Could Planet Hulk Fit with Plans for the MCU?

Could Planet Hulk Fit with Plans for the MCU?

Some thoughts I had on how the Planet Hulk storyline could fit with Marvel's desires for a Hulk movie and the current plans for the MCU.

Editorial Opinion
By aRush - Jun 30, 2014 07:06 PM EST
Filed Under: Hulk

** Disclaimer: This is my first contribution to CBM, so please be kind, lol. I will also mention that I have not read the entirety of the Planet Hulk comics yet so if that shows, my bad.**

So, on and off the past year or two (including recently) there has been talk about a stand alone hulk movie coming along in the next couple of years. A popular rumor has been that Marvel would adapt the famous Planet Hulk storyline.

For the uninitiated, the basic plot is that The Illuminati decides Hulk is too dangerous to be allowed on Earth so they send him away on a spaceship which ends up crashing on Sakaar, where Hulk is forced into Gladiator combat and ends up helping foster a rebellion and becoming ruler of the planet.  While the idea of Hulk fighting Gladiator style against powerful aliens could certainly be entertaining, there are a couple issues that both Kevin Feige and Mark Ruffalo as well as fans have said there are with the storyline;

1) Marvel is not established enough for the Illuminati to form, and it would make some of their top characters into the bad guy. This has been mentioned more by fans, but it has to be a concern for the studio as well.

2) Both Feige and Ruffalo have stated that a Hulk film needs to feature Bruce Banner plenty, and Planet Hulk- if it stays true to the comics- basically cuts Banner out of the story entirely.

Now I've seen people in discussions and editorials here before talk about the first one, but not as much about the second.

Regarding the first problem; I can't take credit for this and I'm not sure who could originally since I've read it many times, but I like the idea of Thanos using the Infinity Gauntlet to send the Hulk to Sakaar near the end of Avengers 3; it would build a lot of tension with the Avengers losing their arguably biggest gun at the peak of battle, would be a logical move by Thanos to quickly and assurably dispose of the biggest threat to him on Earth, and would be a sound way to get the Hulk to Sakaar without turning the MCU's most popular characters into villians.

That does leave the question of how to return him to Earth; we would want him back at some point. I'm not sure what I think would be the best way to go there but I can think of a couple ways.

     1) Utilizing a GotG cameo, at the end or as a post-credits scene they give him a ride to Earth.
     2) One of the Avengers gets ahold of the Infinity Gauntlet (or maybe just the Tesseract) and use it to bring him back. This would mean Planet Hulk is likely to take place during the tail end of Avengers 3 but might not work given the time that passes in the respective stories.
     3) Utilizing the Bifrost (either modifying it, or building another version if Jane Foster and co. manage to master the technology and make their own) Hulk is returned to Earth that way.

Both 2 and 3 could offer another path into World War Hulk if Hulk were to be ripped away from Sakaar at the wrong time (say after Hulk's son is born) making him angry and wanting vengeance for being brought back, rather than for being sent away.

Regarding the 2nd issue (not enough Banner), they could simply state that the device stuck to Hulk's chest that gives them some measure of control over him is able to force him to change back and forth and- thinking it will help them maintain control over him- they change him back to Banner anytime he isn't fighting in the Arena.

This could allow for some interesting dynamics and subplots. As Hulk is surviving and becoming more defiant in the arena, guards and other people representing the King could take be taking it out on him physically with him not able to defend himself. This could lead to other Gladiators who've been saved by the Hulk in the arena starting to defend Banner out of it which is the start of a unified resistance among them. With the Hulk realizing he can't blindly smash the problem away (moving Hulk away from the mindless brute), Banner and the "Other Guy" start finding a way to mentally work together and strengthen the link between the two personalities. Over the course of the film, this allows Banner to access some strength to help himself even if he can't fully change, and Hulk being able to remember and use more of Banner's knowledge.

While locked up Banner could be secretly studying the devices with the help of the other Gladiators that are used to keep them under control, and eventually finds a weakness that the Hulk is strong enough to take advantage of. It kind of his Bruce Banner his own "stuck in a cave with a box of scraps" moment to really own and embrace his situation with The Hulk. Hulk, being able to use this knowledge now, is able to disable these devices while fighting his toughest foe yet in the arena (perhaps a captured Drax, to set up GotG owing Hulk a favor, if Beta Ray Bill or Silver Surfer are not yet set up in the MCU), freeing the gladiators and allowing for the rebellion to begin. The rest of the story could then play out with few tweaks that I can think of being required.

Love the idea? Hate it? Falling somewhere in between? Let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
 

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MileHighRonin
MileHighRonin - 6/30/2014, 7:47 PM
Great read. After you finish the arc, check out the animated film. They made changes but they worked. Planet Hulk would fit great, but we need a solo hulk film here on earth, banner having more control of hulk has yet to be done on film. I want to see more banner and finish the arc they set up with the leader. Let's wait to do a hulk Cosmo film, after we get Guardians 2 and Nova. Great article.

I AM GROOT!!!
MileHighRonin
MileHighRonin - 6/30/2014, 7:56 PM
Also I want some version of the Illuminati on film. I always loved the idea, it made them "villian" somewhat but they were doing what they thought was best for all. They don't need to be the ones to send hulk, your Thanks idea is much better. I personally always liked the idea and use of the Illuminati. Again a great article.

