The Hulk may be one of Marvel's signature characters, but Thor's theatrical dominance makes him the more important contributor to Walt Disney's (DIS 0.16%) fortunes right now, Fool contributor Tim Beyers says in the following video.
History just isn't on the Hulk's side. Through two films -- The Hulk and The Incredible Hulk -- Marvel's green giant earned $508 million at the worldwide box office. Thor, by itself, took in $449 million and its successor, Thor: The Dark World, appears on track for at least $600 million in gross receipts. Add it up, Tim says, and Disney investors have good reason to expect another Thor film before the Hulk gets another solo big screen adventure.
But will it happen? Chris Hemsworth, who plays the title character, is already signed for The Avengers: Age of Ultron. Also, in a recent interview with Screenrant, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige left open the possibility of the Thor series of films extending into a trilogy.
Meanwhile, multiple reports say that actor Mark Ruffalo, who plays Dr. Bruce Banner and the Hulk, is signed to a long-term deal that could cover six films. He's only appeared in two as of this writing: Marvel's The Avengers and an end credits scene in Iron Man 3. Clearly Marvel has more plans for Ruffalo. How soon they're realized is likely to be a function of what audiences want, and right now, they can't seem to get enough of Hemsworth.
Do you see Marvel and Disney greenlighting another Thor film soon? Or do you believe the Hulk will get first billing? Please watch the video to get Tim's full take and then leave a comment to let us know what you think.
