The Incredible Hulk (upcoming animated series)

The Incredible Hulk is an upcoming American animated action-adventure superhero series created by Sage Cotugno for Disney+. Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, the series centers on Bruce Banner as he struggles with his transformations into the Hulk. It stars the voices of Zachary Quinto and Fred Tatasciore as Banner and Hulk, respectively, alongside Sara Nicole-Robles, A. J. LoCascio, Ron Perlman, and Willem Dafoe. Michael Giacchino composed the score. The series was produced by Marvel Animation in association with Double Dare You Productions and Titmouse, Inc, while Cotugno serves as showrunner.
A series based on Hulk was announced in 2033, with Catugno attached as creator and executive-producer. Guillermo del Toro was hired as executive producer in 2034. Catugno aimed to "return the Hulk to his dark best self", and choose to skew the more comedic recent potrayals in favor of a darker story akin to the 1996-97 Incredible Hulk series. They also recruited several former staff members from Disney's The Owl House and drew inspiration from that series' curse storyline for the show's plot. Catugno also sought to incorporate as many elements from the characters' history as possible within the series, particularly drawing inspiration from the Immortal Hulk comic book.
The Incredible Hulk's first season was released on Disney+ on September 23, 2035, while its second season was released in December 14, 2036. The series received critical acclaim, woth praise going for its dark tone, faithfulness to the source material, storytelling, animation, character development, score, and action sequences.
==Synopsis ==
=== Season 1===
Marvel's The Incredible Hulk follows the history of Bruce Banner, a brilliant scientist who, following an accident involving Gamma radiation, gsined the ability to turn into the childlike brute known as the Hulk. Now hunted by the ever-persisting General Ross, Banner must hide his condition as his relationships are mental health are strained, leading to unexpected discoveries about both the Hulk and himself.
==Voice cast ==
===Main cast===
*Zachary Quinto as Bruce Banner: A scientist capable of turning into a green monster when enraged following a lab accident. Showrunner Sage Cotugno defined Banner as "a by-the-numbers guys with a strong reliance on data and facts, who learns that it can be worthy to sometimes take a leap of faith", calling his story "that pf a man who seeks happiness, and finds ot in the most unexpected of places". They also based his personality on Jeph Loeb's Hulk: Gray miniseries. Quinto would aim for a performance that combines elements from Mark Ruffalo and Bill Bixby's potrayals, in addition to drawing inspuration from his potrayal of Spock in the J.J. Abrams Star Trek films. Quinto would also read the Immortal Hulk comics for inspiration. Kari Wahlgren voices a young Banner. 
**Fred Tatasciore as the Hulk: Banner's monstrous and childlike alter-ego. Cotugno said they wanted to bring forth "the tortured and misunderstood lonely soul that is the Hulk without making people forget why the goverment wants him dead". They also said they wanted to potray the Hulk "as the dangerously overpowered child he is in the comics", in contrast of more recent potrayals of his savage side. Cotugno wanted the series to explore Hulk's relationship to Banner and "why he hates Banner so much". The character was given "moments of human rage" instead of "mindless rage" to further humanize the character.
**Don Leslie as Joe Fixit (season 2-onwards): A Hulk alter with grey skin and a mobster-esque personality. Cotugno described Fixit as a "rough around the edges" type-of-person, noting he the character can be "very intimidating" but he actually cares about people, while also "not being good about showing it". They would also describe him as "the body's bodyguard". Leslie voiced the character with a Brooklyn accent to "really give him that gangster vibe".
**Keith David as Devil Hulk (season 3-onwards): A Hulk alter with a smarter and more rithless personapity who sees Banner and Hulk as his kids. Cotugno would descrobe him as "a very tough-but-soft sort of person" whose mysterious intentions tue to Banner's arc of understanding his alters. David would be cast in the role thanks to "his ability to sound both intimidating and caring".
