Marvel introduced “no assh*le policy” after recasting this notorious Avenger

Marvel Studios has a “no assh*le policy” on its movies, coming after the studio recast one of its earliest Avengers following a creative clash.

Shortly after the MCU launched with Iron Man, the franchise debuted its next Avenger: The Incredible Hulk, played by Edward Norton in the 2008 film.

Until The Marvels, it was the lowest-grossing movie in the series, and it wasn’t exactly well-loved upon release either; it has a 67% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, plus a 69% audience rating.

Four years later, Bruce Banner returned in The Avengers… portrayed by Mark Ruffalo.

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MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, a book chronicling the studio’s journey through the Infinity Saga, details the “chaotic battle” behind the scenes of The Incredible Hulk.

“A movie that seemed like a guaranteed smash almost fell apart, threatening not just the box office receipts of one summer movie, but the fate of a studio attempting to establish itself,” it reads.

“It’s the movie that newcomers to the MCU are encouraged to skip. But it also taught Marvel Studios a valuable early lesson about the limits of collaboration.”

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To put that into context, Norton constantly tinkered with Zak Penn’s script and lobbied for a Dark Knight-esque path for the character. “I laid out a two-film thing: The origin and then the idea of Hulk as the conscious dreamer, the guy who can handle the trip,” he told The New York Times.

“And they were like, ‘That’s what we want!’ As it turned out, that wasn’t what they wanted. But I had a great time doing it. I got on great with Kevin Feige.”

Well, that last part may be up for debate. In an earlier statement, Feige said the decision to recast Norton was “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.”

According to the book, Norton is also effectively banned from returning to the MCU, alongside Joss Whedon.

As one unnamed Marvel performer explained, “we have a no-assh*ole policy on our movies.” Craig Kyle, one of the studio’s producers, said: “It’s a great policy.”

Make sure you know what’s coming with our upcoming Marvel movies guide, find out how to watch the Marvel movies in order, and check out our ranking of the MCU movies.