TAGGED AS: Disney, Disney Plus, streaming, television, TV
Although announced alongside Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel in 2019, the She-Hulk series took a little bit of time to get here — which is understandable once you watch the trailer Disney+ released in May and its fully computer-generated title character. But beyond offering a first good look at the character Hulked out, it also displayed some of the program’s sensibility and, seemingly, its goals as an out-and-out Marvel Studios comedy. Or, at the very least, something more consciously advertising itself as one. Will audiences respond? And will the inevitable pivot to action land as successfully as it did with Hawkeye?
To find some answers, we’ve assembled everything we know about the series, now titled She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Along the way, we may also get a glimpse of continuing Marvel storylines and find a spot for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s other hero lawyer to break his way into a case.
(Photo by Marvel Studios/Disney+)
Per Disney+ own description of the program, She-Hulk centers on Jennifer Walters, a “lawyer who specializes in superhuman-oriented legal cases.” She also happens to be the cousin of Bruce Banner — better known to the MCU as the Incredible Hulk and one of the saviors of the planet. But as the trailer released in May indicates, her career and her family will collide with a superhuman outcome as Bruce starts to teach her the whys and hows of Hulking out. And as the official description puts it, she must then navigate “the complicated life of a single, 30-something attorney who also happens to be a green 6-foot-7-inch superpowered Hulk.”
That premise is quite similar to much of the character’s comic book adventures. Originally debuting in 1980 — courtesy of John Buscema and Stan Lee after Marvel feared the then-airing Incredible Hulk TV series might introduces a Female Hulk first — she first received her powers after getting shot on the courthouse steps and Bruce, the only suitable donor available, was forced to share some of his gamma-irradiated blood. Determined to remain a lawyer, she split her time between courtroom, the streets, and the occasional jaunt into space. And during a legendary run by writer and artist John Bryne, she became one of the funnier Marvel characters as the absurdity of the premise finally bloomed into what it clearly needed to be; in fact, she was breaking the fourth wall long before Deadpool learned he was a comic book character.
In the decades since, various writers and artists have leaned into the comedic potential of the character, like a 2014 series written by Charles Soule with art by artists Javier Pulido and went deeper into the comedy while focusing on Jennifer’s chosen profession. During the year-long run, she represented the son of Doctor Doom in a political asylum case, argued opposite Matt Murdoch, and faced up to the reality of an incident that was erased from her mind. She also experiences more serious eras as well, of course, particularly when she gets involved in company-wide crossovers. On the whole, however, she represents a welcome lightheartedness in the Marvel Universe.
The Soule-written run may be one of the primary influences on the program — the trailer indicates she will be defending Emil Blonsky in court — although the trailer makes it clear a certain level of action is also something viewers should expect. Also, as we’ll soon see, elements from a slightly earlier She-Hulk run are definitely on display.
(Photo by Marvel Studios/Disney+)
As with most Marvel characters, Jennifer typically calls New York home. That may not be the case with Attorney at Law, though, as the setting looks more varied than the five boroughs. For one thing, the May trailer opens with what appears to be the Los Angeles skyline. The second major location glimpsed appears to be a holding facility out in the California desert that may be the Vault or the Cube, a pair of Marvel lockups not previously seen in the films or television shows. We’re going to assume it is the place Bronsky is being held and the place Wong deposits him after their cage match in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings; in fact, eagle-eyed viewers have already determined his holding cell is on the other side of Wong’s sling ring portal in that Shang-Chi scene.
We also see shots of Jennifer and Bruce on some tropical beach, which means a retreat is in store, either in the wake of discovering she is representing Bronsky or whatever circumstances force Bruce to share his blood with her. No matter the reason, though, the beachfront views seem like an ideal place for Jen to get used to her powers.
But getting back to L.A., it will be the first time the city has been featured since Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) left the ruins of his Malibu home at the end of Iron Man 3. It also continues Marvel’s concerted effort to spread the heroes out a bit with both Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) calling San Francisco home and Marc Spector (Oscar Isaac) splitting a London flat with his alternate personality Steven Grant. The choice is a good one, as a lot of the established MCU heroes reside in New York or, in the case of Ms. Marvel’s Kamala Kahn (Iman Vellani), just across the river in New Jersey. The L.A. setting may also prove integral to the story as the difficulties Jennifer will face with becoming a Hulk (and dating as one) are glimpsed in the trailer. Also, it should be noted, her comic book counterpart was said to be the daughter of the Los Angeles County Sheriff, so moving to the so-called Left Coast isn’t necessarily out of left field.