*Sarah Nicole-Robles as Betty Ross: A scientist with an spiritual side who is Banner's girlfriend and Ross' daughter. Cotugno called her "the ying to Banner's yang", saying that "Banner is pure science and Betty is someone more of faith. Of taking a leap of faith and hoping for the best". Robles said that Betty "learns to find her voice and stand-up for her beliecs as the story moves along". The series potrays Betty as autistic; Cotugno said this change was made to the character out of an interest to develop an autistic character, but they ultimateky realized her being autistoc fotted with the show's themes of mental health and "allowed her to bond with the Hulk througth a different way than most versions" due to how autists struggle with social interactions "and Hulk being one of the chatacters with the worst social skills ever in the Marvel Universe, that gave them some common ground througth which they can bond".
*Jack Quaid as Rick Jones: Banner's cocky-but-loyal best friend. Cotugno called him "the comic relief character who also provides emotional support", througth the series also explores "how he copes with being the emotional support and how he grows and matures". His character was based on Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy.
*Ron Perlman as General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross / Red Hulk: Betty's father and high-ranking general within the U.S. millatary obssesed with hunting down the Hulk. Cotugno compared Ross to Disney Villains Gaston and Judge Claude Frollo, defining him as "a self-obssesed madman who becomes a complete monster while believing himself to be in the right". Elliot said that "while he loves Betty, his obsession erodes slowly that love".
*Willem Dafoe as The Leader (season 2-onwards): A gamma-irriadated mad scientist hellbent on world domination. Dafoe said the Leader "believes that because of how smart he is, he should rule the world", and that "he, as a narcissist, completly misses the fact that kindness and selflessness are what makes a true leader". Cotugno wanted the Leader to be "an intellectual foe" to contrast Ross being a physical threat 
===Recurring cast===
*Chloe Bennet as Marlo Chandler: Betty's best friend.
*Armin Taylor, Darin De Paul, and Travis Willgham as the Teen Brigade: A group of acquintances of Rick's that he assembled to help Banner avoid the military. All three voice actors played the Hulk across multiple media.
*Henry Simmons as Nick Fury: The General of the US army and Ross' superior.
*Kimberly Brooks as Jackie McGee: A news reporter.
*George Takei as General Talbot: A General of the US army, who takes over the Hulkbusters unit after Ross is fired.
* Al Ewing as Clay Quatermaine: Ross' second-in-command, who doubts his sanity and competence as the conflict with the Hulk continues. Cotugno wanted to give Ewing, who previously wrote the Immortal Hulk comics, because they were interested in giving a Hulk comic book writer a cameo.
*SungWon Cho as Amadeus Cho: A young supergenius, friend of Rick, and leader of the Teen Brigade.
*Hayley Atwell as Jarella: The Queen of a civilization within the Quantum Realm, who falls in love with Hulk.
* Mark Hamill as Brian Banner: Bruce's abusive late father. The character initially appears in flashbacks, before making a cameo at the end of season 3 and appearing as the main antagonist in season 3. Cotugno decided to have him as the series' main villain as they planned the series' story, decidong that "since this is a story about DID, andDID is about trauma", they felt it would be natural for the final villain to be "the source of Bruce's trauma".
===Guest cast===
====Multiple seasons====
*Cree Summer as Jennifer Walters / She-Hulk: A distrinct attorney lawyer and Banner's cousin, who becones able to turn into her own green creature after a transfution with Banner's blood, while remaining in control.
*Robert Pattinson as James "Logan" Howlett / Wolverine: A mutant mercenary from Canada, and eventual X-Men.
==== Season 2 ====
* Leonardo DiCaprio as Michael Berengetti: A casino owner from Las Vegas who hires Fixit as a freelancer thug.
====Season 3====
*Giancarlo Esposito as Professor Charles Xavier: The leader of the X-Men and head teacher of the Xavier Institute for Young Gifted, who has strong telepathic powers.
*Zeno Robinson as Scott Summers / Cyclops: The field leader of the X-Men, who can release laser beams from his eyes.
*Janice Kawaye as Jean Grey: The X-Men's medic, with strong psychic and telaphic powers.
*Eric Bauza as Hank McCoy / Beast: The X-Men's scientist, with a beast-like appearance and agility.