I AM GROOT!!!
MileHighRonin
MileHighRonin - 6/30/2014, 8:33 PM
@alexander he mentioned something along that line in the article.

I AM GROOT!!!
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 6/30/2014, 9:05 PM
No.

The best part of Planet Hulk is that he eventually makes it home and has a huge grudge against the heroes for sending him away.

If Thanos did this, it would take all that away. I know you mentioned that Hulk could get mad at them for bringing him home at the wrong time, but think about it. Hulk gets incredibly smart due to his experience on Sakaar. If they brought him home he would know that they were only trying to help and could have no way of knowing that Hulk wanted to stay.
NitPicker
NitPicker - 7/1/2014, 12:28 AM
Why would Thanos send The Hulk to the surface of a hospitable planet? Why wouldn't Thanos send him to a star or something?

The best way for Planet Hulk to work is to have the Skrulls send him to a planet that they want to take over and have him go on a rampage. He would be like a demolition crew for them.
NitPicker
NitPicker - 7/1/2014, 12:32 AM
And then why wouldn't Thanos send the rest of The Avengers to a star also?
DeusExSponge
DeusExSponge - 7/1/2014, 12:39 AM
Nit - Maybe he sent Hulk away in the middle of a battle. Imagine it this way, Hulk was unleashing all he's got on Thanos and even though it doesn't hurt him, it does annoy him to no end. So as a result he teleports Hulk away as a way to show how powerful he is to the Avengers and to demoralize them, as they just saw one of their most powerful member vanish in the blink of an eye.
Lhornbk
Lhornbk - 7/1/2014, 1:45 AM
No. No Planet Hulk. Just no.
kong
kong - 7/1/2014, 5:32 AM
I want Planet Hulk, but not like this. Their Illuminati could easily be Iron Man, Black Panther, Nick Fury, Black Bolt, and Doctor Strange. Banner being present would make the film suck and I honestly don't care. Mark Ruffalo would still be doing MO-CAP on Hulk so Banner would still be present. Also WWH would be amazing as a movie and I want it to happen.
GreenLantern519
GreenLantern519 - 7/1/2014, 6:46 AM
Maybe Thanos uses the Mind Gem on Hulk, GOTG save him, and try to bring him back to Earth? I don't know, just spit balling. Hulk is one of my least favorite Marvel characters, so I don't really care much what happens to him in the MCU or if he gets a solo movie. Love Ruffalo though.
UltimateCookie
UltimateCookie - 7/1/2014, 7:35 AM
I agree with @TheReddestHood we could easily just fill in that team and make it IM, BP and some others. Go to another planet, smash stuff, return. It's a very simple movie. Give us 2 and a half hours of Hulk smashing stuff. I wouldn't mind Ruffalo I find him very convincing as Banner and even entertaining so sprinkle some Banner in the movie.
MileHighRonin
MileHighRonin - 7/1/2014, 9:55 AM
But the issue is why would Banner not be a part of the Illuminati if he can control hulk. Stark would vouch for him, as would Fury. To do that we need a hulk 2 to have him lose control.
Futers11
Futers11 - 7/1/2014, 10:18 AM
I think it will happen at the end of AOU, think it will be part of phase 3 n will end with GOTG end scene offering him a lift home which will lead them going into Avengers 3
MileHighRonin
MileHighRonin - 7/1/2014, 2:07 PM
Just watched the latest Hulk and agents of smash, they have just set up there version of planet hulk.

I AM GROOT!!!
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 7/1/2014, 7:35 PM
I've mentioned this idea a couple of times, but I'm pretty sure it came from somewhere, or someone would have arrived at the same conclusion eventually or probably already did. Nice to see someone else agree for a change.

One day, when I get bored with my newfound hobby, I'll make an article detailing all the possible angles of Planet Hulk, and why it's actually a brilliant plot DETAIL, and not exactly fantastic for an entire feature-length movie (although I'm not completely ruling THAT out...)
Mike1100
Mike1100 - 7/2/2014, 1:36 PM
I actually like some of your ideas such as the device being stuck to Hulk's chest giving the creatures of Sakaar some control over The Hulk so that we can see Bruce Banner however there are a few problems with your ideas for one Marvel hasn't featured/set up enough of their characters to form the Illuminati yet, although hopefully by the time they decide to do a "World War Hulk" film we will have gotten Dr. Strange and Black Panther. Also Marvel, from what I understand, can't use the Skrulls in any of their films and I know for sure that they can't use Silver Surfer at least not until Shitastic Four fails come 2015.
TheOverlord
TheOverlord - 7/2/2014, 3:59 PM
I think this is the MCU's chance to RETELL the Planet Hulk story in an original way that will deviate quite a bit from the source material. We'll see elements of that, but we'll also see a bunch of other cosmic stuff thrown in. They'll do a lot to spice it up and make it live up to its full potential. And that's a good thing. (For a straight Planet Hulk adaptation, we have the animated movie.)
Gigacrusher45
Gigacrusher45 - 7/5/2014, 8:39 AM
Sorry to be an a-hole but everyone needs to give up on Planet Hulk.
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