In 2021, a supposed leak by GWW revealed that Marvel Studios was developing a World War Hulk movie for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. According to the leak, the movie would begin official production in 2022 and would follow the events of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law premiered on Disney+ and smashed the fourth wall with a clever ending, and we are still waiting for official confirmation on that World War Hulk movie. Still, while we should always be extra careful with leaks, there are enough clues in the MCU to imagine a World War Hulk movie is not an unlikely project, especially since She-Hulk: Attorney at Law introduced Skaar, Hulk’s son.
What Is 'World War Hulk'?
“World War Hulk” is one of the most beloved comic book storylines involving the Emerald Giant and a direct sequel to “Planet Hulk.” To get straight to the point, in “Planet Hulk,” some of Earth’s mightiest heroes decided to betray the Hulk, trap him in a spaceship, and send him to a deserted planet. The heroes decided the Hulk was too dangerous to keep on Earth, as the destruction he caused was not worth the assistance he could offer. It’s a dirty move and a not-too-heroic choice, especially considering how much the Hulk sacrificed to keep Earth safe over the years. At first, Hulk is angry and wants revenge. However, the Hulk eventually manages to create a new life for himself thanks to an accidental entry into a black hole that sends the hero to a populated planet instead.
After getting out of the black hole, the Hulk’s spaceship lands in Sakaar, a planet controlled by an oppressive regime. The Hulk is imprisoned, turned into a gladiator, and forced to fight for other people’s amusement. That’s how he meets other alien warriors with whom he makes a "Warbound" pact, swearing an eternal allegiance. The Hulk and his Warbound friends escape prison and lead a revolution that dethrones the corrupt elites of Sakaar. By the end of “Planet Hulk,” the Giant Emerald becomes a leader for the people of Sakaar. He also finds love and marries one of the members of his Warbound, Caiera, who becomes pregnant with the Hulk’s child. Unfortunately, the autodestruction sequence of the Hulk’s shuttle is activated by accident, destroying the capital of Sakaar and killing Caiera.
So, let’s get this straight. The Hulk is betrayed by Earth's heroes. Nevertheless, he finds a new purpose and begins a new life filled with love and friendship. However, a machine built by the same heroes that kicked the Hulk out of Earth ruins his only chance to get a fulfilling life. Can you imagine how angry the Hulk got? That is why the Hulk summons his Warbound and flies to Earth, starting the “World War Hulk” event. We don’t need to go into details, as this could spoil any future MCU surprise. Suffice to say, the Hulk and his Warbound smashed every other hero on Earth, showing his absolute raw power.
And still, before the “World War Hulk” is over, the Emerald Giant proves he’s more honorable than any of the people involved in the plan to send him to space. It’s a brutal crossover event that underlines how complex and interesting the Hulk really is, filled with breathtaking combats that shook the Marvel universe to its core. It’s no wonder Hulk fans have been asking Marvel Studios to bring the story to theaters. That might not be so easy, though, considering the character’s complicated cinematic rights.
How Can the MCU Adapt 'World War Hulk'?
Marvel Studios has been struggling for quite some time with the distribution rights of the Hulk. In 2003, Universal owned the character, which meant they were the only studio allowed to produce and distribute solo movies of the Emerald Giant. However, after the 2003 Hulk movie starring Eric Bana flopped, Universal failed to make a sequel, and the production rights reverted to Marvel. That’s why, in 2008, Marvel Studios could still produce The Incredible Hulk as part of the MCU. However, as far as we know, Universal supposedly still holds the distribution rights for the character.
Universal distributed 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. If Marvel Studios ever makes another movie about the character, the company would still have to agree to distribute it and keep a big chunk of the profits with little to no investment. Universal would also have the final word about when to release the movie in theaters and how to handle marketing. So, of course, it’s hard to get a Hulk movie off the ground.
Despite this complicated scenario, there were some recent rumors about Disney being willing to trade Hulu for Universal’s Marvel characters. Nevertheless, without an official announcement, we can only speculate what’s happening behind the scenes. Still, if Marvel Studios has been secretively developing a World War Hulk movie, it either means they managed to solve their issues with Universal or they are willing to launch the project on Disney+ and keep it out of theaters. Or maybe they will turn World War Hulk into an event miniseries for Disney’s streaming platform.
Storywise, there’s no way Marvel Studios can directly adapt “World War Hulk.” Multiple elements of “Planet Hulk” were already adapted in Thor: Ragnarok, but the Hulk's exile in the MCU is self-imposed, not the fruit of betrayal. Skaar, Hulk’s son, was also introduced in quite a peaceful way in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which means there’s apparently no traumatic death involved in his birth. In the comic books, Skaar escapes his mother's womb after she dies in the spaceship explosion. Finally, the Hulk persona has not been part of the MCU since Avengers: Endgame, when we find out Bruce Banner managed to keep his conscience inside the superpowered body.
For a World War Hulk movie to work, the MCU needs to unleash the angry Hulk from his cage and give him a reason to fight the other heroes. Or maybe the MCU could turn Skaar into the main villain of the World War Hulk movie, giving the Hulk’s son the task of challenging Earth’s mightiest heroes. Be it as it may, we hope to get some official news soon because a proper Hulk storyline in the MCU is long overdue.
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