‘They’ll have to call me back to save the franchise’

Guest at Emerald City Comic-Con, Mark Ruffalo joked about the film’s negative reception:

“Now they’re going to have to call me back to save the franchise. Just kidding… Am I cancelled?” (laughs) “I have a soft spot for Chris Hemsworth, so I’m always waiting for him to invite me to his next project.”

The actor then reflected on his reaction to the recasting of Hulk

after the release of Edward Norton from the franchise. When asked if he had any conversations with Norton at the time, Ruffalo called the whole situation “embarrassing” and “bizarre,” explaining that he felt his predecessor didn’t have too much trouble leaving the role behind. :

“Embarrassing.” (laughs) “No, I mean, I didn’t talk to him, but I contacted him like we do now when we don’t want to talk. And I was like, ‘Hey, man,’ and he was like, ‘No, that’s okay.’ I mean, it was bizarre. It was even more bizarre when Robert Downey Jr. introduced me on stage at San Diego Comic-Con (in 2010) saying ‘And now, bring him back as Hulk…Mark Ruffalo!’ And those in the room probably thought ‘Huh? What?'”

“I don’t know how much Ed was related to the role. But I think he thought something like, ‘Oh, thank God. Let Ruffalo handle this.’ But he was beautiful. We are friends. The subject never came up, and it was never an issue between us. Lucky me.”