Hulk (2003)
MovieOptionalLegacy
Bruce Banner's gamma experiment unleashes the Hulk in Ang Lee's psychological take. This 2003 Marvel film was made outside Marvel Studios’ main MCU line-up, so it’s optional for the watch order and works fine on its own. It runs 2h 18m and is free to watch with ads on YouTube in the US.
| Directed by | Ang Lee |
|---|---|
| Starring | Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott, Nick Nolte |
| Release date | June 20, 2003 |
| Runtime | 2h 18m |
| Age rating | PG-13, some material may be inappropriate for under 13 |
| IMDb rating | 5.7/10 |
| Box office | $245M worldwide |
| Series | Legacy Marvel films |
| Part of | Hulk movies in order |
| Post-credit scene | No |
Why it matters now
Ang Lee's divisive psychological take: ambitious comic-panel editing and a much-mocked gamma-poodle fight, later rebooted by the MCU.
About Hulk
Ang Lee's Hulk starts in the 1960s with government geneticist David Banner experimenting on himself, which leaves his son Bruce with altered DNA. Adopted as a child and raised as Bruce Krenzler, believing both his birth parents are dead, Bruce grows up to work at Berkeley Lab on nanomedicine alongside his girlfriend Betty Ross, daughter of General Thaddeus Ross. When a gammasphere malfunctions, Bruce shields a colleague and survives a dose that should have killed him. Soon his buried rage starts turning him into the Hulk, and his long-lost father resurfaces.
Universal released the film on June 20, 2003. James Schamus, John Turman and Michael France wrote it, and Industrial Light & Magic created the CGI Hulk. Eric Bana plays Bruce, Jennifer Connelly is Betty, Sam Elliott is General Ross, Josh Lucas is Glenn Talbot and Nick Nolte is David Banner. Lee used split-screen editing to mimic comic panels. The film cost $137 million, grossed about $245 million and split critics, who praised the cast and direction but faulted its pacing and 138-minute length. Its reputation has improved since.
Good to know
- Stan Lee and Lou Ferrigno, the TV Hulk, cameo together as security guards.
- It earned four Saturn Award nominations, including Best Music for Danny Elfman, who replaced Mychael Danna's rejected score.
- The Hulk fights three mutated Hulk dogs, a creation adapted from the comics.
- A planned sequel was reworked into The Incredible Hulk (2008), the second MCU film.
How to watch it
Hulk is not part of the MCU, so watch it as a standalone before The Incredible Hulk (2008), which starts fresh with Edward Norton. If you want to compare, the 2008 film skips the origin and keeps only Bruce hiding in South America as a callback. Go in expecting a slow family drama about trauma and fathers more than a smash-'em-up. Fans of Ang Lee, comic-panel style editing and character-driven superhero films will get the most from it.
Where it fits in your watch
- All legacy Marvel films
Hulk FAQ
Is The Incredible Hulk (2008) a sequel to Hulk (2003)?
No. A sequel was planned but was reworked into a reboot. The director of the 2008 film said the only remaining link was Bruce hiding out in South America.
Will Eric Bana play the Hulk again?
Bana has said he doesn't expect to return to the role.
Who plays Bruce Banner's father in Hulk (2003)?
Nick Nolte plays David Banner, whose experiments on himself are the root of Bruce's condition.
Can you skip Hulk?
Yes. It sits outside the MCU timeline, so nothing in the MCU depends on it.
When was Hulk released?
Hulk was released on June 20, 2003.
Is Hulk part of the MCU?
No. Hulk is a Marvel film made outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so it isn’t on Marvel Studios’ official timeline.
Does Hulk have a post-credit scene?
No, Hulk has no post-credit scene.
Where to watch Hulk in the US
| Streaming (subscription) | Not currently on a US subscription service |
|---|---|
| Free with ads | YouTube (more free Marvel) |
| Rent or buy | Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango at Home |
Where to watch Hulk outside the US
| Country | Stream | Other options |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Disney+ | Rent: Apple TV, Rakuten TV, Amazon |
| Canada | Disney+, Crave | Rent: Apple TV, Amazon, CosmoGo |
| Australia | Prime Video, Disney+ | Rent: Apple TV, Amazon, Fetch TV |
| India | Prime Video | Rent: Amazon, Apple TV |
Streaming availability last verified: October 16, 2026
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