With Helmet Stoning making a name for himself in the MCU, along with his Avengers cohorts, I am more fascinated than ever by the live-action Hulk movie that was never made in the 1990s. At least there is hope for the future of the Hulk in the MCU now that his son, Skaar, may have a future adventure. Unfortunately, it is hard to see past the fact that the Hulk was the star of the highest-grossing MCU film for 15 years until that title was taken by Wonders in 2023. The gross of $266 million was only $20 million more than the last live-action adaptation of Hulk in 2003.
There were plans for a different Hulk movie that never happened
It involved mutated insect people
In the late 1990s, Universal Studios hired writer Jonathan Hensleigh, known for «Armageddon» and «The Rock,» to direct a live-action adaptation of Hulk. Despite the dominance of DC’s superhero franchises at the time, Universal was willing to take a bold approach to the Hulk concept.
While a drastic departure from Bruce Banner’s comic origins, Hensleigh and Universal seemed ready to explore this concept further based on the script and prosthetics that were developed for the film.
The project progressed to the point of having a script and prosthetics created for what would have been a unique take on the Hulk story. In this version, Banner would experiment with radiated insects in an attempt to create creatures that could survive a journey to Mars. This leads to his own transformation into Hulk and a confrontation with the monstrous beings he helped create.
The giant insects in Hensleigh’s script may have been inspired by Marvel Comics creatures affected by the same Gamma bomb that created the Hulk.
Although this bold adaptation of the Hulk story may not have been accepted today, the concept and animatronics created for the film show a unique approach to the character’s transformation that was ahead of its time.
Why the plans for the Hulk movie were never used
Hulk’s original concept was too expensive
Ultimately, the original Hulk movie was scrapped because Universal cut $20 million from the $100 million budget, as reported by Variety. Financial concerns led to Universal Studios pulling the plug on the project in 1998.
