She-Hulk, an upcoming Marvel Studios series, brings back Mark Ruffalo as the green giant superhero Hulk. The Disney+ show is a part of the MCU’s expansion to the small screen. It will introduce the title character Jennifer Walters, a lawyer who specializes in superhuman-oriented legal cases. She will be played by Orphan Black actress Tatiana Maslany.
The series was first announced in 2019, and there is not much revealed about the show. Over time, reports claimed that Maslany was in talks to play the titular character. Meanwhile, rumors circulated that Ruffalo might also make an appearance. While Maslany did not confirm her involvement back then, Ruffalo was more open by contrast. He said that there were conversations between him and Marvel about returning, although nothing has been finalized.
Now, thanks to Disney’s Investor Day, Maslany’s casting and Ruffalo’s return for the Disney+ show are both confirmed. Marvel Studios executive Kevin Feige made the announcement at Disney’s event, discussing MCU’s upcoming project line-up including She-Hulk. The producer confirmed that Ruffalo will be back as the Hulk in the series, along with Tim Roth as Abomination.
She-Hulk is directed by Kat Coiro and Anu Valia, with Jessica Gao serving as head writer.
What kind of Hulk will be appearing on She-Hulk?
For starters, Avengers: Endgame introduced Smart Hulk to the MCU — a perfect hybrid of Bruce Banner and the Hulk. After the events of Avengers: Infinity War, the rage monster was hardly present for a time. Bruce then spent the five-year downtime trying to find a way to bring together his two mostly conflicting personas. The result brought about a creature that has Banner’s genius and consciousness and the Hulk’s strength. This allowed him to perfectly execute the reverse snap which brought back all those who perished in Thanos’ mad annihilation.
Today, it remains unknown which version of Ruffalo’s character will appear in She-Hulk. However, speculations say that Marvel Studios is casting a young Bruce Banner. In other words, the Disney+ series may instead be covering his and Jen’s background as cousins.
The arrival of She-Hulk seems to suggest that there isn’t any narrative left to tackle for the original Avenger hero. The existence of Smart Hulk essentially resolves the character’s core conflict, which has always revolved in balancing his contradicting personas. While we do not know the answer for sure, his return to the MCU might be the answer we are all waiting for. Whether Marvel pays attention to the resounding issue or not remains to be seen. On the other hand, it is probably best not to expect since the show is about Jen and her journey. If anything, the Hulk’s involvement should most likely be aimed at furthering her story in the MCU rather than anything else.