Edward Norton is Not the Only One Who Will Never Return to MCU Movies Because of His Reported Beef With Kevin Feige
Having made his breakthrough with the 1996 movie Primal Fear, Edward Norton established himself in Hollywood with movies like The Italian Job, Kingdom of Heaven, and The Bourne Legacy. He portrayed Dr. Bruce Banner aka Hulk in The Incredible Hulk the second movie of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). However, did not promote the movie which stirred up rumors that he had issues with the production house.
Although Edward Norton was initially set to star in future MCU projects including 2012’s The Avengers, he was replaced by Mark Ruffalo, who has been playing the role of the Green Goliath for more than a decade now. In a new book about the franchise, the president of Marvel Studios has revealed that Norton is not the only artist with whom Marvel is unwilling to collaborate.
Another Artist Will Not Be Returning to Kevin Feige-Led MCU
Edward Norton‘s infamous row with Marvel Studios due to their creative differences deprived him of the chance to reprise his role as Bruce Banner. However, he is not the only artist who managed to get his name in Kevin Feige’s list of people that he does not want to work with in the future.
This other person is none other than Joss Whedon who created the Marvel TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. In the new book MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios by Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzalez, and Gavin Edwards which chronicles the rise and dominance of the franchise, Feige has stated that he did not like what Whedon did with the series.
Read More: 5 Actors Who Hated Working in MCU Movies Including Edward Norton and Idris Elba
Considering the knowledge and experience Kevin Feige has about the MCU, it is unlikely that he would hold a grudge against someone for no reason. In Whedon’s case, Feige insisted that the existence of S.H.I.E.L.D. stood contradictory to the events of the 2014 movie Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Edward Norton Has Bad Blood with Kevin Feige
Edward Norton refused to star in a third Paramount movie despite his three-film contract with the production house. Consequently, Paramount threatened to sue him for breach of contract and hence, he had to star in the 2003 heist movie The Italian Job. In retaliation, Norton refused to promote the movie.
Similarly, Edward Norton had very different ideas about what The Incredible Hulk should have been and so he was being incredibly difficult to work with during the movie’s production and also didn’t promote the movie. That evidently didn’t end well for him. Kevin Feige released an official statement about Norton’s exit from the role.
The Marvel Studios president gave his reasons for the decision (via CBR), saying:
“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. The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble, as evidenced by Robert [Downey Jr.], Chris [Hemsworth], Chris [Evans], Sam [Jackson], Scarlett [Johansson], and all of our talented casts.”
Later, Norton told The Hollywood Reporter that he opted out of the role because he did not want to remain associated with the same role throughout his career. Thankfully, Mark Ruffalo has been doing an excellent job at playing Hulk considering he still has fans hooked to the character.
