Mark Ruffalo Says There Have Been ‘Talks’ of a ‘Planet Hulk’ Movie

The Planet Hulk movie rumors have been swirling around the internet for years, but they have been dismissed swiftly by everyone from Avengers director Joss Whedon, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn and Marvel president Kevin Feige. It seemed that the rumors would stay as rumors and that a Planet Hulk movie would never happen. But now, just as Avengers 2 is set to hit theaters, star Mark Ruffalo has provided some fuel to the fire that it just may happen one day in some way, shape or form.

Ruffalo spoke to IGN (along with Scarlett Johansson, who was there for the ride), and asked about the further adventures of Hulk. The actor admits there has been “some talk” of Planet Hulk, the first pseudo-confirmation of any kind. Now, before we present the quote, we should note that it may offer up some major spoilers for Avengers 2.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Mark Ruffalo: “I think there’s a lot of places to go with [Hulk].”
Scarlett Johansson: “Like where?”
IGN: “Space?”
Ruffalo: “Well he’s going to space. Yeah, I mean there’s some talk of maybe Planet Hulk.”
IGN: “Would you like to see that?”
Ruffalo: “I’d be completely interested in entertaining that.”

Before you start adding Planet Hulk to your Marvel release date calendar, Ruffalo said that he personally wasn't involved in any active talks to star in the project and that, as we know, it's not part of Marvel's announced slate of films. But, would that even matter? One of the many rumors was that Hulk would somehow find his way into another one of Marvel's already announced films, not unlike how Iron Man is in Captain America: Civil War. Specifically that Guardians of the Galaxy 2 would essentially be a Planet Hulk movie.

James Gunn has unequivocally said that rumor is “100% bulls---” when asked in the past, and that “there was never plan for the Hulk to team up with the Guardians of the Galaxy – I wouldn't want the Hulk to team up with the Guardians of the Galaxy!” So, you can scratch that theory.

Now, back to whether or not Ruffalo just gave away the Avengers 2 ending. Having seen Avengers 2 we can say...maybe?

The Hulk is definitely not with the team at the end of the film, and has ventured off somewhere by himself. But, he is not “shot off into space” nor is it ever really confirmed that he’s headed to space. He just knows he needs to protect the word from himself. It’s left ambiguous as to where that place is. It could be outer space, or it could be a remote island somewhere.

There’s probably enough for the Planet Hulk truthers to think that it's definitely happening and there’s probably enough for the Planet Hulk deniers to think that it's definitely not happening. Ruffalo’s comments are interesting because he's either speculating, or has some legitimate inside knowledge as to Hulk's final destination. (One thing is clear: if Hulk does wind up in space, his intellect has certainly grown, because he's piloting his own ship (literally and figuratively). If the big, green monster can find his way into outer space, he's clearly grown beyond HULK SMASH.)

If we had to guess, the only reason Hulk is gone is to explain his disappearance between Age of Ultron and when he eventually returns in Infinity War. So, yes Hulk is probably off in space somewhere, but the Planet Hulk storyline is also just as likely taking place off-screen in a universe we will never see. (Also, if Marvel is really being clever, in the comic books, Hulk wasn't around for the Civil War storyline, because he was in space, Planet Hulk-ing out.)