Marvel attempts to make it two in a row as Incredible Hulk, played this time by Edward Norton, hits this Friday. And we hope he hits. Hits lots of things. Smashes them actually, because Hulk fans need that after Ang Lee’s cerebral take on the Jade Giant.

A couple of positive reader reviews have come out after some early screenings. There are apparently several nods to the classic 80s TV show, as well as some other Marvel franchises. Having taken over the chore of making its own movies, Marvel is going to present the first shared comic universe ever on screen. Robert Downey Jr. reportedly has a cameo in Hulk, and of course Samuel L. Jackson’s turn as Nick Fury was one of the best after-credit treats ever.

Read more

That is to say, Marvel Studios is largely pretending Ang Lee’s dialogue heavy, action-light take on the Incredible Hulk didn’t happen. The studio’s president Kevin Feige told Sci Fi Wire the 2003 film will be summed up in an entrance montage. He compares it to the opening of the classic Hulk TV series.

Read more

The game based on the upcoming Incredible Hulk film just took a major step toward not being the complete and total waste of a jewel case most movie games are.

Marvel and Sega have announced that the game based on the June movie will feature all the key members of the cast including Edward Norton as Bruce Banner/The Hulk, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross and Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/The Abomination.

Sega said the game, being developed by Edge of Reality, will draw from the movie’s events but feature some divergent plotlines too. Now we just have to hope the gameplay’s up to par.

It’s hard to glean much from teaser trailers sometimes, other than my theory that if you can’t find 15-30 good seconds for a trailer your movie’s really bad.

So the Incredible Hulk franchise reboot isn’t in trouble yet. As a matter of fact the trailer for this revamp doesn’t look half bad. Edward Norton is always good so I don’t have any qualms about him playing the Hulk.  Liv Tyler replacing Jennifer Connelly is a bit of acting downgrade, though. The trailer confirms the appearance of Abomination in this one. If Hulk and the chick-flickish Superman Returns have shown us anything, it’s that comic moviegoers expect the hero to fight an actual villain of some sort in films. We’re old-fashioned that way.

But don’t take my word for the smashy goodness, check out the new Hulk teaser trailer here. The trailer also appears in the previews before Doomsday which starts its run at cineplexes tomorrow. Check that out quickly if you want to see it, because that run may end Saturday.

Are you aware that there’s an Incredible Hulk movie coming out this year? I was starting to wonder if Marvel Comics’ PR department knew. While I think I saw the first Iron Man trailer during Star Wars Episode I, there has been precious little pub for the Hulk film coming June 13.

Now the House of Ideas has announced that the first Hulk teaser trailer will begin airing March 12 on seven networks. After its initial airing, the trailer will go live on MTV.com. (You still probably won’t be able to find any music on there, though.)

The first Hulk film was something of a disappointment, as evidenced by the fact they replaced everybody involved with it down to the key grips. Edward Norton will now play Bruce Banner instead of Eric Bana, Liv Tyler will replace Jennifer Connelly as Betty Ross, and William Hurt will be Gen. Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. Sam Elliott played Hulk’s eternal nemesis in the 2003 film. And for good measure, Louis Leterrier has the director’s chores instead of Ang Lee.

Really, the only person that probably needed to go was Lee. His “Crouching Drama, Hidden Action Sequences” take on the character didn’t resonate with most fans. Tim Roth plays Emil Blonsky, the man who becomes Abomination, so hopefully initial reports that there is a lot more “Hulk Smash!” in this one are correct.