Well, we got some interesting news recently, didn’t we?

GDT and David Eick (Battlestar Galactica) want to bring THE HULK back to television on ABC.

I’ve surveyed the landscape of Guillermo Del Toro fans, and I think for the most part, fans are excited about the prospect.  I believe they should be.  So allow me to share my thoughts on “Hulkamania”:

We won't see anything like this on ABC. The new HULK will not be all CGI.

First of all, the team looking to put this show together is like THE AVENGERS of television: Guillermo Del Toro, David Eick, Jeph Loeb (Smallville, Lost), and Joe Quesada (Marvel). With that pedigree, why would we not expect a take on THE HULK that isn’t fresh, original and compelling?

GDT was not available for comment prior to writing this article – so the following is purely MY opinion on what I would like to see from the new show. First, let me outline the antagonists from the most recent HULK storylines in movie and TV:

• Hulk vs Criminals (70′s TV show)
• Hulk vs Daddy & Military(Ang Lee movie)
• Hulk vs Military (Norton movie)

So far, the HULK story lines have been kept within the confines of reality.  What if this new take on THE HULK delved more into the realms of science fiction and horror?  That is the “bread and butter” for guys like GDT, Eick, Loeb and Quesada, isn’t it?  I think what I am looking for in the new show is *strangeness*.  I was hooked on LOST, for example, because it was so *strange*.  I want to see THE HULK fighting gamma-mutated enemies, paranormal forces, and super-powered military henchman.  Can this be done on a television budget? Absolutely – they pulled if off on SMALLVILLE, and I don’t think it has near the budget that THE HULK might have with ABC.

Also, let’s talk for a moment about GDT’s involvement.  Will this be “his” project? Yes and no.  He will help create the story arc and have some creative control – but I don’t think his involvement will be at the level of, say Frank Darabont with THE WALKING DEAD, who is writing and directing some episodes and is a driving creative force. 

If we are lucky, we might see a pilot episode directed by El Maestro, or if we are REALLY fortunate, I could see a one-off episode scripted by GDT.  But it is not like he will have day-to-day creative control – that’s for guys like Eick and Loeb.  GDT will be more like an executive producer, rather than a writer/director.

That said, THE HULK is still a project to keep an eye on.  What we might see here is a classic comic hero returning to television under the watchful eye of an All-Star creative team.

I just hope they bring the strangeness with them.

Today, Deadline Hollywood is reporting more details on a rumor that we’ve been keeping tabs on: that Guillermo Del Toro is working on a HULK television project with BATTLESTAR GALACTICA executive producer, David Eick.

Here is what Deadline is reporting:

1. The new HULK series will be at ABC, and will be co-produced by Marvel.
2. The negotiations are still be finalized
3. The series will be an origin story, and will follow Bruce Banner in his mid-twenties
4. GDT will oversee the design of the Hulk character, which will be a combination of prosthetics, puppetry and CGI.
5. Del Toro and Eick will share story and “created by” credit for the pilot script.  Eick will write the script, and Del Toro will direct, depending on availability.
6. Release date could be the fall of 2012, following the cinematic release of THE AVENGERS.
7. Also involved is GDT’s manager and producing partner, Gary Ungar, and Marvel’s Jeph Loeb and Joe Quesada.

Deadline reports GDT as saying that “the Hulk has been at the top of his list and he first pursued it as a feature film around the time of the 2002 release of Blade II.”

If this deal is 100% accurate and this deal gets done, it should hold a lot of promise – BUT I can see some suspicious eyebrows being raised.  Let me hear your comments below, and I will respond to them in a future blog post!