The MCU has come a long way since starting things off with Iron Man's Tony Stark and The Incredible Hulk's Bruce Banner in 2008. This year will even bring the first Hulk-centric project in the MCU since that first Hulk solo movie with Tatiana Maslany's She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, one of the franchise's most unique projects coming to Disney+.
She-Hulk will bring an incredible cast of characters together for the MCU's final full streaming series of Phase 4, including exciting returns for both Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/Hulk and Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock/Daredevil. Outside of the expected superhero action, Maslany's Jennifer Walters will also have her fair share of real-world challenges to deal with, as well.
The show's first trailer that premiered in May 2022 ended with a short scene featuring Jen on a round of speed dating, working through a handful of suitors before settling on one guy to grab an order of to-go fries with. And according to She-Hulk's recently released production briefing, one of those suitors will even give off a vibe reminiscent of the MCU's original superhero from Phase 1.
Tony Stark "Reborn" in Disney+ She-Hulk Show
The official Disney+ production briefing for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law shares new information on one of Jennifer Walters' online dating suitors, who goes by the name Todd.
Todd is described as one of Jen's worst dating experiences, with Baywatch star Jon Bass playing the role in the series. As shared by Disney+ and described by Bass himself, Todd tries to pass himself off as a Tony Stark wannabe, but he usually comes across as "a total creep" as he pops up throughout the series:
“Todd is a billionaire playboy philanthropist douchebag who wants more than anything to feel like Tony Stark, but comes off as Jon Bass. He is used to getting whatever he wants, but he’s a total creep who starts popping up everywhere.”
Co-producer Wendy Jacobson shared how funny Bass is in the role, especially with him "playing this terrible person." While the character is "mostly harmless," the show highlights the idea of having someone in Jen's life who just keeps showing up at random places unexpectedly:
“Jon Bass is so funny and he’s so good at playing this terrible person—it’s really fun to watch. The character of Todd plays on the social commentary of misogyny and incel culture and the unfair views of women. He’s annoying, but mostly harmless and it’s really about embodying these awkward interactions you have with someone when they keep showing up in your life over and over again.”
Jon Bass' Failed Attempt at Tony Stark
Jon Bass' breakout moment in the industry came with his role as Ronnie in Baywatch, where he starred alongside Black Adam megastar Dwayne Johnson and Spider-Man: No Way Home's Hannibal Burress. Now, he not only gets to make his MCU debut in She-Hulk, but he also gets to bring his own unique take on Tony Stark that will likely leave a different impression on fans than Robert Downey Jr. did.
The most entertaining part is how much Bass enjoyed bringing his own flair to the role as his character helps ground things for Tatiana Maslany's leading hero, especially as she tries to balance her life as a lawyer, a superhero, and a single woman. This newcomer will add a new level of flair to the comedic themes that She-Hulk already brings, and he made it clear that he's in for more than a one-time appearance.
In the show's trailers, She-Hulk has even joked about how the Avengers boast personalities that aren't as enjoyable or similar to Tony's, meaning she'll be on the lookout for it even more when she's not fighting and interacting with supervillains. Fans have to wait to see how much that dating plotline has an impact on the overall story, but the relationship between Bass and Maslany's characters will certainly be one to watch out for.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law will begin streaming on Disney+ on Thursday, August 18.
