Edward Norton To Become The Incredible Hulk

Two time Academy Award nominee Ed Norton has been cast as the title character in ?The Incredible Hulk?, Marvel Studios has announced.

Norton ('Fight Club'), will play Bruce Banner who, due to a radiation-related accident, turns into the monstrous Hulk whenever he gets angry.

"Edward Norton is a rare talent and one of the most versatile actors in the business. His ability to transform into a particular role makes him the ideal choice to take on the character of Bruce Banner/The Hulk. Edward is perfectly suited to bring one of the most popular and important Marvel icons to the big screen in a new and exciting way," said Kevin Feige, President of Production, Marvel Studios.

The film is a restart after the disappointment of the 2002 film, directed by Ang Lee and starring Eric Bana.

Norton is a surprise casting but more in line with a darker version that was planned for the mid-1990?s, which was to star Steve Buscemi. The film is apparently set to return to the roots of the long-running comic series and television show.

The casting also follows the current trend of casting dramatic actors (as opposed to those with an action background) in superhero roles, with Oscar Winner Robert Downey Jr recently beginning filming as Iron Man.

'The Incredible Hulk' is due out June 13th, 2008.