Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro once came close to launching the first-ever Guillermo del Toro Hulk TV series, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s ambitions following the blockbuster success of The Avengers ultimately prevented his vision from reaching television. Announced in 2010 and developed with ABC and Marvel Television, the project’s abrupt cancellation marked a missed opportunity for both Marvel fans and monster-lovers alike.
Guillermo del Toro’s Passion Project Sidelined by Marvel’s Cinematic Strategy
Guillermo del Toro, one of cinema’s most creative minds who previously helmed projects like Hellboy and The Shape of Water, is known for bringing unique flair to stories of monsters and misunderstood heroes. His interest in the Hulk came from a deep fascination with comic book characters who straddle the line between hero and creature, inspired by classic figures such as Morbius, Jack Kirby’s Demon, and Deadman. By 2010, del Toro partnered with Battlestar Galactica’s David Eick to develop a Hulk TV pilot intended as the launch vehicle for Marvel Television’s future slate.
Del Toro’s approach stood out: he planned to bring Bruce Banner’s monstrous alter ego to life by blending prosthetics, puppetry, and computer-generated imagery, capturing the tactile emotion and spectacle he is famous for. At the time, del Toro was no stranger to unfinished business; in 2018 he publicly listed the Hulk TV pilot among several completed screenplays that never progressed to production. According to del Toro,
To be clear, these screenplays are WRITTEN, done,
—Guillermo del Toro
Highlighting the effort poured into his unproduced works, he said,
Each of them took months or years of my life. Meetings, synopsis, beat sheets, and features were all written, features- 90-130 pages each. These are not ‘maybes’ or ‘wish list’ items. They are done.
—Guillermo del Toro
Despite its potential, this fresh take on the Hulk was ultimately caught in Marvel’s shifting priorities. As The Avengers roared to global box office success in 2012, Marvel Studios opted to focus on weaving Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk more deeply into the overall Marvel Cinematic Universe. This decision sidelined del Toro’s project, as attention shifted to Joss Whedon’s developments, including Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which instead became Marvel Television’s first official series. Reflecting on the fate of his show, del Toro shared,
I met with Jeph Loeb after Avengers, but after that meeting, there’s been complete radio silence on the show. It’s very frustrating for me and for the fans that we don’t know. I haven’t heard anything in months about the show, but obviously, Avengers is a game-changer for Marvel. It’s their property, and if I don’t make it, at least I’ll watch it.
—Guillermo del Toro
From Marvel’s Monsters to ‘Pacific Rim’: Del Toro’s Unfulfilled Vision
Undeterred by the setbacks, del Toro soon turned his creative energies to another monster-filled spectacle—Pacific Rim. The creation of this mecha-vs-monsters blockbuster was itself born from another unproduced vision, an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness, which faltered over budget and rating disagreements. Ultimately, Pacific Rim became del Toro’s next venture, blending his affinity for awe-inspiring creatures and large-scale battles in a new science fiction franchise. He admitted the emotional toll of these unrealized projects, saying,
“When it happened, this has never happened to me, but I actually cried that weekend a lot. I don’t want to sound like a puny soul, but I really was devastated. I was weeping for the movie,”
del Toro said.
Interestingly, Marvel Studios paid tribute to del Toro’s monster legacy through the animated series What If…?. The episode
“What If…The Hulk Fought the Mech-Avengers?”
showcased a version of Bruce Banner mutating into a kaiju-sized being and engaging in battles reminiscent of the stylistic chaos that defined Pacific Rim. This episode offered fans a glimpse into the kinds of genre-bending stories del Toro might have created had his Hulk TV series materialized.
Marvel Television’s Shifting Landscape and Del Toro’s Broader Legacy
The Hulk was not the only character to experience shifting fortunes within Marvel’s early television ambitions. As chronicled in the book MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios by Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, and Gavin Edwards, several projects from Marvel’s Writers Program underwent dramatic transformations. Jessica Jones transitioned from an ABC proposal to a Netflix series, while Luke Cage shifted from a film concept to television. Runaways was initially developed for the big screen by Drew Pearce but instead was adapted into a successful TV series. Meanwhile, Inhumans switched from a would-be film franchise to an ABC series following changes in Marvel leadership, particularly after the division between Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige and Marvel Entertainment’s then-president Ike Perlmutter, only to falter despite a notable cast including Anson Mount.
As for del Toro, his future in superhero adaptations remains uncertain. While the Guillermo del Toro Hulk TV series never reached audiences, he is currently set to revisit the classic monster genre through an adaptation of Frankenstein. This pivot continues his tradition of exploring the line between humanity and monstrosity, a theme evident throughout his celebrated filmography.
The story of Guillermo del Toro’s lost Hulk series serves as a symbol of creative aspirations meeting the realities of franchise-driven moviemaking. While Marvel’s cinematic universe prioritized interconnected storytelling, fans are left to imagine the possibilities of what might have been—a monster masterwork blending del Toro’s visual storytelling and the drama of Bruce Banner’s tortured existence. Meanwhile, actors like Edward Norton (Bruce Banner) and Liv Tyler (Betty Ross) remain part of the Hulk’s legacy, but the vision Guillermo del Toro once held for the character stands as one of Marvel’s most intriguing “what ifs.”
