A new report has surfaced regarding two major Marvel characters that will be pivotal to Marvel Studios as they prepare for phase four and beyond in the post-Endgame Marvel Cinematic Universe.
According to MCU Cosmic, film rights to The Incredible Hulk and Namor have been reverted back to Marvel Studios from Universal Pictures who originally owned distribution rights to the characters, with Marvel allowed to use them in team-up films such as Thor: Ragnarok and the Avengers films.
The outlet made it a point to call this a rumor, but there is evidence out there giving credence to the report. Back in November, Mark Ruffalo teased that he had a secret meeting with Marvel Studios CCO Kevin Feige which could easily have been regarding the possibility of a new solo film under Marvel. In August, in a now-deleted stream, a Marvel exec teased that the rights were no longer a problem.
Even though there is evidence, this has not been confirmed by anyone at Marvel Studios. It is also not known how Marvel Studios retained rights, whether it was a buyout, Universal letting rights expire, or a possible IP trade.
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It is rumored that Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner will make his appearance in the upcoming Disney+ series She-Hulk, which is currently casting and is expected to begin production later this year. As for Namor, it is unlikely he would get his own film, however, it is widely suspected that he could appear as a villain in the upcoming Black Panther sequel, with the possibility of appearing in future films. Namor has been both a villain in the comics and a hero, even joining the Avengers.
Source: MCU Cosmic