Ang Lee's Marvel movie has come close to revisiting it since 2003. Hulk is most commonly known for his dichotomy between man and monster, as well as for his endless quest to find peace while being persecuted by human and superhuman enemies. However, there's much more to Hulk's comic book history than Bruce Banner and Savage Hulk. Throughout the decades, Hulk has also developed many other personalities, split and reunited with Bruce Banner, gained and lost a human-like intellect, and traveled through space.

Unfortunately, Marvel hasn't explored Hulk's potential in live-action, as Hulk's movie distribution rights had been tied to Universal for several years. Ang Lee's Hulk and Louis Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk each focused on establishing a new Hulk with a clear origin story, and Mark Ruffalo's Hulk has only played a ing role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While Ruffalo's Hulk is the only live-action version of the Jade Giant to become an actual superhero, the MCU has yet to adapt a significant part of Hulk's comic book history.

What Is Marvel Comics’ The Green Door

Marvel's 2019 Immortal Hulk storyline introduced the Green Door — a portal between the lowest level of reality, the Below-Place, and the rest of the Marvel multiverse. The One Above All's dark counterpart, the One Below All, resides in the Below-Place, and he seeks to take control over all existence by extending his reach to different timelines through Green Doors and creating Gamma mutates like the Hulk. Every time a Gamma mutate dies or resurrects, they through a Green Door. In fact, Bruce Banner died in the Gamma bomb incident, and he returned through the Green Door with the Hulk awakened within.

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In Immortal Hulk, the One Below All employs the soul of Bruce Banner's abusive father Brian to possess other Gamma mutantes, including the Hulk himself. Brian possesses Absorbing Man and uses his powers to open a Green Door to the Below-Place and bring the Hulk along with him. With the help of Gamma Flight and Absorbing Man, Hulk overpowers the One Below All using an immense amount of Gamma energy. Nevertheless, Green Doors remain available to all Gamma mutates, whose resurrection is rather inevitable.

Ang Lee’s Hulk Introduced A Prototypal Version Of The Green Door

Ang Lee's 2003 Hulk Movie Bears Several Similarities To Immortal Hulk

Hulk looks back at Bruce Banner through the mirror in Marvel Comics' Immortal Hulk and Ang Lee's 2003 Hulk movie — Custom image by Nicolas Ayala

Intentionally or not, Immortal Hulk shares several elements with Hulk's origin and conflict in Ang Lee's Hulk. In Ang Lee's Hulk, a door in Bruce Banner's childhood home serves a similar role to the Green Door that's central to Immortal Hulk. Instead of a mystical barrier between dimensions, however, this door represents Bruce's childhood trauma, as it leads to the room where Bruce's father used to physically abuse Bruce's mom. Bruce constantly dreams about the door and imagines that Hulk is hiding inside. In a certain sense, Bruce is right, as the room behind that door is where his unconscious mind figuratively stores his rageful alter ego. That's where the Hulk is born.

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Similar to Immortal Hulk, Ang Lee's Hulk sees Brian Banner's big-screen counterpart, David Banner, come out of the shadows to torment Bruce after his alleged death. David also gains Absorbing Man's abilities (without Carl Creel's involvement) and tries to use the Hulk's Gamma energy to wreak havoc. Hulk also quits his efforts to defeat his father by sheer force, and instead uses a massive amount of Gamma energy to overpower him. After the Hulk escapes, Bruce Banner retains access to "the other guy" and continues his journey as a hero.

The MCU Is Unlikely To Introduce The Green Door Anytime Soon

The MCU Doesn't Seem Ready To Adapt Hulk's Metaphysical Lore Just Yet

Immortal Hulk provides plenty of material for a solid MCU Hulk movie. But while some signs point to Marvel Studios regaining Hulk's full rights from Universal, a new Hulk solo movie might still be far on the horizon. Even if it weren't, the Multiverse Saga is pretty crowded by Phase 5, and the MCU's focus is centered on multiversal stories like Avengers: Doomsday, Avengers: Secret Wars and other projects like Spider-Man 4, Shang-Chi 2, and Doctor Strange 3. With Avengers: Secret Wars set to release in 2027, sequels like Thor 5 and a hypothetical The Incredible Hulk 2 may be put on hold until Phase 7.

Immortal Hulk's metaphysical themes might be too complex for another ing role

Key portions of Hulk's comic book history have been incorporated into Hulk's MCU ing roles. For instance, Thor: Ragnarok adapted a large part of Planet Hulk, and Avengers: Endgame adapted Bruce Banner's Professor Hulk persona. However, Immortal Hulk's metaphysical themes might be too complex for another ing role, and a live-action Immortal Hulk adaptation may need to be left on the backburner for a while. That said, the rising number of Gamma mutates in the MCU lays the foundation for a similar MCU storyline. But for now, Ang Lee's Hulk is the closest thing to a live-action Immortal Hulk movie in Marvel's catalog.