pussy!
Sicario
Sicario - 10/1/2024, 9:54 AM
My biggest gripe with endgame was that hulk getting beaten up iw didn't get to settle the score in endgame, which is insane, since he just lost nat, he had all the rage and could have let loose.

That and cap being so dumb that it hurts. You get a ranged weapon, mjolnir, and after successfully thunder striking Thanos, you jump on him to swing at him? What?

Also, he should have picked up mjolnir after everyone had come back, everyone should have seen cap picking up mjolnir especially when they were all getting thrashed. What a scene that would have been.
HashTagSwagg
HashTagSwagg - 10/1/2024, 9:56 AM
Thanos killed 3 main characters during the opening of Infinity war.
Razorface1
Razorface1 - 10/1/2024, 10:02 AM
Notice how they included Spiderman in the shot with the iron people. Just saying.
WruceBayne
WruceBayne - 10/1/2024, 2:15 PM
@Razorface1 - he was wearing a Stark suit.
Razorface1
Razorface1 - 10/2/2024, 1:23 PM
@WruceBayne - yes, exactly! Thank you.
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 10/1/2024, 10:02 AM
I live Infinity War (it’s my favorite Marvel film) and I liked Endgame a lot but the biggest disappointment from those films was Hulk not getting a rematch against Thanos!
Also would’ve been a nice time to show Hulk having to fight with literally 1 hand as his other hand was torched from using the Guantlet and would’ve been an alright excuse for him not beating Thanos a second time but could’ve been a moment to display just how formidable Thanos was if he was able to withstand Cap, Ironman, Thor and Hulk. Oh well… hopefully we get back to a Hulk that will dominate everyone.
TheNewYorker
TheNewYorker - 10/1/2024, 10:54 AM
Instead they went the route of making THE HULK a bitch.
PeterDarker121
PeterDarker121 - 10/1/2024, 11:17 AM
Bruce in the HulkBuster suit actually DOES get the last punch in on 2018 Thanos when they go to the Garden to try and get the Gauntlet
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