A World War Hulk movie was reportedly in development by Marvel Studios for the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2021, according to a purported leak by GWW. According to the leak, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law would be followed by the movie, which would officially start production in 2022. We are still awaiting official confirmation on the World War Hulk movie, which made its Disney+ debut and broke the fourth wall with a brilliant ending. Even so, even if we should always be extra cautious with leaks, there are enough hints in the MCU for us to believe that a World War Hulk movie is not an improbable concept, especially given Skaar, the Hulk’s son, was introduced in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
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What Exactly Is “World War Hulk”?
A direct continuation of “Planet Hulk,” “World War Hulk” is one of the Emerald Giant’s most cherished comic book storylines. To cut to the chase, in “Planet Hulk,” some of Earth’s most powerful heroes made the decision to betray the Hulk, imprison him in a spacecraft, and deliver him to a barren planet. The Hulk was deemed too hazardous to stay on Earth by the heroes since the harm he caused did not outweigh the help he could provide. It’s a dishonest action and not particularly heroic, especially in light of all the sacrifices the Hulk has made in the past to protect Earth. Hulk initially feels enraged and seeks retribution. The Hulk eventually succeeds in starting a new life for himself, though, owing to an accident sending the hero to a populated planet rather than a black hole.
The Hulk’s spacecraft lands at Sakaar, a planet ruled by a totalitarian government, after escaping the black hole. The Hulk is imprisoned, transformed into a gladiator, and made to battle for the entertainment of others. He encounters other alien fighters this way, and the two of them enter into a “Warbound” covenant, promising eternal fealty. The Hulk and his Warbound companions get out of jail and organize a revolution that topples Sakaar’s corrupt ruling class. The Big Emerald takes on the role of a leader for the Sakaar population by the end of “Planet Hulk.” He also finds love and marries Caiera, one of his Warbound, who later gives birth to the Hulk’s child. However, the Hulk’s shuttle’s autodestruction sequence accidentally activates, destroying Sakaar’s capital and killing Caiera.
So let’s be clear about this. The heroes of Earth betray The Hulk. But, he discovers a new goal and starts a new life that is full of love and camaraderie. But, a device created by the same heroes that expelled the Hulk from Earth spoils his one chance at leading a happy life. Can you picture the Hulk’s rage? To commence the “World War Hulk” event, the Hulk summons his Warbound and flies to Earth. We won’t go into details because doing so could reveal any upcoming MCU surprises. Let’s just say that the Hulk and his Warbound destroyed every single hero on Earth, demonstrating his unbridled might. When the “World War Hulk” is done, the Emerald Giant still demonstrates that he is more honorable than all of the individuals responsible for the scheme to send him into space. It’s a violent crossover event that highlights just how interesting and complex the Hulk really is, with breathtaking battles that rocked the Marvel universe to its very foundation. It makes sense that Hulk fans have been requesting that Marvel Studios release the film in theaters. Yet given the intricate cinematic rights of the character, that might not be so simple.
How Can “World War Hulk” Be Adapted for the MCU?
With regard to the Hulk’s distribution rights, Marvel Studios has been having some difficulty for quite some time. When Universal obtained the character in 2003, they were the only studio authorized to make and release standalone Emerald Giant films. The production rights, however, were returned to Marvel after Universal failed to produce a sequel to the underwhelming 2003 Hulk film starring Eric Bana. Because of this, Marvel Studios was still able to make The Incredible Hulk in 2008 as a member of the MCU. Yet as far as we are aware, Universal allegedly still owns the character’s distribution rights.
The Incredible Hulk from 2008 was distributed by Universal. The corporation would still have to agree to distribute it and keep a sizable portion of the earnings with little to no investment if Marvel Studios ever made another film about the character. The decision over when to open the film in theaters and how to handle the marketing would likewise rest with Universal. Naturally, it’s challenging to launch a Hulk movie.
Despite this complex situation, there have recently been some suggestions that Disney may be open to trading Hulu for Universal’s Marvel characters. Despite this, we are unable to know what is taking place without a formal statement. The fact that Marvel Studios has been quietly working on a World War Hulk movie indicates that either their concerns with Universal have been resolved or that they are prepared to release the film exclusively on Disney+, keeping it out of theaters. Or perhaps they’ll create a miniseries on World War Hulk for Disney’s streaming service.
Marvel Studios cannot directly adapt “World War Hulk” from a narrative standpoint. Thor: Ragnarok already incorporated a number of “Planet Hulk” tropes, but the Hulk’s exile in the MCU is self-imposed rather than the result of betrayal. Skaar, the Hulk’s kid, was likewise introduced in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law very peacefully, so his birth doesn’t appear to have included any tragic deaths. Skaar flees his mother’s womb in the comic books after she perishes in the spaceship explosion. Last but not least, the Hulk persona has not appeared in any MCU films since Avengers: Endgame, when it was shown that Bruce Banner was able to maintain his morality inside the superhuman body.
The MCU must free the enraged Hulk from his cage and give him a reason to battle the other heroes if a World War Hulk movie is to succeed. Alternatively, the MCU might make Skaar the major antagonist of the World War Hulk film, assigning the Hulk’s son the duty of confronting Earth’s most powerful heroes. In any case, a true Hulk plot in the MCU is overdue, so we expect to hear some official news soon.
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