It’s been rumored for months, and then basically confirmed, but Robert Downey Jr.’s appearance (as Iron Man’s Tony Stark) in “The Incredible Hulk” trailer has surfaced in a Hulk TV spot that’s quickly making the rounds on the web.
Normally, a cameo like this would’ve been saved for the movie experience, but wethinks Marvel is trying to build buzz, ride on the fumes of the successful “Iron Man,” exhaust in the homestretch of their Hulk marketing (the film comes out this Friday, June 13) and give that final push for a film that has seemingly recovered after some bad buzz in early April (the film’s comeback in the eyes of the rather critical geeks seems rather remarkable in this day and age of insta-decisions).
“I hear you have an unusual problem,” Stark / RDJ tells Gen. ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross (William Hurt), the Hulk’s arch nemesis. “You should talk,” Ross counters sarcastically with a knowing glint in his eye (it would appear Stark hasn’t come out of the Iron Man closet at this point in the Hulk film).
All of this is of course supposed to set-up an Avengers film sometime in 2011, but Marvel is obviously sewing those seeds as early as possible. We’re seeing the Hulk tonight and we’re pretty curious to see how it plays. The CGI still looks rather unconvincing to us, but we’ll find out soon enough.