22 Years Ago, an Unofficial Hulk Movie Did 1 Thing Far Better Than the MCU

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It looks like the Hulk is poised for a comeback in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thor: Ragnarok hinted that Bruce Banner’s powerful alter ego would return to his classic role – fighting alongside Earth’s heroes. However, Thanos quickly changed things in Avengers: Infinity War, humiliating the Hulk so badly that he lost his desire to fight. This forced Banner to merge his mind with the Hulk’s, resulting in the more intellectual “Smart Hulk,” who prefers research to combat. Luckily, it seems like the Hulk’s wild side will be unleashed again soon.

The upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day will feature the Hulk in a significant role, but this time he won’t just be a helper. He’ll be a villain, unleashing his full power for the first time in years. It’s exciting to see Marvel Studios finally listening to fans, who have long wanted to see this side of the Hulk. Interestingly, a fan-made Hulk film is gaining attention, demonstrating how well audiences respond to a key element of the character’s personality.

Project Gamma Doesn’t Think Hulk Is a Joke

David Sarrio’s short film, Project Gamma, begins like many Hulk stories. Bruce Banner, while working for the military on a project to create super-soldiers using gamma radiation, is accidentally exposed to the energy and transforms into a powerful, dangerous being. He tries to escape and prevent General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross from learning about the project, but fails. Ross captures Banner and hands him over to scientists who use virtual reality to trick his brain into thinking he’s injured, effectively immobilizing him. However, they can’t hold him captive indefinitely.

Okay, so things get really interesting when some coffee accidentally shorts out the system keeping the VR world stable. Suddenly, Banner starts to regain control, but then he starts hearing something… a voice pushing its way in. Instead of fighting it, he actually lets it take over, essentially waking up the Hulk from within the simulation. And wow, the transformation back in the real world is brutal. You can see the strain on his body, it looks incredibly painful, like he’s about to burst apart before he even fully Hulks out. He makes it through, thankfully, and the Hulk breaks free, ready to face whatever threat is out there. Honestly, while we’ve seen the Hulk before, how he got there in this scene feels like a really important step for how the MCU should handle these kinds of transformations going forward.

What the MCU Can Learn From Project Gamma

Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios likely aren’t looking to a twenty-year-old fan film for inspiration. However, the film’s continued popularity shows that fans have a clear idea of what they want from the Hulk. They don’t want Bruce Banner to easily or jokingly transform; they want to see the internal struggle and the danger of his potential power. The upcoming MCU projects have a great chance to demonstrate they understand this desire for a more serious and impactful portrayal of the Hulk.

If the Hulk is reverting to a more primal, savage state, the current storyline needs to address why the calmer, more controlled ‘Smart Hulk’ disappeared and how this is negatively affecting Banner. This will make his potential transformation and the resulting pain feel earned, rather than sudden. It’s possible years of being Smart Hulk reversed Banner’s progress in managing his anger, and without healthy ways to cope, a full loss of control could trigger a dangerous new form that pushes his body to its limits. Regardless of the reason, the Marvel Cinematic Universe can’t simply return to how the Hulk was portrayed before. Audiences have seen the potential of a more powerful Hulk and are responding positively to it.

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2025-12-06 20:42