Ed Norton Will Not Be In The Avengers

Over the weekend there was a bit of drama surrounding The Incredible Hulk role in The Avengers and Edward Norton’s involvement.  After publicised creative differences during the production of 2008′s The Incredible Hulk, it appeared as  though Norton was still interested in reprising the role in future Marvel movies.  He even went so far as to ask the fans to write in and ask that he be brought back.  Well all of that seems to be for nothing now, as Marvel’s President of Production, Kevin Feige, released a statement confirming Norton’s lack of involvement moving forward.

“We have made the decision to not bring Ed Norton back to portray the title role of Bruce Banner in the Avengers. Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members. The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble, as evidenced by Robert, Chris H, Chris E, Sam, Scarlett, and all of our talented casts. We are looking to announce a name actor who fulfills these requirements, and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks.“

I for one was looking forward to Norton coming back.  His Hulk film was a solid addition to the Marvel movie universe and he was perfectly cast.  I also hate screwing up continuity, but apparently this is best for the production of future Marvel movies.  At this point, who knows how big of a role Bruce Banner will actually play in the film.  We may really only see the hulk, especially now after this casting decision.  Marvel is hoping to announce a new actor to fill the role by Comic-Con.

Source: HitFix