Hulk is catching a second wind in the MCU. After taking a back seat for the last couple of phases, Mark Ruffalo's hero got to let loose in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Jean Grey messed with Smart Hulk's mind, pushing the real Hulk out and putting the titular hero between a rock and a hard place. The end of Brand New Day seemingly put Hulk back on ice. However, a surprise connection to Avengers: Doomsday has surfaced for the Jade Giant, which could be good news for several other major MCU characters.
In addition to letting moviegoers see arguably the biggest theatrical event of the 21st century on the big screen again, Avengers Endgame: Encore also includes additional footage that ties into the events of Doomsday. The biggest scene shows Bruce Banner being visited by Doctor Doom, who's looking to take the doctor's talents elsewhere.
According to a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter, Mark Ruffalo's Hulk will be returning for Avengers: Doomsday. The Russo brothers have played coy when asked about Hulk's role in Doomsday (via Empire), refusing to confirm whether he shows up and smashes things. But the directing duo chose their words carefully, explaining that Banner is "certainly involved in the story that revolves around Doom." That's a broad stroke that gives the Russos plenty of leeway when the curtain is pulled back in December. And Hulk might not be the only surprise character they'll have to field questions about.
Like Hulk, Peter Parker's whereabouts are also unknown. Spider-Man: Brand New Day's post-credits scene showed the titular hero's symbol on the Spider-Tracker app leaving Earth-616 behind and traveling to parts unknown.
While it initially felt like it would take until Avengers: Secret Wars to get answers about Spider-Man's next adventure, Hulk's Encore scene could move the timeline up, even if Tom Holland doesn't show up in person in Doomsday.
Peter's old friend Stephen Strange is in a similar boat. At the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the titular hero crossed paths with Clea, who warned her new ally about an impending incursion. They raced off into the Dark Dimension and haven't been heard from since.
There's no way that Strange and Clea came up empty on their quest. And even if they did drop the ball, Strange wouldn't sit out a project like Doomsday without good reason. The highly anticipated movie is sure to touch on his status and prep him for a major role in Secret Wars.
Another MCU heavyweight who's been radio silent is Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel. At the end of The Marvels, her friend, Monica Rambeau, got marooned in another reality. Needless to say, Carol's been searching for a way to bring her friend home.
Doomsday can't come and go without explaining what's going on with Monica and how Carol is reacting. Captain Marvel might not throw hands with Doom right out of the gate, but she's as crucial to the end of the Multiverse Saga as anyone else.
Hawkeye has contributed nothing during Phases 5 and 6 of the MCU. However, taking a step back didn't stop Hulk from becoming relevant again. Hawkeye, like his fellow original Avenger, can contribute something to the fight, even if it's just a motivational speech to his protege, Kate Bishop.
The ScreenX Doomsday trailer teased Bishop's return to the MCU by showing Scott Lang and his daughter, Cassie, embracing in her apartment. What's stopping her from getting another visit from a seasoned hero?
One character who didn't seem to be on Doomsday's radar at all was Scarlet Witch, who seemingly died at the end of Multiverse of Madness. With magic being back on the MCU menu thanks to Doctor Doom, it's hard to ignore the connection between his powers and Wanda Maximoff's.
Scarlet Witch's Doomsday case is also helped by the fact that half of her family is reuniting in VisionQuest. The show will wrap up before Doomsday hits theaters, which leaves plenty of time to set up Wanda's grand return.
A hero who doesn't need any build-up to return to action is War Machine. Secret Invasion revealed that a Skrull had been impersonating James Rhodes for years. Now that he's out of suspended animation, he can get back on the horse and face off against a villain who bears the face of his late best friend.
Steve Rogers is going to get a chance to wrestle with what Doom is doing to Iron Man's legacy. It's only fair that Rhodey is afforded the same oppurtunity, especially after his solo project fell apart.
The final character Hulk could be lending a hand to is Star-Lord. Despite heading back to Earth at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the movie's tag confirmed that Peter Quill would return down the line.
With no other Guardians film in the pipeline, Doomsday and its sequel, Secret Wars, are the next likely landing spots for Star-Lord. He didn't come home just to watch all of reality get erased, after all.
Marvel Studios Is Saving Its Best Heroes for Last
Even if Doomsday treats all of the listed heroes like the Hulk, it's not the end of the world. The movie's marketing makes it clear it wants Earth's Mightiest Heroes on their heels as they face the incursions and Doctor Doom. Thor even goes as far as to say they'll need a "miracle" to win.
Well, the God of Thunder will have his pick of the litter if the credits roll on Doomsday and the bench is still full of capable characters. It's not in Marvel Studios' nature to gloss over so many heavy hitters, even when it has more mouths to feed than ever.
