- Stuntman Terry Notary reveals that Edward Norton was less involved in the special effects process for The Incredible Hulk compared to co-star Tim Roth.
- Notary claims that Norton was “not very present” when it came to creating the Hulk.
- Norton’s desire for “diversity” in his roles might have contributed to his departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
According to stuntman Terry Notary, the experiences of working with Edward Norton and Tim Roth on The Incredible Hulk were notably different in terms of their involvement in the special effects process. Speaking about Roth, Notary mentioned that he was “one of those quintessential actors that likes to be involved, wants to make sure that he’s going to look good and his character’s going to look good.” However, when it came to Norton’s work in the motion capture for the Hulk, the actor was reportedly less engaged.
Notary served as a choreographer and a motion capture specialist for the second installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), working closely with Roth and Norton on the superhero film. While Roth played Emil Blonsky, who transforms into the CGI-villain the Abomination, Norton portrayed the movie’s titular protagonist. It appears that Roth was more committed to executing the necessary work regarding the special effects process. Notary stated, “[Norton] wasn’t really engaged, as far as the Hulk stuff goes, unless he was transforming from himself into the Hulk. He was not very present through the whole thing.”
The Incredible Hulk, a sequel that never came to fruition, saw Norton playing the role of Bruce Banner for the first and only time. When the character reappeared in the MCU four years later in The Avengers (2012), actor Mark Ruffalo replaced him. It is worth noting that Norton’s vision for the final version of The Incredible Hulk clashed with that of screenwriter Zak Penn and director Louis Leterrier. Norton has previously mentioned that his reason for leaving the MCU was to avoid being typecast and prioritize the “diversity” of his roles. However, considering his lack of involvement in the special effects for The Incredible Hulk and other behind-the-scenes issues, it is possible that those factors also played a part in his departure.