Mark Ruffalo might have let it slip that a future Hulk and Spider-Man team-up is in the cards after Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Ruffalo returned as Bruce Banner in Tom Holland's latest outing in Brand New Day, helping Peter Parker navigate the mental and physical changes he is going through as Spider-Man. While the pair started as science allies, Sadie Sink's Jean Grey hijacked Banner by stripping away his inhibitor, turning him against Spider-Man during a pivotal clash at the Department of Damage Control in New York. This incident led to the return of Savage Hulk, and the fight ended with a shaken Banner asking whether he had hurt anyone, ultimately landing him in a psychiatric ward at the end of the film.
Avengers: Endgame Encore's post-credits scene confirmed Mark Ruffalo's future as Hulk in Avengers: Doomsday after Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom "collected" him from an underground military facility, setting the stage for future appearances.
In the official Spider-Man: Brand New Day featurette, "Friends and Foes," from the film's digital release, Mark Ruffalo opened up about his return as Hulk in the Tom Holland-led movie, teasing that what Brand New Day did was to really set the stage for "what's to come with these two characters" which strongly hints at a future team-up instead of a clash between them:
"The idea of Hulk and Spider-Man finally meeting up... It's iconic and legendary in the comics. And I think the way we do it is really a teaser for what's to come with these two characters."
In the same featurette, Tom Holland also reflected on finally sharing significant screen time with Ruffalo's Bruce Banner, noting that he loves the Hulk as a character and it was an "awesome opportunity" for his Spider-Man to finally fight him on-screen in Brand New Day:
"I've always had a real soft spot for Mark. I was really excited to get the chance to work with him, especially because I love the character. And then of course, finding a way for Spider-Man to fight the Hulk is such an awesome opportunity."
Spider-Man and Hulk's first meeting in Spider-Man: Brand New Day (not counting Bruce and Peter's initial encounter or consultation at Empire State University) is anything but a partnership. The brutal fight between the two of them leveled the DODC headquarters, injuring a good chunk of employees and innocent civilians along the way. Spider-Man and Hulk's collision is more of a setup, and not the payoff, with Brand New Day as the first chapter.
In Marvel Comics, the pair of heroes fought multiple times. In fact, their first meeting was actually a fight in Amazing Spider-Man # 14, after the clash between Spider-Man and Green Goblin spilled over into Hulk's territory. In Amazing Spider-Man Annual # 3, the Avengers test Spider-Man by sending him to bring in the Hulk, leading to another fight between the web-slinger and the Green Goliath.
Seeing Spider-Man and Hulk team up in a future MCU project offers fresh storytelling opportunities and would greatly benefit the wider Marvel franchise as it moves beyond the Multiverse Saga.
I'm Convinced Spider-Man & Hulk Will Team-Up In Avengers: Secret Wars (Here's Why)
Avengers: Endgame Encore's post-credits scene involving Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner and Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom made it clear that Hulk will return in either Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars.
With Doom collecting him and taking him off the board for Doomsday for the heroes' easy downfall, it's reasonable to assume that Hulk is being saved to be unleashed in Secret Wars.
The narrative is already aligning for a team-up. Spider-Man: Brand New Day's post-credits scene confirmed that Tom Holland's Spider-Man is off-world, and many already theorized that he was taken by Doom, similar to Bruce. If they end up together in Doom's prison, it's natural for both of them to team up and escape, leading to their own narrative arc in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Marvel Comics has already set the precedent in its own Secret Wars story, as this is a place where enemies and allies reunite. Seeing Hulk and Spider-Man team up in Doom's Battleworld in Secret Wars is a dream scenario, as they need to work together to potentially launch a resistance against the Multiverse Saga's big bad and rally the lost and confused heroes to victory.
