Marvel Comics Productions has made some interesting casting announcements last week, from Edward Norton as the new Incredible Hulk and Laurence Fishburne as the voice of the Silver Surfer. Considering producer Avi Arad has described the former sequel as "Diet Hulk," it seems unusual to cast perhaps the most intense actor working today.
“Well, he’s also charming and lovable and he has a great sense of humor,” explained Arad. “He’s exciting, so to me he’s more exciting than intense. I think he’s one of the great actors of our time and it elevates the movie, elevates the character.”
As for the Silver Surfer, surely actor Doug Jones could have done a compelling voice himself. “We think it will be cooler to have Mr. Fishburne doing it,” Arad said.
Arad has stood by his sequels from the beginning, despite critics who called their predecessors failures, like Ang Lee’s "Hulk." “I don’t call it a bomb. I think creatively, it was a really interesting movie. And look at the weekends out there, the movie did $132 million domestic. I don’t know if you call it a bomb. Call the studios and make a deal with them. I always wanted to bring it back. I always said I’m going to bring it back and bring it back in a different way, and I think the movie is going to be spectacular. Not good, spectacular. Different.”
He’s even planning a "Punisher 2," despite a lackluster box office for the original. “Punisher, the DVD did $60 million domestic for a movie that cost very little.”
Now the only major character Arad still struggles to bring to the screen is Captain America. “It’s coming. It’s all coming.” Who would make the perfect Captain? “Too early.”