*Cynthia McWilliams as Ororo Munror / Storm: A member of the X-Men, capable of controlling the weather.
*Joaquin Cosio as Warren Worthington III / Angel: A member of the X-Men, with two angel-like wings.
* Nolan North as Piotr Rasputin / Colossus: A member of the X-Men, possesing a steel-like skin.
* Tim Blake Nelson as Dr. Frye: A scientist running unethical experiments involving Gamma radiation. Nelson previously voiced The Leader in the MCU.
* Ross Marquand as Steve Rogers / Captain America: An Avenger and soldier from World War II who was criogenically frozen, and joins the search for Ross once he goes rogue. Marquand previously voiced Red Skull and Ultron in the MCU.
== Episode list ==
=== Season 1 ===
No. overall 	No. in season 	Title 	Directed by 	Written by
01 	01 	The Incredible Hulk is Born! 	Sage Cotugno 	Sage Cotugno and Al Ewing
Bruce Banner is exposed to Gamma Radiation while saving the life of a young man, leading to a transformation that will change his life forever.	Bruce Banner is exposed to Gamma Radiation while saving the life of a young man, leading to a transformation that will change his life forever.	Bruce Banner is exposed to Gamma Radiation while saving the life of a young man, leading to a transformation that will change his life forever.	Bruce Banner is exposed to Gamma Radiation while saving the life of a young man, leading to a transformation that will change his life forever.	Bruce Banner is exposed to Gamma Radiation while saving the life of a young man, leading to a transformation that will change his life forever.
02 	02 	Is He a Monster? 	Sage Cotugno 	Sage Cotugno and Al Ewing
Banner tries to contain the Hulk in his lab, as everyone begins to uncover the mystery behind the monster. 	Banner tries to contain the Hulk in his lab, as everyone begins to uncover the mystery behind the monster. 	Banner tries to contain the Hulk in his lab, as everyone begins to uncover the mystery behind the monster. 	Banner tries to contain the Hulk in his lab, as everyone begins to uncover the mystery behind the monster. 	Banner tries to contain the Hulk in his lab, as everyone begins to uncover the mystery behind the monster.
03 	03 	Hidden 	Amelia Lorenz 	Molly Ostertag
Upon discovering the triggers for his transformations, Banner does his best to keep them hidden, straining his relationships. 	Upon discovering the triggers for his transformations, Banner does his best to keep them hidden, straining his relationships. 	Upon discovering the triggers for his transformations, Banner does his best to keep them hidden, straining his relationships. 	Upon discovering the triggers for his transformations, Banner does his best to keep them hidden, straining his relationships. 	Upon discovering the triggers for his transformations, Banner does his best to keep them hidden, straining his relationships.
04 	04 	The Lonely Beast 	Aminder Dwalindal 	Sage Cotugno
Hulk meets who could be his first friends in the form of a group of creatures known as "The Outcasts". 	Hulk meets who could be his first friends in the form of a group of creatures known as "The Outcasts". 	Hulk meets who could be his first friends in the form of a group of creatures known as "The Outcasts". 	Hulk meets who could be his first friends in the form of a group of creatures known as "The Outcasts". 	Hulk meets who could be his first friends in the form of a group of creatures known as "The Outcasts".
05 	05 	Lost 	Sage Cotugno 	Al Ewing
After a transformation, Banner ends up lost in the dessert, while Betty worries for him and Rick tries to keep his secret hidden. 	After a transformation, Banner ends up lost in the dessert, while Betty worries for him and Rick tries to keep his secret hidden. 	After a transformation, Banner ends up lost in the dessert, while Betty worries for him and Rick tries to keep his secret hidden. 	After a transformation, Banner ends up lost in the dessert, while Betty worries for him and Rick tries to keep his secret hidden. 	After a transformation, Banner ends up lost in the dessert, while Betty worries for him and Rick tries to keep his secret hidden.
