Thunderbolt Ross (Hulk)

General Thunderbolt Ross is the tertiary antagonist in the 2003 film Hulk.

He is portrayed by Sam Elliott

Hulk
A number of years ago, Ross supervised the experiments of David Banner, who was trying to improve humanity via genetics. However, Ross decided to shut down Banner's research when he found out that the scientist was making dangerous experiments on himself without the Government's approval. In a rage, Banner made the whole base explode, forcing Ross and his men to leave.

Years later, Ross has become a General, and he has had a daughter, Betty, who hates him. After many years of silence between the two of them, Thunderbolt Ross contacts his daughter, since he's worried about David's son, Bruce Banner's, Betty's ex boyfriend, research. The son, infact, is starting to work in the same field of his father, and Ross is concerned about it. Betty, anyway, doesn't want to listen to him and leaves, enraged and disappointed.

After Bruce's first transformation in the The Hulk, Ross puts Banner under house arrest for security, preventing him to enter his lab. However, after being provoked by both his father and Glenn Talbot Bruce transforms again and breaks free, injuring several soldiers in the process. Ross so decides to take him into an underground base, in which he keeps him prisoner, for both his and others' security. Betty tries to convince her father that she can help Bruce in controlling the Hulk, but Ross believes that he's the same as his father, and doesn't agree. Meanwhile, Talbot tries to steal a fragment of Hulk's skin to make research on it, but he only manages to free the brute in the base, which cannot in any way contain it. When the Hulk breaks free, Thunderbolt Ross leads a squadron to hunt him down: the monster destroys tanks and helicopters, and then flees to San Francisco. In here, he's calmed down by Betty and the Army can take him in custody once again.

Because of an agreement between Betty and David Banner, the latter is allowed to speak with his son, despite the General's disagreement. When the two start a massive fight, Ross follows them on a chopper and put an end to their fight hitting them both with a Gamma Charge Bomb, leaving them for dead. He later tries to reconciliate with his daughter, without success.

Trivia
Elliott accepted the role without reading the script, being simply too excited to work with Ang Lee. In addition Elliott researched Hulk comic books for the part.