Liv Tyler is returning as Betty Ross in MCU’s Phase 5, but there are still a few characters from The Incredible Hulk who haven’t been brought back.
Several characters from The Incredible Hulk are still missing from the MCU. Prior to the MCU’s Phase 4, the events of The Incredible Hulk were practically ignored, despite the film marking the only time Bruce Banner has had a solo adventure in the franchise. During the 2008 film, the second in Marvel Studios’ shared universe, Edward Norton portrayed Banner, the scientist inflicted with a transformative condition after being exposed to lethal levels of gamma radiation, but the role was recast for The Avengers, which saw Mark Ruffalo become Bruce Banner, a.k.a. the Hulk, a role which he continues to portray in the current MCU.
While General Ross has had a background role in the MCU for a number of years, the Multiverse Saga confirmed the inclusion of several other characters from The Incredible Hulk. Harrison Ford will now play Ross, Tim Roth returned as Emil Blonsky, a.k.a. Abomination, in Shang-Chi and She-Hulk, and Tim Blake Nelson is reprising his role of Samuel Sterns, a.k.a. the Leader, in Captain America: New World Order. Marvel has recently also provided confirmation that Liv Tyler is returning as Betty Ross, but there are still some missing characters from The Incredible Hulk who could be important to Bruce Banner’s future MCU story.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAYClose5Ty Burrell – Leonard Samson
Ty Burrell debuted as Leonard Samson in The Incredible Hulk, Betty Ross’ love interest in Bruce Banner’s absence. This role had the potential to be very significant to Bruce Banner’s journey as the MCU’s Hulk but was relegated to a secondary character. In Marvel Comics, Leonard Skivorski Jr. goes by the moniker Doc Samson and is a psychiatrist and long-running supporting character to the Hulk. After Bruce Banner was temporarily cured of being the Hulk by having his radiation siphoned off, Skivorski exposes himself to this radiation and becomes the superhuman Doc Samson, named after the biblical character because of his long hair.
Doc Samson often appears as a psychiatrist to some of the more damaged superheroes in Marvel’s roster, but though he is regularly seen as an ally to the world’s superheroes, he also battles against high-profile characters, including the Hulk, on various occasions. With Liv Tyler confirmed to be returning as Betty Ross in Captain America: New World Order, it’s possible that Doc Samson might not be far behind, as the pair shared a relationship in The Incredible Hulk. This could create the opportunity for some brilliant Hulk storylines to be told in the MCU, including the rumored MCU World War Hulk project, as Samson is pivotal to this comic storyline.
4P.J. Kerr – Jim Wilson
P.J. Kerr appeared as Jim Wilson during The Incredible Hulk, playing one of the students at Culver University who witness the Hulk’s transformation and battle with Ross and Blonsky. Between the character’s debut in 1970 and his death in 1994, Jim Wilson was a regular supporting character of the Hulk and a close friend to Bruce Banner, with an important and poignant storyline as the character succumbed to AIDS after Banner refused to give him a blood transfusion. Interestingly, Jim Wilson was revealed to be Sam Wilson’s nephew in Marvel Comics, so it’s possible that Kerr could reprise the role and confirm some relation to the MCU’s new Captain America.
3Nicholas Rose – Jack McGee
Although Jack McGee didn’t have roots in Marvel Comics (until the character’s debut as Jacqueline “Jackie” McGee in 2018), Nicholas Rose’s role in The Incredible Hulk paid homage to an original character from the 1977 TV series, The Incredible Hulk. In the show, McGee was portrayed by Jack Colvin and was a reporter who traced the Hulk’s movements. In the MCU, Jack McGee was a student at Culver University, along with Jim Wilson, who captured video footage of Bruce Banner becoming the Hulk and was even the character to dub Banner’s alter-ego “the Hulk.” Should Wilson return in the MCU’s future, it’s possible McGee could still be working with him.
2Christina Cabot – Kathleen Sparr
During The Incredible Hulk, General Ross’ right-hand-woman was portrayed by Christina Cabot, with Kathleen Sparr assisting Ross in his pursuit of Bruce Banner across the globe. In Marvel Comics, Kathleen Spar was a scientist recruited by Ross to be a member of the Hulkbusters, a team of soldiers who wore Stark’s Hulkbuster armor to track down and subdue the Hulk and the Abomination. In The Incredible Hulk, Sparr is last seen interrogating Samuel Sterns before being knocked unconscious by Blonsky, only moments before his transformation into the Abomination, so it’s possible that she could return alongside the Leader in Captain America: New World Order.
1Peter Mensah – General Joe Greller
Peter Mensah had a very small role in The Incredible Hulk as General Joe Greller, the character who first introduced General Ross to Emil Blonsky, a member of the strike team that Greller had compiled for Ross’ pursuit of Bruce Banner. He was shown to be a close personal friend to General Ross but hasn’t been mentioned or seen in the MCU since The Incredible Hulk. With Ross being recast for Harrison Ford in Captain America: New World Order and Thunderbolts, it’s possible that Greller could return along with several other missing characters from The Incredible Hulk.
