15 years ago, Marvel already gave fans the perfect fight between Hulk and Wolverine that Deadpool & Wolverine only hinted at Underrated animated double feature Hulk Vs offered the full guts and glory battle between the two. Directed by Sam Liu and Frank Paur, Hulk Vs. featured two 40 minute films that saw the titular hero face off against two iconic Marvel heroes. The first film featured Hulk up against Wolverine, while the second had him battling Thor, providing incredible fights and shows that the MCU should continue to have Hulk square off against various heroes in the universe.
Though both films are enjoyable, the Wolverine segment truly stands out, giving fans the fight that was waiting to happen since Wolverine made his first appearance in The Incredible Hulk #181 in 1974. Now that Wolverine has made an appearance in the MCU, it’s possible that the iconic fight between him and Hulk can finally be realized on the big screen. If the MCU does go that route, they might be wise to draw from how well Hulk Vs. was able to pull off the confrontation.
2009’s Hulk Vs. Movie Gave A Truly Great Battle Between Hulk & Wolverine
At the beginning of the film, Wolverine is tasked with hunting down Hulk, who had presumably gone on a rampage in a small town before disappearing into the snowy wilderness. The setup is methodical as Wolverine attempts to track him down. Finally, Logan comes across Bruce Banner and eventually gets him to turn into the Hulk, and the epic showdown begins. It’s a fantastic fight scene that showcases the strength and resilience of its two characters, neither backing down from the onslaught of the other.
The Canadian wilderness provides the perfect backdrop to the fight as the Hulk and Wolverine battle it out in isolation. Hulk Vs. also does a great job of allowing both characters to get the upper hand various times throughout the fight. It truly feels like the two of them will never slow down and the only reason the fight stops is that a supervillain team named Weapon X has their own plans for both the Hulk and Wolverine.
What The MCU Can Learn From The Animated Hulk Vs Wolverine Fight
If the MCU eventually decides to have a Hulk and Wolverine fight, it could be wise for them to draw inspiration from Hulk Vs. in terms of narrative and the actual fight itself. The main showdown between the characters is fluid and engaging, as they fight in the Canadian wilderness using the natural setting to each of their advantage. One particular moment is when they are fighting underwater in the river, which would be awesome to see in live action.
In the film, the true bad guys are Weapon X, a team consisting of Deadpool, Sabertooth, Omega Red, and Lady Deathstrike. Hulk and Wolverine are both wanted by The Professor to make them into something that they can control. What Hulk Vs. hints at that the MCU should definitely keep in mind, is the similarities between the two characters. Hulk and Wolverine are just two people who found themselves turned into weapons, dangerous and borderline uncontrollable. There is a pain there beneath the flashiness, and it is what makes the battle between them so compelling.
With the Hulk relegated to the background for part of the film, it acts as a sort of abbreviated origin story for Wolverine.
Why The MCU Needs To Eventually Adapt The Iconic Comic Hulk Vs Wolverine Fight
Hulk has a tendency to fight other heroes when he gets angry, and one of the best MCU scenes of all time is when Hulk battles it out with Iron Man in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Hulk as a character lends himself well to highly entertaining battles and the fight scene with Iron Man proves just that. Now that there was a brief Hulk cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, hinting at a fight between Logan and Hulk, the MCU needs to finally adapt that iconic fight once the X-Men become a staple of the universe.
Of course, it’s unclear how much longer Hugh Jackman will actually play Wolverine or if he just came back for Deadpool & Wolverine. If he does appear in Avengers: Secret Wars, that would be the perfect opportunity for him to face-off against Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. If pulled off successfully, a live action Hulk and Wolverine fight could be one of the best moments in the MCU’s history, while giving Hugh Jackman’s Logan arguably his toughest opponent ever.
Hulk and Wolverine are some of the most ferocious characters in Marvel, and the two characters have a storied history of fighting against each other. There is just something about seeing the two of them go toe-to-toe that shows the MCU really does need to figure out a way for the two of them to duke it out in the future. Hulk Vs. already proved it can be done well in motion, which should make it a top priority for Marvel when the X-Men officially join the universe.