==Production==
=== Development===
In early 2033, it was reported that Sage Cotugno was developing a Hulk series, titled The Incredible Hulk, for Disney+, with Marvel Studios producing. Cotugno would hire several crew memebrs from Disney's The Owl House, for which they served as a director for its first season. In 2034, Guillermo del Toro was hired to executive-produce the series througth his company, Double Dare You Productions; he was originally set to work on a cancelled Hulk show for ABC. Cotugno approached del Toro to work on the series due to his tragic approach to monsters in his projects. Cotugno also approached Al Ewing to serve as head writer and executive-producer on the series after reading his work on Immortal Hulk.
===Writing===
For The Incredible Hulk, Cotugno would focus on previous potrayals of the Hulk such as the 1978 series and the 1996 animated series over the more comedic potrayals from recent years, in order to "return the Hulk to his dark best self", as they felt the darker tone of the previous series would help adapt more faithfully the comics. Regarding the series' themes and tone, Cotugno would draw inspiration from Disney films such as Beauty and the Beast and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, as they wanted the series to explore "what it means to be a monster", while also telling an emotional story about love and self-acceptance. They would also use the curse storyline from The Owl House as a main inspiration for Banner's story arc, as they perceived the idea of "accepting you have this inner beast within you, and realizing the beast is also a creature, and learning to live with them" was "tailor-made" for a Hulk storyline. On having episodes centered enterily on the Hulk side of the character, Cotugmo said they were inspired by the 60s-90s Incredible Hulk comics, which included entire issues centered on the Hulk, which they felt helped add the character more depth and become "something more than the standard human-turns-to-monster story". They also wrpte the Hulk to attack solely in self-defense, inspired by his potratal in Hulk vs. Wolverine, to make him seem more sympathetic and "an actual character beyomd the mindkess killing machine most recent media potrays him as". A strong influence on the series' approach to the source material was X-Men: The Animated Series; Cotugno sought to treat the source material in a similar manner to X-Men to make sure it stayed rooted in Hulk comics, with comics such as Hulk: Gray, the original 1966 comic, and the Stan Lee/Steve Ditko run serving as influences on episodes.
Cotugno was initially apprensive on featuring the character's story with mental illness, but ultimately agreed to after concluding it is "a very important part of Hulk's character". They decided Banner's arc in season 1 should center on him learning of and accepting his DID while subsequent seasons would focus on the process of system stability and learning to live with DID, with Banner's attempts to cure himself in season 1 serving as an allegory for a misdiagnosis. They drew inspiration on Moon Knight (2022) on "how to create a superhero story about DID". Cotugno also decided to have Banner first hide his condition as both a way to stay faithful to Stan Lee's original comic book run and as a reflection on how people often hide their mental illnesses out of fear of rejection and stigmatization. They also studied about relationships between alters and used that as "a guideline" for Hulk and Banner's relationship. Cotugno said they wanted to treat Hulk and Banner as "completly different individuals sharing a head", which they showcased througth their relationship with Betty. Cotugno wrote Banner and Betty's relationship as "a tragic love story", while Hulk and Betty's is more evocative of "a mother/son story" while keeping the tragic aspects, ultimately drawing inspiration from King Shark and Ratcatcher II's relationship in The Suicide Squad.
Regarding the relationships the rest of the cast has with the Hulk, Cotugno said each had a distinct inspiration. For Betty, she was inspired by both Belle and Beast's relationship in Beauty and the Beast and Luz and Amity's in The Owl House, and how "each brought the best in the other. Betty brings out the Hulk's tender side, and Hulk brings Betty's badass side". Hulk and Rick's relationship was inspired by Jack Russell and Man-Thing's friendship in the MCU special Werewolf by Night, showcasimg "how those two are an inseparable pair that sticks together througth thick and thin". Hulk and Ross' enemity was modeled after Moby Dick and Captain Ahab, and "the question of who here is the worst monster".
Cotugno wanted the series to include other elements of the Marvel universe as a form of worldbuilding. However, they would search for characters that "either have a deep connection to the Hulk mythos" or that "had a deep impact within the storyline" instead of merely including them for the sake of it. throught other easter eggs and minor references would also be included. They would also include characters and elements from Hulk comics and previous series in order to explore the character's mythology. Regarding the use of the phrase "Hulk smash!", the character's iconic catchphrase from the comics, Cotygno saif they "wanted the phrase to come up in moments that honored how badass and iconic that line is", instead of using it randomly. Cotugno refrained themself from including characters such as Iron Man, Thor, and Black Widow, however, as they felt other media such as the MCU already explored too much of their relationships with the Hulk.
