Edward Norton Releases Statement About Marvel's Casting Decisions For The Avengers

On Friday, we heard that Marvel had decided to recast the roles of Bruce Banner and the Hulk for The Avengers. Edward Norton, who played the parts in The Incredible Hulk, is out, and a new actor, to be announced, will be hired. Kevin Feige of Marvel released a rather undiplomatic statement about the decision which left no doubt that the casting decision was about anything other than personality. Norton's agent fired back with his take, defending his client.

Now Edward Norton has released his own statement, and it is quite polite and classy.

Here is Norton's statement, which is posted as an image file on his official Facebook page. Rather than transcribing, I'll just post the image he ran. Click for a slightly larger version:

I'm happy to see Norton go the diplomatic route, rather than wading into the fray with Feige. That's what his agent is for, and while it would be better if all this stuff stayed behind the scenes, it's good to see Norton taking the high road. I'm sure it's a very deliberate tactic, especially considering Kevin Feige's statement about recasting the role. ("Our decision [to recast the role] is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members.")

Meanwhile, there's the rumor about Joaquin Phoenix playing the Hulk. Interesting idea, but a very odd choice. Expect to hear more at Comic Con, when Feige will no doubt hope to trot out the whole cast of The Avengers in one go.