The web has been all a twitter with the recent announcement that Ed Norton (Rounders, Fight Club, American History X, The Illusionist) will take over the role of Bruce Banner (aka The Incredible Hulk) in the upcoming re-tooling of the Ang Lee/Eric Bana film from just a few years ago. You may remember that film as the one where Nick Nolte was stranger than normal, as he slowly transformed into Gary Busey due to accidental radiation overexposure. Ring any bells? No?
More importantly, the hiring of one of our best actors into a superhero role is always an interesting one, and I immediately recalled how excited I was when I heard that Robert Downey, Jr. had been cast as Iron Man. I loved Anne Thompson's quote that Norton is "is constitutionally incapable of selling out" (although apparently she didn't see Red Dragon or The Italian Job). Maybe it's true though, and he just locks the director out of the editing booth. :)
Anyway, I'm loving that the studios are looking at real actors to play these comic book roles, rather than, oh I don't know... Ben Affleck or Wesley Snipes. Even Tobey Maguire has some acting chops - go rent Pleasantville, The Ice Storm, or Seabiscuit.
However, I think it was Better Than Fudge that said it best:
Really? Seriously? Is this just an effort to one up the casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man? What’s next? Philip Seymour Hoffman as Captain America?
UPDATE: I don't know how I forgot to mention Christian Bale in Batman Begins when thinking about "real actors" playing superheroes... but I did. Also, The Guardian has an interesting take on this trend.
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