Matthew McConaughey Wanted To Play Bruce Banner/Hulk But Marvel Wasn't Interested

Before Edward Norton jumped into the role of Bruce Banner/Hulk in The Incredible Hulk, Matthew McConaughey tried to get in on the action. He actively pursued the role of Hulk, but Marvel just wasn’t interested.

During a recent interview with McConaughey on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, Horowitz asked McConaughey if he ever wanted to play Bruce Banner. This is how that conversion played out:

Horowitz: You never got your chance to play Bruce Banner, or David Banner in the show, did you?

McConaughey: No, I didn’t.

Horowitz: Jerks.

McConaughey: Wanted it.

Horowitz: Really?

McConaughey: Yep

Horowitz: Did you throw your hat in the ring? Did you say, “I’m game if you guys are?”

McConaughey: Yep

Horowitz: No kidding?

McConaughey: They said, “No, thank you.”

Horowitz: Can’t get’em all, I guess.

McConaughy didn’t go into any details on why exactly things didn’t work, but I guess it doesn’t really matter. What’s done is done. Norton got the Hulk role, then he had a falling out with Marvel over the direction of the story. He was eventually replaced by Mark Ruffalo in the role, who was a fantastic choice!

Regardless of how things played out with the character, I think it would have been interesting to see McConaughy in the role, but I don’t think he is ultimately the right actor for Banner/Hulk, so I’m fine with Marvel passing on him.

I’m sure one day Marvel and McConaughy will work together on a project. The actor was previously rumored to be up for the role of Norman Osborn in Marvel’s Spider-Man films, but nothing ever came of that. Are there any other characters in the Marvel universe that you think would be a good fit for McConaughey?