Mark Ruffalo Fires Back at Superhero Movie Snobs and Declares Hulk Can Beat Superman
Mark Ruffalo has been smashing his way through the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever since he stepped into the role of Bruce Banner in The Avengers back in 2012. While he’s never headlined a solo Hulk film, Ruffalo has become one of the MCU’s most reliable heavy hitters, and he’s gearing up to return in next summer’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
The actor recently sat down with Mehdi Hasan where he talked about his time in the MCU, the criticism aimed at superhero movies, and, of course, whether Hulk could take down Superman.
When asked about being part of Marvel for so long, Ruffalo explained why he loves the continuity of the franchise.
“Just having the continuity. As an actor, you're going from one extreme situation to the next. You make these tight-knit groups and then break apart, and rarely ever do you have the type of continuity.”
He added:
“I never thought I would have a real, legit, steady job. [Being an Avenger] is my steady job. Each movie you do is kind of a different universe, especially if you're working with different directors.
“What I love about Marvel is that they really do let the director create a whole other world. You go from The Avengers to Thor: Ragnarok. They're extremely different.”
Of course, the conversation also touched on the criticism Marvel and other superhero movies often get from legendary filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola. Ruffalo doesn’t let it bother him one bit.
"I don't know, it's acting to me. It's all filmmaking. It's storytelling. I like to do it all. I don't give a shit. I'm gonna please myself as far as my art goes. I'm having the best time."
And while some critics see superhero movies as empty spectacle, Ruffalo pointed out that the audience reactions tell a different story.
“For all of the criticism we might get from the high-brow directors, I've never sat in one of those movies where I've seen people literally screaming, crying, beating their chests.
“When I went to see [Avengers: Infinity War] with my son, no one knew who I was, and at the end of the movie, they jumped up, they were on their seats like, 'Start a riot!'”
Later in the interview, Ruffalo took on a few rapid-fire Marvel questions. He admitted he’d love to team up with Wolverine someday and said that politically he relates more to Captain America’s worldview than Iron Man’s.
But the real fun came when Hasan asked him about dream matchups. Who would win in a fight between Hulk and Superman? Without hesitation, Ruffalo laughed and said, “The Hulk.”
And when it came to Red Hulk’s chances against him in Captain America: Brave New World, Ruffalo doubled down. “Hulk. No one beats The Hulk. Not even the Red Hulk. I love Harrison Ford.”
Looks like in Ruffalo’s eyes, the Jade Giant is still unbeatable.
You can check out the full interview with Mark Ruffalo below.