It’s been quite interesting to watch in the last few days, how a simple report that Marvel had decided not to have Ed Norton come back as Bruce Banner/Hulk in The Avengers, has developed into the sort of row you rarely see played out publicly in Hollywood. The normally quiet Marvel weighed in with a statement that more than insinuated that the problem was Norton and the difficulties they had with him on the Hulk set (there were reports of major tensions). Instead the comic company suggested hey want “an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members.
The slightly bitchy tone put Norton’s agent on the offensive, and he released his own statement saying they’d been negotiating in good faith for The Avengers and things had been going well, and that “This offensive statement from Kevin Feige at Marvel is a purposefully misleading, inappropriate attempt to paint our client in a negative light.”
Now Ed Norton has weighed in via a statement on his Facebook page, and he’s being far more Hollywood about everything, suggesting everyone should just kiss and make up. He says, “”As most of you know, I don’t like to talk much about the business of making movies because it means a lot to me to protect the audience’s fullest enjoyment of the ‘magic’ that films can have. But I am so appreciative of the outpouring of support from and of Hulk and The Avengers that feel it would be rood not to respond. So here it goes: It seems it won’t work out for me to continue playing Bruce Banner for Marvel in The Avengers. I sincerely hoped it could happen and be great for everyone, but it hasn’t turned out as i hoped. I know this is disappointing to many people and that makes me sad. But I am very sincerely grateful to Marvel for extending the offer and even more so for giving me the chance to be a part of the Hulk’s long and excellent history. And I really can’t thank the fans enough for how much enthusiasm you’ve sent my way about what Louis and I tried to do in our turn with the legend. It means a lot to me. I grew up with Banner and Hulk and have been a fan of every incarnation. I’m really proud, and very blessed, to have been one of them and will be thrilled to see him live on through other actors. Hulk is bigger than all of us, that’s why we love him, right?”
It’s a shame it’s come to this, as it would have been good to have Norton in The Avengers, but it has to be said this has all got a lot messier than it needed to be. Norton however seems to know how to play the game, so that while he may fight tooth and nail in private, he tries not to take things public, although it is known he’s not the easiest of people to work with.