Edward Norton’s rocky relationship with studios

By Chris Lee, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

A history of flexing his muscles

Edward Norton may be one of the best actors of his generation, not to mention a guy with a lot of Hollywood hustle. But after his recent tango with Marvel Studios and Universal over the final cut of the big-budget comic adaptation “The Incredible Hulk” (in which he stars), Norton has in all likelihood sealed his image as a prickly perfectionist.

Norton couldn’t be reached for comment; earlier this week, the actor-writer-producer-director embarked on a monthlong African trip at what would have been the peak of his promotional duties for “Hulk” (which smashes into multiplexes today). But during the last decade, Norton has become infamous for a certain modus operandi that has put more than a few filmmakers’ noses out of joint. “The Incredible Hulk”  (Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images)