4 Hulk Characters Ruined by the Marvel Movies (Including a Forgotten MCU Debut)

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Over the past two decades, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has largely succeeded in bringing its comic book heroes to the screen. Characters like Iron Man, once relatively obscure, became globally famous, and well-established heroes like Captain America and Daredevil received the faithful adaptations they deserved. Even lesser-known characters, such as the Guardians of the Galaxy, were brilliantly reimagined and became hugely popular. However, not every character has benefited from this successful treatment within the MCU.

A poor adaptation can’t actually diminish the original source material, especially if the comic book version of a character remains well-regarded. However, sometimes the on-screen portrayal of a character, particularly those connected to the Hulk, feels drastically different from what fans expect. Worse still, these appearances can feel forced, simply serving a purpose within the broader universe without respecting the character’s established personality and motivations.

4) Samuel Sterns in Captain America: Brave New World

While the version of Samuel Sterns in the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk differed from his comic book counterpart, it could be seen as the beginning of his transformation into a villain, so it wasn’t a total misstep. Tim Blake Nelson reprised the role after a seventeen-year gap in this year’s Captain America: Brave New World, finally becoming The Leader. However, the film demonstrated that Marvel still sometimes struggles to do justice to its characters.

It’s easy to criticize how The Leader looks in the MCU – his iconic large, green head was replaced with a more grotesque and deformed appearance. However, that’s not the biggest problem with the character. The writing itself is the real issue, appearing rushed and assembled from multiple reshoots. This results in a villain who doesn’t seem very intelligent or capable. Sterns spends the movie attempting to expose Thunderbolt Ross as the true villain, but his plans often don’t make sense. Ultimately, he feels like a pawn the MCU manipulated for plot convenience, rather than a genuinely important character.

3) Leonard Samson in The Incredible Hulk

Introducing Leonard Samson in The Incredible Hulk was a smart move by Marvel. It showed they were open to using less famous characters to build out the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe (had the movie been a hit). As fans of the comics know, Doc Samson has been a long-time friend to the Hulk, gaining his powers from gamma radiation, just like many other supporting characters in the Hulk’s stories. In the comics, Samson often tries to find a cure for Bruce Banner’s condition, while also teaming up with other Marvel heroes.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ty Burrell plays Leonard Samson, but his role feels strangely out of place. When Bruce Banner returns to the US looking for Betty Ross, he discovers she’s now with Samson. After Betty leaves Samson when Bruce reappears, a hurt Samson betrays Banner by telling Ross and the government where he is. Although he later regrets this, Samson’s portrayal in the film doesn’t match his comic book character and feels like a missed opportunity.

2) Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World

It’s an understatement to say Captain America: Brave New World didn’t use Red Hulk effectively. He only appears during a six-minute action scene in the third act, mostly destroying the White House lawn before running to an inexplicably empty cherry blossom garden. While it was nice to see a “Hulk out” moment in the MCU after a long wait, it wasn’t enough to truly showcase the character or satisfy viewers.

In Marvel comics, the Red Hulk was a complex character, often walking the line between villain and hero. He battled numerous other characters with gamma-based powers, sometimes even defeating or killing them, but also led teams like the Thunderbolts. Originally intended as simply a new take on the Hulk, Red Hulk evolved into a powerful and intelligent force. He’s accomplished incredible feats, like defeating the Silver Surfer, absorbing the Power Cosmic, and even becoming an Avenger and wielding an Infinity Gem. Considering all of this, does the Red Hulk we saw in the Marvel Cinematic Universe live up to his full potential?

1) The Hulk, But Only In Avengers: Infinity War

Marvel Studios has a recurring issue with the Hulk, surprisingly because he’s often too powerful. Several times recently, the filmmakers have had to come up with explanations to limit his abilities, sideline him, or change his personality to avoid him overshadowing other heroes. However, the way Hulk is depicted in Avengers: Infinity War is particularly problematic, feeling like a complete betrayal of the character.

The movie starts strong with a shocking moment: Thanos easily defeats the Hulk and sends him back to Earth as a message to the Avengers. While this sets the stage well, it quickly becomes a frustrating plot device. The Hulk remains unwilling to fight because he’s afraid of Thanos. This is initially played for humor in Infinity War, but it doesn’t fit with the Hulk’s established character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially considering how he’s reacted to defeats before. Essentially, the Hulk has one impactful scene and then disappears from the action because his involvement would have made the story too complex. Thankfully, he gets a better role in Avengers: Endgame.

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2025-10-24 20:48