Mark Ruffalo Smashes Puny “Planet Hulk” Movie Rumors

Some rumors just seem to persist, despite numerous attempts to stamp them out. Case in point, the rumor that Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Age Of Ultron would serve to set up a portion of their superhero franchise Phase Three films to adapt the Planet Hulk and World War Hulk comics storylines from a few years back. The story started circulating back in February 2013 from an unsourced report at Latino Review. It was quickly dismissed by both Avengers director Joss Whedon and Marvel Studios honcho Kevin Feige.

And now, with some people still clinging to the rumor as if it were going to happen, comes another smackdown from a man who should know, Mark Ruffalo, the actor who plays the Hulk’s alter-ego Bruce Banner. Ruffalo was out doing the press rounds for his latest film Begin Again when MTV brought up the “Planet Hulk” rumors again, which Ruffalo soundly dismisses –

I don’t think [‘Planet Hulk’] is the way to go yet… I think you need more Banner. The whole thing is just him as Hulk, on a planet, fighting other gladiators.

If you’re unfamiliar with the storylines that dominated the character’s title from the beginning of 2006 into 2007, Ruffalo sums it up thusly –

They launch Bruce Banner into space to try to get rid of him and the Hulk. He ends up freaking out, smashing up the spaceship, and it goes off course and ends up on this planet of gladiator creatures. He falls in love, has a Hulk baby … and then the Avengers nuke the planet.

I am sure that there are fans out there who would love to see the storyline brought to the big screen. Just about every story told in Marvel Comics probably has its champions for adaptation, with maybe the exception of that whole Spider-Man Clone Saga fiasco. But as of now, it is apparent that Planet Hulk is not in the cards.