Marvel has four perfect characters for Hulk’s team in a potential World War Hulk movie. Marvel has no official plans for a World War Hulk adaptation, but some of the setup needed for such a story is in place. The original Hulk has been absent for a long time now, but the Green Goliath coming back with a fury feels like a scenario that’s bound to happen at some point. And when it does, the MCU’s very “World War Hulk” event could finally happen.
In Marvel Comics, “World War Hulk” was a crossover that saw Hulk take revenge on his former friends after being shot into space. Following a long journey back to Earth, the Hulk and a ragtag team of allies worked together to strike out against the people he held responsible for his situation. It’s long been rumored that the MCU’s original Hulk will eventually return with his own crusade against Marvel’s heroes. Throughout the entirety of Smart Hulk’s mysterious trip to space in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, there was a sense that Marvel was building toward it in some way. But even if World War Hulk is the long-term plan for his character, it can’t work unless Hulk has people who will help him wage war on the MCU. In the comics, this group was called the Warbound. While major Hulk allies like She-Hulk and Korg are unlikely to take his side in the movie, the MCU does have four characters who could fill these roles.
Skaar
Born to the Hulk and a Sakaarian woman named Caiera during his time on Sakaar, Skaar lost his homeworld when it was consumed by Galactus. In the aftermath of its destruction, Skaar came to Earth on a rampage against his father in a 2007 comic. But though he and the Hulk started off as enemies, the two didn’t remain at odds and eventually formed an alliance against various threats.
The first impression of the MCU’s Skaar implies that he’s not on the same vengeful path as the comic book character, but he could still prove to be a powerful warrior. That, combined with his connection to the original Hulk, makes him the strongest candidate for a role at Hulk’s side if the latter ever declares war on the MCU’s heroes. After all, Hulk would be the only person on the planet he knows, and in turn the character with the best chance of gaining Skaar’s aid in battle.
Abomination
Wong has helped Abomination escape, the former villain would be inviting a battle with the Avengers or a different team of heroes if he ever stepped foot outside of Kamar-Taj. However, he could find sanctuary with a powerhouse like the Hulk. If these two were to ever common ground, the rest of the MCU’s heroes could find themselves in dire straits.
Namor the Sub-Mariner
Phase 4 is on the cusp of introducing an ideal partner-in-crime for the Hulk in Namor the Sub-Mariner knew it would backfire and washed his hands of it, which is ultimately why Hulk refrained from making an attempt on Namor’s life. He attacked Atlantis, but upon finding out the truth about Namor’s decision, he agreed to leave in peace.
The MCU could go one step further and have Hulk and Namor forces. Going in that direction would be a sensible move for the MCU, particularly if Black Panther 2’s ending doesn’t culminate in Namor giving up his dreams of conquest. Instead, Namor could put off his battle with humanity until he finds someone strong enough to help him, and the right person could very well be Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. Precedence for this exists, as Namor and the Hulk had a landmark team-up against Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in The Avengers #3. Both are outsiders who could end up feeling like they’re at war with the world in the MCU’s future.
Plus, Hulk and Namor have a storied relationship that’s definitely worth exploring on the big screen. In addition to engaging in numerous brawls with each other over the years, Namor and Hulk were teammates during their days as Defenders. During this time, Namor often dismissed Hulk as a savage brute incapable of intelligent thought but has also – sometimes begrudgingly – itted to sharing some level of respect for the Hulk in Marvel’s classic Defenders comics. The MCU could opt to offer its own interpretation of their dynamic by including Namor in World War Hulk.
Hercules
During “World War Hulk”, Marvel Comics formed a team of superheroes called the Renegades, which consisted of Hercules, Angel of the X-Men, Amadeus Cho, and Namor’s cousin, Namora. Each character had their own reasons for being sympathetic to the Hulk’s cause, and even though they didn’t want to help him take down the Illuminati, they ultimately did assist him in battle against those seeking to stop him. Like his comic counterpart, the MCU’s Hercules could wind up on Hulk’s side if Marvel eventually makes World War Hulk.
Marvel seemingly set up Thor: Love and Thunder’s mid-credits scene, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be reserved for Thor 5, or even if that’s Marvel’s plan for his character. It could be that Hercules’s MCU debut in Love and Thunder was secretly one of several building blocks for a World War Hulk story. As for why he’d help Hulk, it’s possible that his motivations would relate directly to Thor’s role. If Thor is one of the characters whom Hulk has to fight, that could all be the reason Hercules would need to take part in the conflict. Not only that, but unlike most MCU superheroes, Hercules should be new to Earth and may not feel compelled to stand with the Avengers, the Illuminati, or anyone else on the opposing side.
