Every Hulk Movie, Ranked (Including Red Hulk)

Thor: Ragnarok is both a great movie and one of the few MCU movies where Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) gets plenty of screen time. In the film, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) crash lands in Sakaar after Hela (Cate Blanchett) attacks Asgard. On the planet, he reunites with Banner, who has been living as a gladiator and remaining in Hulk form full-time. Thor: Ragnarok is hilarious, with epic fight scenes, complicated family reunions, and a fantastic soundtrack. Meanwhile, Banner is at his very best as he finally embraces his Hulk in a side story reminiscent of Planet Hulk.

Avengers: Endgame is one of the biggest MCU movies, and it introduces viewers to Professor Hulk — the iteration of Hulk that balances Hulk’s strength with Banner’s intelligence. In the film, Hulk plays a pivotal role. He teams up with the remaining Avengers five years after Thanos (Josh Brolin) wiped out half of humanity in The Blip in an attempt to bring the disappeared back. Avengers: Endgame boasts a breathtaking scale, riveting superhero/time travel premise, and serves as the perfect finale to the MCU’s Infinity Saga while giving viewers a new idealized iteration of Hulk.

The Avengers sees the titular superhero team assemble to stop Thor’s brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) from using the Tesseract to launch a full-scale invasion of Earth. The film marks the MCU debut of Ruffalo as Hulk, who Edward Norton previously played. Initially, The Avengers recruits Banner for his scientific skills. However, when Earth needs him most, he lets Hulk out with the iconic line, “That’s my secret, Cap. I’m always angry.” In addition to serving as a significant part of Hulk’s MCU history, The Avengers is a groundbreaking superhero crossover film with fantastic visuals and performances across the board.

The Incredible Hulk is the only official solo film of the Hulk in the MCU. The 2008 movie follows Bruce Banner (Edward Norton), whose life is altered by a failed gamma radiation experiment. As he searches for a cure for his new Hulk condition, he is hunted by Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt), who is desperate to weaponize him. It’s a vital introduction to Hulk and Ross and a light-hearted, fast-paced, thrilling superhero movie. However, The Incredible Hulk is a bit restrained by its origin story premise and initial disconnection to the MCU.

Five years before the MCU arrived, Ang Lee directed the standalone movie Hulk. The film follows Bruce Banner (Eric Bana), a brilliant scientist haunted by his traumatic childhood. After a lab accident leads him to become the Hulk, he is forced to confront his past and his estranged father, David Banner (Nick Nolte). Hulk doesn’t boast most modern superhero films' sophisticated CGI and action-packed premise. However, that’s what makes it so good. It’s one of the few movies that focuses less on monster smashing and actually delves into Banner’s darker comic book history and the psyche of a man who feels he’s a monster. Dark, dramatic, and emotionally powerful, Hulk is one of the most creative takes on the Marvel character.

Avengers: Infinity War sees the Avengers assemble to stop warlord Thanos from collecting the Infinity Stones and wiping out half of humanity. The film marks Hulk’s reunion with the Avengers after his stint on Sakaar. Interestingly, he is at odds with his alter ego and cannot summon his Hulk form. Hence, Avengers: Infinity War is more of a Banner film. Meanwhile, the film is slightly overstuffed, meaning Banner only gets a supporting role. Still, viewers will be amused by the latest chapter in his complicated relationship with Hulk and will have their breath taken away by the sheer scale of Avengers: Infinity War as it successfully brings numerous heroes across over a dozen films together for a grand finale.

Planet Hulk is an animated movie that adapts the Marvel comic book storyline of the same name. The film sees Hulk (Rick D. Wasserman) crash land on the planet Sakaar, where Red King (Mark Hildreth) pits him and the residents of the planet against each other in gladiatorial-like games. However, the warriors soon bond and formulate a plan to usurp the Red King. Planet Hulk largely stays faithful to the source material, offers a strong voice cast, and boasts the typical nostalgia and entertainment of Marvel’s animated works. However, it feels a bit rushed as it tries to condense a significant comic storyline into a short runtime.

Captain America: Brave New World introduces a new Hulk to the MCU. The movie follows Sam Wilson (Mackie) as he officially takes on the Captain America mantle. However, he and newly elected President Ross (Ford) butt heads when the country is thrown into crisis by an international conspiracy. To further complicate matters, Ross is hiding a Hulk-sized secret. Captain America: Brave New World is action-packed, politically resonant, and proves Wilson is the right man to bear the Captain America shield. Although Red Hulk only plays a minor role, he’s the movie's highlight and offers some of the best Hulk smashing the MCU has seen in a while.

Avengers: Age of Ultron sees the Avengers unite to fight Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey, Jr.) AI creation, Ultron (James Spader), which has become sentient with a penchant for villainy. The movie marks an important chapter in Hulk’s MCU history, as it sees a relationship develop between Banner and Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson). Despite their budding relationship, Banner can’t let go of his fear of his alter ego, believing Earth is safer without him. While Avengers: Age of Ultron is quite the dazzling spectacle, it could have used a little more time developing characters like Hulk and delving deeper into its themes of AI and good vs. evil.

The Incredible Hulk Returns is an excellent watch for viewers interested in Hulk’s campier, humbler screen roots. The made-for-TV film is a continuation of the TV series The Incredible Hulk. Bill Bixby returns as Bruce Banner, and Lou Ferrigno returns as his alter-ego Hulk. In the movie, Banner has spent two years in human form and is on the brink of finding a permanent cure until his life is turned upside down by the arrival of Thor (Eric Allan Kramer). Naturally, as a 1980s TV film, The Incredible Hulk Returns is a pretty campy, low-budget movie. Despite the poor visual effects, it boasts good performances and an interesting storyline.