Hands up if you saw this one coming. No, put that hand down, smart face… Because Edward Norton – yes, Fight Club/Illusionist star Edward Norton – has agreed to play Bruce Banner in Marvel’s new Hulk movie.

It’s an interesting choice, and not as strange as you’d think, given that Eric Bana did the duty for Ang Lee’s film. But following the criticism and low box office returns of Lee’s movie, Marvel have been planning a more action-packed and crowd-pleasing version, so casting a brooding character actor seems like an odd step. Still, it’s Norton and if we know anything, it’s that he can turn his hand to most roles.

"Edward Norton is a rare talent and one of the most versatile actors in the business," Marvel’s Kevin Feige explained in a statement. "His ability to transform into a particular role makes him the ideal choice to take on the character of Bruce Banner and the Hulk. Edward is perfectly suited to bring one of the most popular and important Marvel icons to the big screen in a new and exciting way."

The plot for The Incredible Hulk will find Bruce on the run, looking to evade the authorities long enough to discover a cure and stop himself changing into the angry green beast.

With a script by Zak Penn and Transporter 2 director Louis Leterrier behind the megaphone, it all kicks off shooting this summer in Canada.