''The Incredible Hulk Returns'' is a 1988 American

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

superhero film A superhero film (or superhero movie) is a film that focuses on the actions of superheroes. Superheroes are individuals who possess superhuman abilities and are dedicated to protecting the public. These films typically feature Action film, ac ...

based on the

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...

character the

Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...

which serves as a continuation of the 1978–1982 television series ''

The Incredible Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of '' The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book a ...

''. In ''The Incredible Hulk Returns'', Dr. David Banner, a scientist who transforms into a green-skinned superhuman monster when enraged, believes that he has found a potential cure for his condition, but he is delayed by the inexplicable arrival of the arrogant Viking warrior-god

Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred groves ...

. Bill Bixby returns as Banner and

Lou Ferrigno Louis Jude Ferrigno Sr. (; born November 9, 1951) is an American actor and retired professional bodybuilder. As a bodybuilder, Ferrigno won an IFBB Mr. America title and two consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles; and appeared in the documenta ...

reprises his role of the Hulk. Eric Kramer makes his first and only appearance as Thor and Steve Levitt stars as Donald Blake. This was also

Jack Colvin Jack Colvin (October 13, 1934 – December 1, 2005) was an American character actor of theatre, film and TV. He is best known for the role of the tabloid reporter Jack McGee in ''The Incredible Hulk'' television franchise (1977–82). Ear ...

's last appearance as Jack McGee.

Plot

Dr. David Banner has been gainfully employed at the Joshua-Lambert Research Institute (as David Bannion) where he and a team of scientists are putting the final touches on a Gamma Transponder, which he intends to use to cure him of his ability to turn into the Hulk. He has not changed into the Hulk for two years since he met a young widow, Maggie Shaw, with whom he is romantically involved. By chance, he is recognized by a former student of his, Donald Blake. Blake reveals that, on an expedition in Norway, he was bound into possession of a magical hammer containing the soul of

, an immortal Viking warrior banished from

Valhalla In Norse mythology Valhalla (;) is the anglicised name for non, Valhǫll ("hall of the slain").Orchard (1997:171–172) It is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin. Half of those who die in combat e ...

Odin Odin (; from non, Óðinn, ) is a widely revered Æsir, god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, v ...

and reluctantly compelled to serve Blake. Thor is summoned and clumsily angers Banner until he turns into the Hulk, who brawls with Thor and leaves. In the morning, Banner scolds Blake for setting back his experiment and demands that he and Thor make amends. Journalist Jack McGee hears of sightings of the Hulk and attempts to track him down. Thor bonds with Blake at a bar, briefly entertaining the possibility of Thor using his powers to fight crime. A Cajun gang outside the Joshua-Lambert Institute seek to kidnap Banner and the Transponder, but the Hulk effortlessly dispatches them. The mob leader Jack LeBeau targets Dr. Shaw instead of Banner. Mob members disguised as police officers ambush Banner and Shaw and kidnap Shaw despite the combined efforts of the Hulk and Thor. LeBeau blackmails Banner into handing over the Transponder in return for Shaw's life. Banner sabotages the Transponder so it cannot be used as a weapon, removing his chance of a cure. Hulk, Blake, and Thor ambush the gang's hideout and fight off a legion of gunmen to rescue Shaw. McGee is once again the subject of ridicule for his obsession with the Hulk and Thor. Blake and Banner both agree that Shaw has likely figured out that Banner and the Hulk are one and the same. Thor and Blake, now at peace with each other, say their goodbyes to Banner. Banner is forced to end his relationship with Shaw and once again leaves to find a cure.

Cast

* Bill Bixby as David Banner *

as Jack McGee * Steve Levitt as Donald Blake * Eric Kramer as

Tim Thomerson Joseph Timothy "Tim" Thomerson (born April 8, 1946) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Jack Deth in the ''Trancers'' film series and for his work in numerous low-budget features and for his comedic television r ...

as Jack LeBeau * Charles Napier as Mike Fouche *

Lee Purcell Lee Purcell (born Lee Jeune Williams; June 15, 1947) is an American actress who worked primarily in the 1970s and 1980s. Early life Purcell was born Lee Jeune Williams at the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point (North Carolina), the elder daug ...

as Dr. Margaret Shaw * John Gabriel as Joshua Lambert *Jay Baker as Zachary Lambert

Production

Unlike the preceding series which was produced by

MCA/Universal MCA Inc. (originally an initialism for Music Corporation of America) was an American media conglomerate founded in 1924. Originally a talent agency with artists in the music business as clients, the company became a major force in the film ind ...

