We knew that Marvel has longterm plans for their movie universe, but we didn't know they were this longterm. It turns out that they're not just thinking about 'Iron Man 3,' 'Thor: The Dark World,' 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier,' 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and the second 'Avengers' movie -- they're already thinking about a third 'Avengers' movie...and the major role The Hulk will play in the coming films. The following news will be nothing new to comic fans, but casual viewers should know that this is pretty major SPOILER territory.

The news will surely be denied by the folks over at Marvel, but it comes from Latino Review's El Mayimbe, who has a rock solid track record when it comes to breaking stories like this. Apply a little salt, but too much -- this man has a habit of being right on the money.

Once again: many people will consider the contents of the following paragraphs SPOILERS, so proceed with caution.

In the Marvel comics, a secret group known as the Illuminati (which is composed of superheroes such as Iron Man, Dr. Strange, Black Bolt, Mr. Fantastic and Namor) decide that the Hulk is too much of a threat to the planet and shoot him into space, where he can never harm anyone ever again. Naturally, the raging green giant ends up a gladiatorial slave on a distant planet before leading a revolution and becoming king of said planet (as seen in the "Planet Hulk" storyline). And then he goes home for revenge against those who banished him in the first place, an army of followers in tow (as seen in the "World War Hulk" storyline.

If this is true, 'Avengers 2' will end with the exile of the Hulk, leading to a stand alone "Planet Hulk" movie and then 'Avengers 3,' which will find the Hulk having a showdown with his former comrades.

Whoa. That's epic in a very literal sense. It's also ridiculously comic book-y.

A standalone Hulk movie makes sense. After all, most of the world agrees that he was pretty much the best part of 'The Avengers' and what's the point of keeping an actor as good as Mark Ruffalo around if he's not going to headline his own movie? Audiences may not have flocked to 'The Incredible Hulk' in the same numbers as they flocked to 'The Avengers,' but c'mon, who's going to turn down the chance to see everyone's favorite gamma-powered monster wreak havoc across the universe?

If this is all true (and we think it may very well be), expect to see the seeds get planted in the next few Marvel movies. After all, they're going to need to establish Dr. Strange very soon if they want to pursue the Illuminati storyline. Expect the Marvel movie universe to start getting deeper, stranger and, if 'The Avengers' is any indication, better.

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