Imagine the Hollywood actor whom you'd least expect to play The Incredible Hulk in The Avengers, and maybe, just maybe, you'd come up with the name of Mark Ruffalo. He's always been an actor's actor and is getting critical raves in Focus Features' The Kids Are All Right which opened last weekend. But I've learned that he's now in late-stage discussions between Marvel and his brand-new agency United Talent to play this key member of The Avengers ensemble. Like Edward Norton, whom he'd be replacing, Ruffalo would bring real chops to the role. But, unlike Edward Norton, he wouldn't an on-set asshole.
Sources confirm reports that Mark Ruffalo is in talks to play the Hulk in the upcoming Avengers movie...
One of our sources said that the casting isn't a done deal, but that the actor, currently getting award season buzz for his role as a lesbian couple's anonymous sperm donor in The Kids Are All Right, is the only guy Marvel Studios is considering right now.
"It's not like they're talking to six people just in case he doesn't work out," the source said.
As you may remember, all heck broke loose last weekend when HitFix reported that Edward Norton would not be reprising his role as the green-skinned musclehead. A nasty game of verbal ping-pong between a Marvel Studios exec and Norton's agent ensued.
Ruffalo certainly wasn't an obvious choice for the action-flick considering most of his work has been of the artsy kind, including Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Brothers Bloom and Zodiac. He has appeared in more mainstream endeavors like Rumor Has It opposite Jennifer Aniston and 13 Going on 30 with Jennifer Garner.
Ruffalo's rep did not immediately comment. Marvel's rep declined.