Mark Ruffalo has criticized Universal Pictures and has blamed the studio for there not being a new standalone Incredible Hulk movie.
The 49-year-old actor has portrayed Bruce Banner and his green giant gamma powered alter ego in two Marvel Cinematic Universe movies and is set to reprise the role in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ and ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ but his Hulk has not had his own adventure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the last movie being 2008’s First Wave movie ‘The Incredible Hulk’, which starred Edward Norton in the lead role.
Ruffalo has blamed Universal for the lack of solo action, saying that because they own the distribution rights a new Hulk story can’t get off the ground.
Speaking at the Disney D23 Expo in California, the Oscar nominee said: "I want to just make one thing perfectly clear today: A standalone ‘Hulk’ movie will never happen. Universal has the rights, and for some reason, they don’t know how to play well with Marvel. And, they don’t want to make money."
The actor also confirmed his character will have a bigger arc in ‘Avengers 4’.
He said: "There’s a huge change for Banner and for Hulk. It isn’t resolved in the first ‘Infinity War’, it sort of culminates into the second ‘Infinity War’. ‘Thor 3′ is the beginning of a lot of changes for Banner and Hulk’."
The Hulk is not the only Avenger whose rights don’t solely belong to Marvel with Spider-Man being owned by Sony Pictures.
However, the recent ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’, starring Tom Holland as the webslinger, was the first collaboration between the two studios despite each having their own universes.
Ruffalo was joined by Downey Jr, Hemsworth, Holland, Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier) and Anthony Mackie (Falcon) as well as many other MCU stars.
‘Avengers: Infinity War’ sees the Earth-bound heroes joining forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy as they fight the mad titan Thanos.
The major blockbuster is set to hit the screens in April, 2018.