(Photo by Arturo Holmes/WireImage)
Tatiana Maslany stars as Jennifer Walters and She-Hulk. Back in the comics, Jen is depicted as whip smart, but more timid than her hulked-out persona. As the same time, She-Hulk generally has most of Jennifer’s wits — including in the courtroom — and a joie de vivre even Tony Stark could find tiring. Despite the trailer, it is unclear how much of this will transfer to the series, but we’ll venture Jen will start to enjoy her abilities and notoriety before too long; although it seems possible her activities as She-Hulk may cost her a job at the Goodman, Lieber, Kurztberg and Holliway law firm. First debuting in the 2004 She-Hulk run by Dan Slott, , its three senior partners were named for Marvel Comics luminaries Martin Goodman, Stan Lee, and Jack Kirby, but Holliway is the face of the firm, and he appears in the trailer to appoint Jennifer to its superhuman division. Other lawyers at the firm include Renée Elise Goldsberry’s Amelia, and, seemingly, Josh Segarra, whose exact role is still unconfirmed.
(Photo by ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection)
Tim Roth returns as Emil Blonsky, the human form of the Abomination and a part the actor played in 2008 film The Incredible Hulk, which starred Edward Norton as the titular hero. Blonsky is seemingly Jen’s first client as part of GLK/H’s superhuman division. Benedict Wong will also make an appearance as the Sorcerer Supreme that will, presumably, explain his activities with Blonsky.
Outside of the firm and Jen’s case, her world is also populated by best friend Nikki (Ginger Gonzaga) and cousin Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). Curiously enough, Disney+ credits Ruffalo as “Smart Hulk” — an appellation that makes some sense considering his character arc from Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame — to say nothing of the character as glimpsed in the May trailer.
Though the number of foes She-Hulk will face is unknown currently, one is clear: Titania (Jameela Jamil). She can be glimpsed doing her best Kool-Aid Man impression late in the trailer. Back in the comics, she was a woman thrown into the Secret Wars who accepted Doctor Doom’s offers of superpower in exchange for loyalty, becoming muscle for hire in subsequent years. But no matter how the program establishes her powers, she is absolutely a physical threat, and her confrontation with Jen is inevitable. The trailer makes the case that it will disrupt Jennifer’s current litigation.
Also, a glimpse of Frog-Man in the trailer leaves us wondering if they are friend or (like Frog-Man’s father) foe. It also left us to wonder just who is under that mask.
Other actors set to appear in include Anais Almonte, Jon Bass, Nicholas Cirillo, and David Otunga.
Back in 2019, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige teased “you never know what Marvel characters are going to show up” in the program. It may have been a reference to Blonsky or Wong, but we’ve spent the last few years thinking it might be an opportunity for Charlie Cox to return as Matt Murdoch. The fact he already made his MCU debut representing Peter Parker (Tom Holland) in Spider-Man: No Way Home only makes it more likely — if even just in the mid-credit stinger at the end of the film. Many hope it will be a more substantial appearance, and he will show up in at least a few of the show’s nine episodes.
(Photo by Rich Fury/WireImage)
Kat Coiro, who directed 2022 Jennifer Lopez film Marry Me, is at the helm of Marvel Studio’s longest live-action series to date. Coiro directed episodes 1-4, 8, and 9, while A.P. Bio’s Anu Valia takes over for episodes 5-7. Their sitcom credentials seemingly confirm Feige’s comments about the series utilizing the 30-minute format. Both Coiro and Valia’s resumes suggest more than the three-camera setup honored in the early episodes of WandaVision, however. Rick & Morty’s Jessica Gao serves as head writer with episode writers reportedly including Dana Schwartz, Melissa Hunter, Cody Ziglar, Kara Brown, and Zeb Wells.
In addition to Feige, Coiro and Gao, executive producers also include Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum. Wendy Jacobson and Jennifer Booth serve as co-executive producers.
The series will fill out Marvel’s summer when it debuts on August 17. The episodes will likely run around 30 minutes, and the series will conclude its run in October.
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She-Hulk: Attorney at Law: Season 1
(2022)
premieres August 17 on Disney+.
