Entertainment
Iconic Superhero Movie Being Hidden From Streaming, Disney Doesn't Want You To Watch It
By Robert Scucci
| Published
Listen, I’m not the most reliable source when it comes to comic book movies, but I’ve seen most of them despite my lack of knowledge about the source material that inspires them. I once watched 34 MCU movies in just as many weeks on a dare after I said I loved the Fast and Furious movies but hated Marvel movies, which resulted in a long lecture about how I should love them because they’re basically the same thing. Letting my pride get the best of me, I watched every single movie that had been released up to that point, and it was alright. I wouldn’t do it again, but I think I get the gist by now.
That entire journey eventually led me to 2003’s Hulk, which I put off for years because it’s only available through on demand purchases. While I don’t have definitive proof as to why it’s not available on a streaming service except as a rental, I’m inclined to believe it has something to do with Disney’s stranglehold over all things Marvel related. Or maybe there’s just no demand for it. Either way, the point still stands that you have to throw down money to watch it, which is probably for the better, because this movie made some choices that genuinely baffle me.
Decisions Were Made
If you’re reading this article for a full rundown on all things Hulk related, I’m sorry to disappoint. What I’m here to talk about specifically is how much better the MCU handled the overall story. We all know that Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) turns big and green when he’s angry, and that General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Sam Elliott) has a complicated history with Bruce’s father, David Banner (Nick Nolte). That history forces Ross to intervene after a series of unsanctioned experiments lead to Bruce’s transformation.
Collateral damage is inevitable. Bruce falls in love with Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly), the general’s daughter, and Ross repeatedly threatens to lock him up for “the rest of his natural life.” This is said several times throughout the film, even though there’s nothing remotely natural about any of it, making that recurring line make absolutely no sense.
I’m not a tights and flights guy. I haven’t seen the new DCU’s Superman. I tapped out of the MCU after The Marvels, and I’ll only return if we get more Deadpool and Wolverine action at some point. With that bias firmly established, I’m here to extend an olive branch and explain why 2003’s Hulk pales in comparison to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.
Hulk’s biggest problem is pacing. We get the David Banner and Thunderbolt backstory. We learn about Bruce Banner’s repressed memories and identity issues. We’re subjected to all the usual junk science explaining how he becomes Hulk, along with explosions and extended emotional yammering about all of it. The movie runs 138 minutes, and we don’t even get to see Hulk doing Hulk stuff until more than 40 minutes in.
The film is trying to function as both an origin story and its subsequent adventures in one sitting, while also attempting to appeal to casual viewers and diehard comic book fans at the same time. That’s a tall order, and it never really works.
The MCU, on the other hand, does a much better job with worldbuilding. There are standalone origin films like Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger. All of these build toward the first Avengers movie, which arrived in 2012. Every Avengers film hits harder because we don’t need drawn-out origin stories anymore. They already happened. In other words, we get Avengers doing Avengers stuff because we’re already in the know. Hulk tries to do too much at once and, in my mind, was doomed from the start to never be a fully satisfying film.
The Comic Book Panels Are Laughable
One thing that completely took me out of Hulk was the gratuitous use of picture overlap. Director Ang Lee was clearly going for a comic book panel look, showing multiple moments at once in a single frame, but it honestly resembles the kind of amateur editing I do when cutting podcast episodes.
There’s a scene that shows Nick Nolte’s face in one frame and his foot in another, just so we know his foot is up to something. I understand what they were trying to do, but I’m still baffled by the execution. It’s an uncomfortable visual experience that feels less like a stylistic choice and more like a PowerPoint presentation that’s been left on autoplay.
While Hulk does have some charm in its own cheesy way, I much prefer the MCU version because it’s part of a larger plan that eventually leads to a more satisfying payoff. As a standalone film, Hulk doesn’t have what it takes to be everything it wants to be. That said, it’s still an interesting watch if you’re trying to check another Marvel movie off your list.
As of this writing, you can purchase Hulk on demand through YouTube, Apple TV+, and Amazon Prime Video.
Entertainment
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 3, 2026
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition will require some knowledge of popular U.S. sports and pop culture.
As we’ve shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections: Sports Edition?
The NYT‘s latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication’s sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
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Here’s a hint for today’s Connections: Sports Edition categories
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Here are today’s Connections: Sports Edition categories
Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:
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Yellow: In Good Shape
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Green: Current NFL Head Coaches
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Blue: Famous Sports “Curses”
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Purple: Starts of Big Ten Names
Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today’s Connections: Sports Edition #586 is…
What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?
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In Good Shape: AGIL, ATHLETIC, FIT, STRONG
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Current NFL Head Coaches: COEN, GLENN, REID, RYANS
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Famous Sports “Curses”: BAMBINO, BILLY GOAT, MADDEN, SI COVER
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Starts of Big Ten Names: BOIL, BUCK, CORN, HAWK
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Connections.
Entertainment
The DJI Mini 5 Pro drone is $500 off right now at Amazon — save on this content creator favorite
SAVE $500: The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon. That’s $500 off the list price of $1,599.
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What’s going to happen to the drone market in 2026? Due to legislative pressure on DJI imports in the U.S., there is so much uncertainty at the moment. We expected stock issues by now, but we’re actually seeing strong discounts on some of the best drones in the DJI range.
The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon. That’s $500 off and close to the record-low price.
The DJI Mini 5 Pro offers a huge 1-inch CMOS sensor, so whether you’re shooting 50MP stills or 4K/120fps slow-motion, the dynamic range more than delivers. The DJI Mini 5 Pro also makes use of forward-facing LiDAR that powers the new Nightscape Omnidirectional Sensing, meaning it can dodge branches, power lines, and buildings even when you don’t have eyes on your drone.
This popular drone offers 42GB of internal storage, meaning you can actually capture a full session of 4K footage without needing an external card as backup. That can have a massive impact for content creators.
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Save $500 on the DJI Mini 5 Pro this weekend.
Entertainment
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Right now, you can streamline your AI workflow with a lifetime subscription to 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan for only $79.97 (reg. $540) through May 10.
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With 1min.AI, you can see responses from major AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, Mistral, and more, all in one spot.
Compare them all and easily find the best answer. You can get help with coding, video editing, image generation, answering simple questions, and much more. Just always give things a human once-over, because edits might be required.
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Lock in major savings with a lifetime subscription to 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan for only $79.97 through May 10.
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