, this film and the following two sequels were produced by

New World Television New World Pictures (also known as New World Entertainment and New World Communications Group, Inc.) was an American independent production, distribution, and (in its final years as an autonomous entity) multimedia company. It was founded in 19 ...

(New World was Marvel's owner at the time) and Bill Bixby's production outfit, which, in association with

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

, took over the ''Hulk'' television franchise from former broadcaster

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

. Bill Bixby recruited

Nicholas Corea Nicholas "Nick" J. Corea (April 7, 1943 – January 17, 1999) was an American author, television writer, director, producer and painter. Though best known for his work on ''The Incredible Hulk'' and its sequel 1988 telefilm '' The Incredible Hulk ...

, who wrote and/or directed many episodes of the ''Incredible Hulk'' TV series, to write and direct ''The Incredible Hulk Returns''.

Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Publications which ...

was a consultant on the film. Kenneth Johnson, the creator/executive producer (and sometimes writer/director) of the TV series, was not invited to contribute to the film. This television movie acted as a

backdoor pilot A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...

for an unproduced television series featuring Thor, another Marvel Comics character created by

and

Jack Kirby Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comic book artist, writer and editor, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He gr ...

based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name. Much like the television treatment of the Hulk, Thor's backstory has been altered from his original comic book appearance: while in the comics Donald Blake and Thor shared the same body and could transform by use of an enchanted cane, Thor is here depicted as being a servant of Blake and they are two separate entities, though he is still depicted as having been banished on Earth by

for being an arrogant and irresponsible warrior. His status as the "god of thunder" is ambiguous (though he does once claim to be the "son of Odin"), his powers are heavily limited, he cannot fly and his

hammer A hammer is a tool, most often a hand tool, consisting of a weighted "head" fixed to a long handle that is swung to deliver an impact to a small area of an object. This can be, for example, to drive nails into wood, to shape metal (as w ...

is not restricted by the "worthiness enchantment" from the comics. The hammer, not named Mjölnir, is used to summon Thor into the mortal world, by which Blake must say Odin's name. The movie was filmed between November 1987 and January 1988 in Los Angeles. This film is the first time another character from the

Marvel Universe The Marvel Universe is a fictional shared universe where the stories in most American comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Comics take place. Super-teams such as the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Guardians of ...

or any genuinely supernatural or otherworldly elements appeared in the universe of the ''Incredible Hulk'' TV series. Thor and the Hulk next appeared on-screen together in 2012's ''The Avengers'', played by

Chris Hemsworth Christopher Hemsworth (born 11 August 1983) is an Australian actor. He rose to prominence playing Kim Hyde in the Australian television series ''Home and Away'' (2004–2007) before beginning a film career in Hollywood. In the Marvel Cinemati ...

and

Mark Ruffalo Mark Alan Ruffalo (; born November 22, 1967) is an American actor and producer best known for playing Bruce Banner / Hulk since 2012 in the superhero franchise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and in the television series '' She-Hulk: Attorne ...

respectively.

Reception

''The Incredible Hulk Returns'' was a major ratings success, outdoing even the high expectations directed to it as a reunion of the ''Incredible Hulk'' TV series.

Home media

This television film was released by

Anchor Bay Entertainment Anchor Bay Entertainment (formerly Video Treasures and Starmaker Entertainment) was an American home entertainment and production company. It was a subsidiary of Starz Inc. Anchor Bay Entertainment marketed and sold feature films, television ser ...

on May 13, 2008 along with ''The Trial of the Incredible Hulk'' as a DVD double feature to coincide with the release of ''

''. They were re-released by

Image Entertainment RLJ Entertainment (formerly Image Entertainment) is an American film production company and home video distributor, distributing film and television productions in North America, with approximately 3,200 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 340 ...

on October 11, 2011.

References

External links

*
Hulk Smash Television!
{{DEFAULTSORT:Incredible Hulk Returns, The 1988 action films 1988 television films 1988 films Hulk (comics) films NBC network original films Television series reunion films Films based on television series Television films as pilots Television pilots not picked up as a series The Incredible Hulk (1978 TV series) Thor (Marvel Comics) films 1980s superhero films Live-action films based on Marvel Comics Television shows based on mythology 1980s American films