It was first reported that Tatiana Maslany was set to portray the lead hero on Disney+’s She-Hulk back in September, but oddly, Maslany herself denied those reports. But now Marvel Studios and its president Kevin Feige have officially announced that the former star of Orphan Black is, in fact, set to play Bruce Banner’s cousin, attorney Jennifer Walters, who gains similar gamma powers. In addition, Feige confirmed that Mark Ruffalo will be back as Bruce Banner/The Hulk, and — in a surprise move — Tim Roth will also return. Roth portrayed Emil Blonsky, a.k.a. The Abomination.
Jessica Gao (Rick and Morty) acts as a writer and showrunner. Kat Coiro (It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia) and Anu Valia (Awkwafina is Nora From Queens) are attached to direct.
She-Hulk arrives to the MCU! Tatiana Maslany will portray Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk, and Tim Roth returns as the Abomination, and Hulk himself, Mark Ruffalo, will appear in the series. Directed by Kat Coiro and Anu Valia, She-Hulk is coming to #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/lTHhy9s4dY
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) December 11, 2020
Some have speculated that she might encounter another Marvel super-attorney… like maybe Matt Murdock? But that’s just fan speculation at this point.
In the comics, Bruce was forced to give his cousin, Jennifer Walters, a blood transfusion after she was nearly killed by criminals. She wound up gaining similar powers to Bruce, but unlike him, she could transform at will and retained her intelligence and personality in her mutated form. She is known for her sense of humor and engaging in more off-beat adventures.
2008’s Incredible Hulk was an early misfire for Marvel Studios, and the lead character, played by Edward Norton, was recast with Mark Ruffalo taking over starting in 2010’s Avengers. There haven’t been many references to Incredible Hulk, with the exception of William Hurt’s Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross appearing in subsequent films, including last year’s Avengers: Endgame.
So the return of Tim Roth’s Blonsky/Abomination is a bit of a surprise, but it’s kind of nice that Marvel is acknowledging its history and weaving it into its future.
The government originally wanted The Abomination to be part of the “Avengers Initiative.” After Phil Coulson and Tony Stark intervened, he was locked in cryogenic stasis and held in SHIELD custody in Alaska.
But… there is no SHIELD anymore. What became of him when the secret agency fell apart due to Hydra infiltration?
As for Maslany, she is best known for playing several roles on Orphan Black. She won an Emmy Award for her work. Most recently, she played Sister Alice McKeegan on HBO’s Perry Mason, which has been renewed for a second season. She also lends her voice to Guillermo del Toro’s Tales of Arcadia saga on Netflix, portraying Aja and Queen Coranda.
Check back for updates on She-Hulk as they arrive!