===Animation===
Animation services would be provided by Studio Mir. The series' art style and character design would have a stylized look inspired by The Spectacular Spider-Man and The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, aiming for a comic book style while avoiding a cartoonish appearance. The artists would also draw inspiration from Tim Sale's artwork for the comic book Hulk: Gray. Additional inspirations for the show include Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (2023-present) as well as DuckTales (2017) for their comic book asthetics. Cotugno said Banner was designed to be "skinny and feeble, like a noodle" to contrast with the Hulk's muscular design.
For the action sequences, the artists would be inspired by Disney's Tarzan, as they wanted "to show how the Hulk fights in the comics: Using his enviroment and adapting it to his favor", as well as by kaiju films such as the Godzilla franchise to show "the true terror the Hulk can bring even when he's being a hero". The writers were delibertedly vague on details regarding the Hulk's actions during action sequences due to Cotugno wanting the storyboard artists to "go wild with their imaginations" when drawing the scenes in order to give the Hulk an unpredicatibility factor. The animators also wanted Hulk to display intelligence in his attacks by creating improvising weapons, so they studied Jackie Chan films in order to learn how to incorporate such attacks to his fighting style. They also wanted for Hulk's transformations to feel "less like Banner turning into the the Hulk" and more like "the Hulk coming out of Banner's body", so they drew inspiration from films such as Aliens.
== Music ==
===Score===
Michael Giacchino would compose the score for the series, having previously done so for multiple MCU projects. Giacchino composed three types of melodies: One that emcompassed the action-centered nature of the Hulk, one that focused on the more tragic aspects of the franchise, and a "bridge" between them. Giacchino looked at his work on Werewolf by Night for inspiration, wanting to recreate his combination of "scary monstrous melody" with the "more emotional stuff" for the series' score.
===Soundtrack ===
Additionally, Giacchino and Jeff Russo wpuld compose the series' theme song, which would also qupte "The Loneky Man" from the 1977 series. Cptugno decided to, after watching Star Trek intros, include an instrumental theme that "captured the drama of Banner's life" whioe also holdimg an optimistic atmosphere, and asked Russo to help woth ot due to his work on Picard and Strange New Worlds.
The series would also make use of multiple licensed songs. Showrunner Sage Cotugno said that some of the songs were" decided naturally", as they thougth of said songs playing over the scenes as they were being conceived, and wanted to include them in the final product. Also included in the soundtrack is a cover of "The Lonely Man" from The Incredible Hulk (1977) by Lang Lang. The soundtrack would be released in September 27, 2035.
No.	Title 	Writer(s) 	Performer
1 	Monster 	Jeff RussoBrear McCrearyJoe Harnell 	
2 	The Lonely Man (from The Incredible Hulk)	Joe Harnell 	Lang Lang
3 	I'm Always Chasing Rainbows 	Harry Carroll and Joseph McCarthy 	Alice Cooper
4 	Wichita Lineman 	Jimmy Webb 	Glenn Campbell
5 	Stop and Look (And You Have Found Love) 	Thom Bell and William Hart 	Adrian Younge and The Delfonics
6 	Fairytale of New York 	Jem Finer and Shane MacGowan 	The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl
7 	Sabotage 	Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, and Adam Yauch 	Bestie Boys
8 	Send Me On My Way 	Michael Glabicki, Liz Berlin, John Buynak, Jim Dispirito, Jim Donovan, Patrick Norman and Jennifer Wertz	Roosted Root
== Trivia==
*The series would mark the first animated Disney series to be created by a non-binary person.
*Showrunner Sage Cotugno described the series Spider-Man: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series as inspirations for the show's handling of the Marvel Universe.
*Cotugno wanted the series to be a celebration of the Hulk's long history, while also "embracing the fact that this is a Disney show".