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Every Hulk Origin Story Shown In Marvel's Movies & TV Shows, Ranked

By Richard Craig

Published 1 day ago

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The Marvel TV and film adaptations, each version has put its own spin on Bruce Banner’s monstrous transformation. From straightforward retellings to bizarre reimaginings, Hulk’s journey from scientist to green-skinned goliath has varied wildly depending on the tone, era, and medium. Some adaptations stay faithful to the comics, while others lean into sci-fi experimentation, military conspiracy, or personal tragedy.

In the original Incredible Hulk #1 comic from 1962, Bruce Banner is a brilliant physicist working on a gamma bomb for the U.S. government. During a test, he saves a reckless teen named Rick Jones who’s wandered into the blast zone. Bruce pushes Rick to safety but is caught in the explosion himself. At first, Banner appears unharmed–until that night, when he transforms into a gray-skinned Hulk for the first time. This early Hulk wasn’t tied to anger yet, but transformed under moonlight, adding a horror-tinged twist.

7 The Marvel Super Heroes (1966)

The Incredible Hulk – Episode 1

The Hulk’s first screen origin came in the 1966 The Marvel Super Heroes animated series, which adapted actual comic book s with limited animation. The episode “Origin of the Hulk” stays surprisingly faithful to the source material, even including forgotten details from Incredible Hulk #1, like Bruce Banner’s colleague Igor Drenkov, who purposefully delays stopping the gamma bomb to steal Banner’s notes, being a Soviet spy. Rick Jones is also present, and the transformation still happens later that night, maintaining the original supernatural vibe.

Edward Norton as Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk examining a vial

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While charming in its retro style, The Marvel Super Heroes is more a motion comic than true animation, with stiff visuals and minimal motion. Still, its faithfulness to the comics gives it a nostalgic appeal. The old-school Cold War framing and melodramatic delivery create a quirky tone that’s more amusing than gripping today. As an origin story, it’s a solid representation of Hulk’s roots, but the clunky format and dated execution make it less compelling for modern audiences, even if it has undeniable historical value.

6 Hulk (2003)

Directed By Ang Lee

Ang Lee’s Hulk reimagines the character with a deep focus on trauma, repression, and genetic destiny. In this version, Bruce Banner is a scientist researching cellular regeneration, but his experiments are tainted by the legacy of his father, David Banner, who performed illegal tests on himself before Bruce was born. This gives Bruce a latent genetic predisposition to becoming the Hulk. The inciting incident is a lab accident – Bruce saves a colleague named Harper from a malfunctioning gammasphere, absorbing a massive dose of gamma radiation. Like the comics, he seems fine at first, but Hulk-outs some time later.

The Hulk origin is a mixed bag. It keeps the noble act of saving someone else, staying thematically close to the comics, but the pseudo-science and Freudian subtext muddy the waters. The addition of frog experiments and surreal flashbacks makes the origin more confusing than dramatic. While it attempts to elevate Hulk’s origin into an operatic family tragedy, the result is uneven. It’s certainly ambitious, but less emotionally effective than it wants to be. Still, it earns credit for trying something bold.

5 The Incredible Hulk (1978 TV Movie)

TV Movie Pilot

The pilot for the 1978 Incredible Hulk TV series offers a subdued, introspective take on Hulk’s origin. David (not Bruce) Banner is haunted by his inability to save his wife from a car crash. Searching for the source of hidden human strength, he irradiates himself with gamma rays in a lab that resembles a dentist’s office. The experiment seems to fail, but later, while struggling to change a tire in a thunderstorm, he transforms into the Hulk for the first time. This initial transformation is especially gripping. Later episodes would condense this into the show’s iconic opening montage.

Lou Ferrigno painted green as the Hulk in The Incredible Hulk series

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This version discards much of the comic book setup in favor of personal tragedy and internal struggle. While it’s slow-moving and lacking a proper climax, the emotional weight it gives Banner’s motivation is compelling. By isolating him and removing characters like Rick Jones or any government/military context, it centers the story purely on Banner’s emotional arc. The result is iconic and intimate, but undeniably quiet and slow by modern standards. The subsequent re-edit for The Incredible Hulk's opening titles is far more effective.

