In 1988, the filming rights were purchased from MCA/Universal by New World Television for a series of TV movies to conclude the series' storyline. The broadcast rights were, in turn, transferred to rival NBC. New World (which at one point owned Marvel) produced three television films: "The Incredible Hulk Returns" (directed by Nicholas J. Corea), "The Trial of the Incredible Hulk", and "The Death of the Incredible Hulk" (both directed by Bill Bixby). Since its debut, "The Incredible Hulk" series has garnered a worldwide fan base.