Absolutely Incredible

We’ve all seen family in-fighting. We’ve witnessed our aunts and uncles blasting each other for something personal. We’ve all seen our friends arguing politics. In most cases, once the argument dies down, both sides realize life is better off being civil and they kiss and make-up. In comic book families, however, sometimes war goes public.

I read that Marvel Entertainment has officially decided Edward Norton will not be re-cast in the role of Bruce Banner in the upcoming Avengers film. At first glance it looked as though both sides couldn’t come to terms. However, one paragraph really stood out and, to me, made Marvel look like a bunch of idiots.

Marvel studio president, Kevin Feige, said this in a recent article:

“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.”

To be frank, if I were Norton, I would be pissed. To say Edward Norton doesn’t embody creativity is about as dumb as saying the moon isn’t in the sky. It’s ludicrous. Norton is a very talented actor who approaches every role with sincerity, intelligence, and passion. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat and watched in awe at all the characters he has played.

As for the collaborative effort statement…the last time I checked the last Hulk film wasn’t a monologue with Norton and his thoughts. He did work with other talented actors with some serious chops. Is Feige suggesting Tim Roth, William Hurt, and Liv Tyler are not as good as Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth? Give me a break.

Now, here’s where Marvel will sit back, shake their head, and say something truly American like “Well, it’s our decision and the movie will make money anyway.” This is true. But why, why, why did they have to come out and slam Norton like this? It doesn’t make any sense. Oh, wait, I forget, it’s Marvel. They’ve treated their talent like shit for decades. Just ask Todd McFarlane. He can tell you all about it.

I bring this up not only to keep Marvel in check, but to also document this action. Why? Well Marvel would like us to believe that the days of using their talents, then discarding them like garbage with zero respect, are over. Quite the contrary. If Marvel thinks it is enormous enough to take a dump on a talented actor such as Norton, do they expect us to believe they are treating their artists fairly?

Be that as it may, the movie is going forward. Early reports are Marvel has contacted Joaquin Phoenix to take over the role of Banner. I love Phoenix as much as I love Norton. I am curious, however, why this role will entice him to come out of “retirement.” The man hasn’t done a movie for three years because of retiring. Is going green the answer to lure him back? I’ll keep you posted.