Dr. David "Dave" Banner, also called the Absorbing Man is the main antagonist of the 2003 Marvel film Hulk, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. He is a genius scientist and the estranged father of Bruce Banner, a.k.a. the Hulk, who later transformed himself into a powerful energy being. Years after being separated from his son, David returns to Bruce's life and discovers his powers, leading him to devise a way to get them for himself, thus he is also the reason why Bruce became the Hulk in the first place. He is loosely based on Brian Banner and Absorbing Man from the original comics. He was portrayed by Nick Nolte, who also played Wade Whitehouse in Affliction, Burt Johnson in Arthur, Frank Stockburn in The Ridiculous 6, Mulgarath in The Spiderwick Chronicles and Inspector Thomas Cray in Nightwatch, and voiced Vincent in Over the Hedge; while Paul Kersey portrayed his younger self. and portrayed by Christien Anholt, who also played Eon in Ben 10 Race