'Avengers: Age Of Ultron' Director Joss Whedon Talks Hulk, Black Widow Romance

“Avengers: Age of Ultron” director Joss Whedon thinks the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) is pretty sexy. In response to the release of a clip from the upcoming Marvel movie showing Bruce Banner in his monster form being soothed by Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Whedon told Yahoo! Movies that he totally understands Natasha Romanoff’s attraction to her big green cohort.

The clip in question – released Monday – shows Black Widow trying to calm down a very irate Hulk. After getting his attention, she looks him right in the eyes while stroking the inside of his arm. Soon, the Hulk’s angry glare softens and, eventually, he begins to transform back into Bruce Banner.

Watch the preview clip below:

Whedon says that the level of intimacy in the scene was unexpected.

“It wasn’t until a few days before we were finished that we had all the final renderings, and watching what [visual effects studio] ILM did with the Hulk’s eyes, the specificity of what he’s going through,” Whedon told Yahoo!. “Suddenly we all looked at each other and said, 'Oh this is a lot sexier than we thought.’”

With that said, the sexual tension between the two characters is not lost on the filmmaker.

“I think this is kind of romantic, and a little sexy,” said Whedon. “Some people wondered why she would like ‘that guy’ [Hulk, as opposed to Bruce Banner]. I understand why she would like both of them.”

The new video is a stark (no pun intended) contrast from a clip that debuted at the 2015 MTV Movie Awards Sunday showing Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) as Iron Man – in his Hulkbuster armor – taking on an inconsolable Hulk at another point in the movie. In that scene there is no intimacy at all as the two superheroes battle on a crowded city street.

Watch the clip below:

If these preview scenes are any indication, the Hulk – and the rest of the Avengers’ ability to control him – will play a big part in the action. Fans will have to wait to see the movie to find out how it all goes down. “Avengers: Age of Ultron” premieres in theaters on May 1.