Universal Home Video has announced the October 21st release of the DVD of The Incredible Hulk in three different versions, a one-disc primarily rental version ($29.98), a three-disc Special Edition ($34.98) as well as a Blu-ray ($39.98) edition.  While The Incredible Hulk, which starred Edward Norton and was directed by Louis Leterrier, did not enjoy the same level of success that Marvel Studios’ other 2008 release Iron Man achieved, it did earn $134 million domestically (slightly more than Ang Lee’s 2003 Hulk movie, though not in inflation-adjusted dollars), and provided moviegoers with a more smash-mouth, less angst-ridden screen incarnation of the not-so-jolly green giant.

The only extras on the single-disc edition of The Incredible Hulk DVD are a commentary track from director Leterrier and some deleted scenes.  Those features will be included in the three-disc version along with additional deleted scenes, an alternate opening, and a digital copy of the film.  The three-disc version also contains a bevy of featurettes including “The Making of The Incredible Hulk,” “Becoming the Hulk,” “Becoming the Abomination,” “Anatomy of a Hulk Out,” and “From Comic Book to Screen.”

What is not at all clear from the information released by Universal is how the disputed deleted scenes are handled.  Edward Norton, who not only starred in the film, but also rewrote some of the scenes, refused to participate in the publicity for the film because the studio rejected his version (see “Trouble on Planet Hulk(ywood)”).  During the dispute with Norton, which was largely kept under wraps, there was some discussion of releasing the version he preferred on DVD.  While it does appear that a number of deleted scenes will be available on the 3-disc version, it doesn’t look like fans will be able to view the “Edward Norton” version and compare it to the released “Marvel Studios” version.  Perhaps if the film had been a bigger hit, Marvel would have been less sensitive about releasing the movie the way Norton wanted it on DVD so that fans could judge the versions’ relative merits, or perhaps the studio is just saving the “Norton Cut” for some future DVD release.