Damage Control

A word on The Incredible Hulk, if only due to its unusual status as not-a-sequel, not-quite-remake, not-quite-reboot. True, the different between remake and reboot (and whatever T.I. Hulk is) is tenuous at best, and often the number of years between projects is the only concrete-ish deciding factor. The other thing is a sort of general tenor – Casino Royale (2006) is universally considered a reboot, rather than remake or re-adaptation, despite multiple versions committed to film already.

With Louis Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk (2008) so quick on the heels of Ang Lee's Hulk (2003), and the prevailing opinion on Hulk to be dismissive (to put it politely), Marvel needed to repackage the character to be palatable to general fans and, more importantly, packageable with the new Avengers wave they're setting up. The new film would have to realign the potential Avengers audience's thoughts of the Hulk so that they didn't think of Eric Bana, or Ang Lee, or whatever exactly was happening there at the end of Hulk. I can't think of another time when a studio asked an audience to please just forget the last one happened: filmdom's first do-over?

The prevailing sentiment seems to be that the new one succeeds where the old one failed; not having seen it yet, I gather that this means "notably more action, slightly better computer graphics." Despite what seems to be a huge gap in popular acceptability, there doesn't seem to be much to distinguish between the productions, at least on paper. But don't take my word for it – let's go to the tale of the tape:

Hulk (2003) Release date: 6/20/2003 Budget: $137 mil Runtime: 2:15 Rating: PG-13 Foreign director: Taiwanese Comic screenwriter of dubious talent: Guy who wrote The Punisher Opening weekend: $62 mil Theaters: 3660 Second weekend drop: 69.7% Rotten Tomatoes rating: 61% "Security guard" cameo: Lou Ferrigno

The Incredible Hulk (2008) Release date: 6/13/2008 Budget: $150 mil Runtime: 1:54 Rating: PG-13 Foreign director: French Comic screenwriter of dubious talent: Guy who wrote Elektra Opening weekend: $55 mil Theaters: 3505 Second weekend drop: 60.1% Rotten Tomatoes rating: 67% "Security guard" cameo: Lou Ferrigno