Official First Look at Gladiator Hulk in Thor: Ragnarok

Kofi Outlaw

04/10/2017 09:08 am EDT

The first trailer for Thor: Ragnarok just dropped, showing off the biggest (and darkest) Marvel Cosmic adventure with Chris Hemsworth's Thor, yet!

However, ever since Ragnarok's storyline was revealed, there's been one thing that fans have been looking forward to, almost more so than seeing the Odinson himself: Seeing Mark Ruffalo's Hulk alongside Thor in this third installment. And after a lot of concept art and merchandising teases, Marvel Comics fans are finally seeing it onscreen: Gladiator Hulk, inspired by the famous "Planet Hulk" storyline

NEXT PAGE: What Is Planet Hulk?

What Is Planet Hulk?

"Planet Hulk" is a 2006 - 2007 Marvel Comics storyline in which The Hulk is blasted off of the Earth by his fellow Marvel Heroes, landing on the alien world of Sakaar. There, he is quickly captured and enslaved in Sakaar's gladiatorial games, held by its militant emperor.

Eventually, Hulk earns the respect of a small band of fellow gladiators, and manages to overthrow the Emperor, becoming the destined savior of Sakaar, and husband/father to a family of his own.

For Thor: Ragnarok, we know that the gladiatorial angle and look of The Hulk will be played up in the film, but it doesn't look like the borrowing will be all that extensive.

More Thor: Ragnarok

In Marvel Studios' Thor: Ragnarok, Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok – the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization – at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first, he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger – the Incredible Hulk!

Thor: Ragnarok is directed by Taika Waititi with a screenplay by Eric Pearson. The film stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston reprising his role as Loki. They are joined by Cate Blanchett (Hela), Idris Elba (Heimdall), Jeff Goldblum (Grandmaster), Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie), Karl Urban (Skurge), Anthony Hopkins (Odin), Sam Neill, Ray Stevenson (Volstagg), Tadanobu Asano (Hogun), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk), and Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Stephen Strange).

Next up for Marvel is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 on May 5, 2017. Spider-Man: Homecoming lands on July 7, 2017, followed by Thor: Ragnarok on November 3, 2017. After that Black Panther debuts on February 16, 2018, while Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on May 4, 2018. Ant-Man and the Wasp is slated for July 6, 2018, followed by Captain Marvel on March 8, 2019.

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