The 'Hulk' TV Show Could Be Ready By 2013… If We're Lucky
Another day, another dollop of Marvel related news. Super hero movies like "The Avengers" are a team effort, only they're not so much when it comes to the payscale. Awkward for all involved? The Hollywood Reporter recently reported that the motormouthed and scene-stealing Robert Downey Jr. (who reportedly has a lot of say when it comes to these movies; see the director having to re-convince him of some strong ideas) will get paid a cool $50 million for his involvement in Joss Whedon-directed film thanks to bonuses and backend deals (and that figure may even rise as the box-office for the superhero film continues to soar). The bad news for the rest of the team that helped out in this group effort? Apparently even combined the rest of the cast didn't make that much money. The next time they all do press together and RDJ inevitably tries to steal the spotlight, that's going to smart.
Speaking of Whedon. Will he direct the inevitable "The Avengers" sequel? Well, it's likely a few years off anyhow, but he'a already having mixed feelings. “You know, I’m very torn,” Whedon told Hero Complex in a recent interview. “It’s an enormous amount of work telling what is ultimately somebody else’s story, even though I feel like I did get to put myself into it. But at the same time, I have a bunch of ideas, and they all seem really cool.”
This leads us to secret weapon in "The Avengers" or at least the character that stole the show: The Incredible Hulk. Whedon, with the help of actor Mark Ruffalo, did a rather amazing job of reconstituing The Hulk, making the character much, much different than what's been seen in the two feature-film iteration thus far. So popular has the character become that Marvel has even toyed with the idea of making another Hulk film for 2015, even though they had previously thought third time would not be the charm. Before even that possible film would be ABC's still-in-development Hulk TV show. "It wasn't going to be ready this season but we hope it's going to be ready for next season," Marvel Entertainment President Paul Lee told THR recently. So that means 2013 then? Don't bet on it exactly. If "The Avengers" breaks the "Avatar" box-office report, it might not serve Marvel well to have beloved character potentially dilluted for episodic TV. It could work, or it could be confusing, since Ruffalo won't be appearing on that show. Look for Marvel to keep the show in development, but take a wait-and-see approach in case they want to change their gameplan.
Incidentally, remember the She-Hulk character? Former "Law & Order" star Angie Harmon is obssessed and would love to play her, should that character ever come to the screen. “I have to be her,” Harmon told EW after she tweeted a picture of herself in She-Hulk make-up and costume. “You don’t understand. I have to be her. It’s the best quote ever when The Hulk turns around and goes ‘I’m always angry.’ I was like, Ohmygod! I stood up in the theater and literally cheered. I did.” As for wearing the skimpy She-Hulk’s skimpy costume? ”I would rock that like there is no tomorrow. I would kill that outfit. I’d put these 36Cs on display. Boom,” she boasted. Wait, 36Cs? Is TNT's "Rizzoli & Isles" worth watching then?
Meanwhile, "The Avengers" the film currently holds 25 box-office all-time records and presumably that figures only going to rise. A comparison? James Cameron's "Avatar" only has 10. But lest you think "The Avengers" beating the all-time box-office record by "Avatar" is simply a matter of time? Hold the phone there, fanboy. It still has $1.7 billion to go.
Lastly, did you see this Marvel Feature Film Timeline? Neato!
Love the timeline, as always it's Tony Stark who is the center of the universe 🙂
Robert Downey Jr got paid more than the rest of the cast combined and he damn well should. He's a lot of the reason the mainstream is even interested in these movies.