For longtime comic book readers like myself, this is the golden age of entertainment. While people like to throw around the term “superhero fatigue”, I have yet to feel even the least bit exhausted by the number of properties being developed by studios. Marvel Studios, Fox and Warner Bros. have been doing it for a number of years with the IPs from the Big 2 comic book publishers, but there is no shortage of other great comics being translated into material for either the big or small screen.

It wasn’t always this way, however. As a kid growing up in the 1980s, my options for superhero entertainment were much more limited. There were some classic films and series, but media was certainly consumed differently. There was no streaming service. We didn’t even have a VCR in my house until the mid-80s. so if you wanted to watch a show, you had to catch it when it was on network TV and if you wanted to watch a movie after it left theaters, well…tough luck.

As a kid, I always dreamed of how great it would be to have all these heroes I read about in the comics on the big screen. Basically, I dreamt about a time just like right now, except I did it thinking about the actors from back then. So, to do kid-self a favor, I’m going to reboot this series and have some fun fancasting modern day comic book movies with actors from my childhood and I’m starting off with my favorite character from those days, The Incredible Hulk, and setting it in 1979.

Bruce Banner-John Voight

Voight might seem like a bit of an off-beat choice for Banner, but this was the height of his career. His role in the 1978 film Coming Home earned him an Academy Award and cemented him as one of the decades finest actors. He’s certainly capable of playing the conflicted genius of Banner while intimating there’s something else brewing below the surface.

Betty Ross-Ellen Burstyn

Burstyn was just about as good as it got in the 1970s. She was nominated for Academy Awards for her roles, The Last Picture Show and The Exorcist and won the 1975 Best Actress Oscar for her role in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. She was nominated again in 1978, 1980 and 2000 so while some of you may not be familiar with her, she’s a legendary actress who would be able to deliver the strong-willed Betty that Stan Lee intended.

Thunderbolt Ross-Sean Connery

This one was just too easy. Yeah, it might be a little odd to hear that thick accent coming out of Ross’s mouth, but if you’re looking for an imposing actor with a great mustache in the 70s, you’re looking for Connery. His days as Bond were already behind him (for the most part-he did come back in 1983 for one more go) and he was beginning to branch out.

Doc Samson-Dennis Quaid

To be honest, it was a conversation with a friend about Quaid that snowballed into this. Look at that picture! If that’s not Doc Samson…

Quaid’s career was just about to hit it big with 1979’s Breaking Away and would have been a fantastic pick up for the studio. 40 years later the guy still looks good enough to be a young Samson. Ladies and gentleman, Dennis Quaid is here.

Emil Blonsky-Klaus Kinski

This is probably a name unfamiliar to a lot of American readers, but Kinski had a prolific career and was especially busy in the 1970s. He’s probably most well-known for his role as Count Dracula in 1979’s Nosferatu the Vampyre and he would give some authenticity to the Eastern European Blonsky.

BONUS!! Rick Jones-Sean Penn

I know that Jones hasn’t made a real entrance in the MCU yet, but in my mind, if you have a Hulk movie, you need to have Rick Jones. Penn would’ve been 18 and had just gotten his career going with his stint on Little House on the Prairie and a couple of other shows. Penn would perfectly capture the punk side of Jones while being capable of growing into a far more complex character.

The Incredible Hulk, 1979! Let me hear your fancasts in the comments.