Hulk Turns Against The Avengers To Become A Menacing MCU Villain In Marvel Art

The Hulk has become a menacing new villain in a fan-made MCU poster depicting a potential World War Hulk project, which has been heavily rumored to be in development at Marvel Studios. Marvel Comics’ World War Hulk, which premiered in 2007, is perhaps the Hulk’s most memorable storyline, as it depicts Bruce Banner’s exiled Hulk returning to Earth to wreak havoc on the Marvel Universe heroes that originally banished him. In recent years, there has been speculation that Marvel Studios is adapting World War Hulk for the MCU, which could see Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner revert to his savage Hulk persona, though this highly-anticipated project hasn’t yet been officially confirmed.

Currently, the Hulk is one of the MCU’s longest-running characters, having debuted back in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, and he has seen more changes than most other heroes in the franchise. Another transformation could occur in a World War Hulk project, and this story has been imagined in a fan-made poster shared by ANTIZZ.

The art depicts the Hulk in a variation of his Thor: Ragnarok gladiator armor sitting atop rubble surrounded by artifacts from various Avengers, including Iron Man, Captain America and Thor, who the Hulk has presumably fought. This art suggests an MCU World War Hulk project could make Bruce Banner one of the franchise’s most formidable villains.

Related

MCU Hulk’s Unused Superpowers Make A World War Hulk Movie Even More Exciting

With a World War Hulk movie looking more and more likely, Marvel now has the perfect opportunity to showcase MCU Hulk’s exciting unused superpowers.

What We Know About The MCU’s Potential World War Hulk Project

Even though Marvel Studios hasn’t officially confirmed a World War Hulk project for the MCU, there have been several teases towards the storyline being adapted into live-action. 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok used elements of Marvel Comics’ Planet Hulk storyline, which preceded World War Hulk, and this could form the foundation for the MCU’s World War Hulk. 2022’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law revealed that the Hulk had a son, Skaar, during his two-year exile on Sakaar, and he presumably had to do that with someone. In Marvel Comics, it’s the Hulk’s wife’s death that fuels his rage towards the Marvel Universe’s heroes, and the same could be the case in the MCU.

The biggest thing stopping Marvel Studios from adapting World War Hulk is the Hulk’s film rights. Marvel sold the rights to the Hulk to Universal Pictures in the 1990s, and while they returned in 2006, Universal still holds distribution rights to the character. This has made it impossible for Marvel Studios to develop any solo projects for the Hulk following Universal’s The Incredible Hulk, which could make a World War Hulk project improbable. However, the distribution rights to The Incredible Hulk reverted to Marvel Studios in June 2023, so it’s possible that the Hulk’s full rights could soon return, too, allowing the MCU’s World War Hulk to finally be developed.