I’m having a hard time with this one.
It’s not fresh news that Academy Award Winning actor William Hurt has been cast to play General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in the upcoming Hulk movie. The announcement was made last summer. I’ve lived with this for more than five months and I’m still having trouble with it.
I mean, really, William Hurt?
The same actor that played soft-spoken John Robinson from Lost in Space?
The guy who was the soft-spoken Macon Leary in The Accidental Tourist?
Soft-spoken Duke Leto from SciFi Channel’s Frank Herbert’s Dune?
Sensing a trend here?
I love William Hurt. I mean, he’s soft-spoken! What’s not to like?
But General Ross is anything but soft-spoken. He’s a hard-boiled war veteran with a knack for plowing through barriers with all the nuance of a bull. Doggedly determined, he’s the perfect foil for the Hulk. As such, I’m really having some difficulty with Hurt’s casting.
Hurt’s a gifted actor playing soft-spoken better than anyone. Who speaks softer, I ask?
You can’t think of anyone, can you?
I just don’t know about this choice.
November 29th, 2007 at 8:49 am
We all know they should have cast R Lee. Ermey for this. Damn Marvel people and their damn casting.
I’m mostly joking about R. Lee. Mostly.
November 29th, 2007 at 9:03 am
Check out Hurt in A History of Violence.
November 29th, 2007 at 9:20 am
Joe, you took the words right out of my mouth.
November 29th, 2007 at 9:57 am
And Altered States. And Broadcast News. And Children of a Lesser God. Dude can scream like hell when he wants to.
One thing William Hurt does well, I think, when appropriate, is exude menace. Personally, I like this casting. I can see Ross speaking softly but threateningly and it being downright terrifying when he loses his cool and tears some poor private’s head off (figuratively, of course).
November 29th, 2007 at 11:00 am
It’s almost like William Hurt is an actor who can play different roles differently depending on the requirements of the scripts and characters or something!
November 29th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Hurt’s role in HoV probably got him this gig. I like the casting myself. It’s new, it’s different, it’s surprising!
November 29th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
William Hurt’s turn in “History of Violence” is up there with Jack Nicholson in “A Few Good Men” for usage of minimal screen time to maximum effect.
I defy anyone to not laugh their heads off when he asks the dead thug “How do you fuck that up?” not once, but twice!
November 29th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Not to offend William Hurt fans, but what you describe as “soft spoken” I describe as “an energy drain.” I’m still not sure about this new Hulk movie because of his casting as Thunderbolt Ross. While I can understand the producers of this new movie wanting to make a clean break from the previous one, Sam Elliot was a great choice to play Ross and it is a shame he wasn’t given the role again. No matter what, he never sucks the energy out of anything he is in.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
“It’s almost like William Hurt is an actor who can play different roles differently depending on the requirements of the scripts and characters or something!”
What was the name of the dog that farmer had?
November 29th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Here’s two pics of Hurt in costume, and he looks almost exactly like Elliot.
http://www.comicus.it/images/rubriche/mc/071118/hurthulk2.jpg
http://www.comicus.it/images/rubriche/mc/071118/hurthulk1.jpg
November 29th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Wow, thanks for the pics, Travis. He doesn’t just look like Elliot, he looks like the guy in the JRJr pic. I wasn’t expecting him to look so close to the comic character.
November 30th, 2007 at 8:47 am
Wow, he is really looking the part!
But after Paul mentioned Lee Ermey, I can’t imagine anyone else for the role…
Best,
Hunter (Pedro Bouça)
November 30th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Whoever wrote this post has definitely not seen History of Violence.