4 The Incredible Hulk (2008)

The MCU’s Hulk

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s The Incredible Hulk (2008), Bruce Banner’s origin is told in a fast-paced opening montage. The film blends elements from the 1978 TV show and the comics, with Bruce experimenting on himself in a military lab under General Ross’s supervision. Rather than testing a gamma bomb, the experiment is tied to the MCU’s burgeoning Super Soldier program, recontextualizing Hulk’s creation as a botched attempt to replicate Captain America. The transformation into the Hulk happens immediately, though seen only from Hulk’s perspective.

Mark Ruffalo's Hulk shouting in Thor Ragnarok

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While the visuals and editing are slick, the decision to relegate Hulk’s origin to a title sequence is a missed opportunity. The montage is emotionally effective and thematically rich, succinctly expressing Bruce’s earnest scientific acumen, Ross’s militaristic obsession, and Betty’s emotional concern for both. Unfortunately, it rushes through material that could’ve made for a compelling first act. It’s faithful in spirit but loses dramatic weight by skipping over key moments, such as Bruce’s heroic sacrifice. It's technically brilliant, but The Incredible Hulk would have been better served by a 20-minute rendition.

3 The Incredible Hulk (1982)

Episode 3 “Origin Of The Hulk”

The 1982 animated Incredible Hulk series devotes its third episode to retelling Bruce Banner’s transformation with strong fidelity to the original comic. In this version, Bruce is testing a gamma bomb when Rick Jones (now complete with his 1980s cowboy hat) is spotted in the danger zone. In this version, Bruce’s treacherous assistant Igor is no longer a Soviet spy, but is instead working for aliens, an odd change but perhaps more appropriate for a young audience. The transformation still occurs later that night, staying true to the eerie, slow-burn original setup.

Smart Hulk at dinner in Avengers Endgame

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The 1980s Incredible Hulk origin story benefits from Stan Lee’s narration, giving it a nostalgic charm and grounding it in classic Marvel tradition. The animation is dated, but the storytelling is straightforward and effective. The alien plot twist is a goofy, era-specific quirk, but it doesn’t detract too much from the story’s core. While the pace is slower, this version hits most of the important beats with sincerity and adds some thrilling action. It's a solid, retro retelling that wears its comic book roots proudly, even if it swaps geopolitical tension for Saturday morning silliness.

2 Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.

Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. delivers the most comedic and creative version of Hulk’s origin. Told in under a minute, this version is presented through A-Bomb’s narration and shown using crude children’s drawings – actually drawn by Red Hulk in a hilariously low-effort stick figure style. The sequence retells Bruce Banner’s heroic attempt to save Rick Jones from a gamma bomb explosion, almost -for- faithful to the comic’s version, with just enough simplification for younger viewers. Despite the quick pace, it includes the key emotional beats and even pokes fun at the story’s inherent weirdness.

Close up of Hulk looking sad with necklaces around his neck in Thor Ragnarok

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This parody-style origin works perfectly within Hulk and the Agents of SMASH’s irreverent tone. It’s a meta, fourth-wall-breaking take that assumes viewers already know the basics but still respects the source material. The decision to keep it fast, funny, and visually silly makes it one of the most memorable recaps of Hulk’s origin, especially for younger audiences or longtime fans who enjoy a clever deconstruction. It may not carry emotional weight, but its sharp humor and surprising faithfulness make it a standout – even if it’s intentionally ridiculous.

1 The Incredible Hulk (1997)

Season 1, Episode 1 “Return Of The Beast”

The 1997 Incredible Hulk animated series uses a moody flashback montage in its premiere episode to show Bruce Banner’s origin. As in the comic, Bruce is working on a gamma bomb alongside General Ross, with Betty Ross watching from the sidelines. When he spots Rick Jones riding a motorcycle into the test site, Bruce rushes to save him. Igor is still present, but now part of a general sabotage plot that kicks off moments before the blast. In a poignant change, Bruce throws Rick into the secure bunker, where Ross seals the door just before the explosion. Bruce seemingly transforms immediately, with a fun transition from gray Hulk to green.

Hulk fighing aliens in animated Marvel movie

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The Incredible Hulk version is both emotionally resonant and visually unsettling. It remains mostly faithful to the original comic but adds powerful character touches, especially Betty’s presence and concern. The gray-to-green transformation is a clever nod to Hulk’s evolving comic history, and the animation sells the horror of the metamorphosis. Despite being only a flashback, it packs emotional punch, sets up the core characters, and captures the tragedy at the heart of Hulk’s story succinctly and effectively.