When last we checked in with The Incredible Hulk, Marvel Studios and star Edward Norton were squabbling, with Norton threatening to abstain from publicizing the movie if it didn’t turn out as he hoped. We were told that Norton is “passionate,” and then we were told that, in Hollywood-ese, “passionate” translates as “a big pain in the purple pants.” Now Norton is speaking out for the first time...sort of.
Entertainment Weekly tried to interview Norton for their new story on the Hulk, but after weeks of negotiation, “the actor's publicist e-mailed EW an exclusive 257-word statement, approved in advance by Marvel and Universal.” Surely such a statement could contain nothing but Norton’s unvarnished feelings on the situation.
Apparently the actual shooting of The Incredible Hulk went swimmingly; the dispute stems from the movie’s post-production process. As you’ll recall, Marvel was intent on distancing itself from Ang Lee’s dreamy, contemplative take on the character. “The company wanted to release the most commercial film possible: lots of action and a running time under two hours. Norton and Leterrier, however, lobbied for a more meditative cut of the film that ran about two hours and 15 minutes.” Meditative is definitely not what Marvel is looking for this time around, and apparently tempers flared.
Director Louis Leterrier, who says he had no trouble at all with Norton, feels the feud has been overblown. “Everyone was exhausted; it was like a little burst,” Leterrier says. “I'm angry with you!' 'No, I'm angry with you!' And me in the center saying 'Boys, calm down.' It didn't come to blows. It was just a remark here and there.”
Predictably, Norton’s statement downplays the dispute as well. “Every good movie gets forged through collaboration, and different ideas among people who are all committed and respect the validity of each other's opinions is the heart of filmmaking. Regrettably, our healthy process, which is and should be a private matter, was misrepresented publicly as a 'dispute,' seized on by people looking for a good story, and has been distorted to such a degree that it risks distracting from the film itself, which Marvel, Universal and I refuse to let happen.” You can read the full statement at the EW site; the full truth will probably have to wait.
