"Hulk" director speaks

I loves me a good comic book movie, though 2003's "Hulk" was pretty tragic, despite all the hype about Ang Lee making it. Jennifer Connelly was a scorching hot Betty Ross though, and I thought Eric Bana was pretty good too.

Anyway, here's an interview with the upcoming sequel to "Hulk", Louis Leterrier:


'HULK' DIRECTOR SPEAKS
In an exclusive interview, director Louis Leterrier discusses Ang Lee’s film and why he chose the villains he did for 2008’s ‘Incredible Hulk’

By Rickey Purdin

Posted November 27, 2007 3:15 PM

Best known for street-level martial arts flicks such as “The Transporter” and “Unleashed,” director Louis Leterrier gamma-irradiates the big screen on June 13, 2008, with the release of “Incredible Hulk.” Starring (and written by) Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, the titular alter ego of the Green Goliath, along with Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, “Incredible Hulk” acts as a fresh start for the monstrous hero from Marvel Studios after director Ang Lee took a stab at the franchise in 2003.

“It’s a fresh start because I saw there is a real fan base for Ang Lee’s movie,” said Leterrier of Lee’s ill-received “Hulk” in an exclusive interview with Wizard. “I didn’t want to offend [those fans] in any way, and also I like the movie. It was very interesting. [But] it was weaker ground to build a big franchise upon so we decided to scrap it and establish it from bases that are more comic book-based and TV show-based.”

“Incredible Hulk” will still feature several elements from the Ang Lee film such as General “Thunderbolt” Ross (played by William Hurt) and his hunt for Banner. But the development of other antagonists takes place in the film, as well. Heading for those comic book roots, Leterrier pit Hulk against someone very familiar to comic book fans.

“Obviously, General Ross is the villain, so he had to be in it,” added Leterrier. “But the Abomination, Emil Blonsky, was who Marvel wanted to put in this chapter—the first chapter of our new saga—because he’s the most famous. He’s an enemy that can actually threaten the Hulk. It’s very important for me that there is a danger. When Bruce Banner is Hulk, I didn’t feel in Ang Lee’s ‘Hulk’ that there was any threat. He was invincible. So with Abomination there’s actually a monster that can, you know, kill him when he’s in the Hulk form.”

Played in human form by Tim Roth, Blonsky isn’t the only new character. Look for Doc Samson (played by Ty Burrell) and Samuel “the Leader” Sterns (played by Tim Blake Nelson) when the film powerbombs into theaters next summer.