A new report may have revealed when Mark Ruffalo will next appear as the Hulk. Seven years ago, the Russo Brothers and Marvel Studios tarnished the reputation of Mark Ruffalo's Hulk in the eyes of many by transforming him into Smart Hulk in Avengers: Endgame. Following a supporting role in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, that change was finally reversed in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, in which Bruce Banner was hijacked by Sadie Sink's Jean Grey and became Savage Hulk once again. The OG Avenger was last seen being wheeled into an ambulance after returning to his human form, leaving his future uncertain, as there has been no confirmation of his return in Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars.
Mark Ruffalo's next MCU movie after Spider-Man: Brand New Day has reportedly been revealed by various insiders, including The Cosmic Circus. When asked what kind of Hulk would be returning in Avengers: Secret Wars, Alex Perez revealed that the Russo Brothers' next stab at the Jade Giant will be similar to "the Hulk we saw during Thor: Ragnarok," which was released back in 2018.
Scooper Daniel Richtman supported claims of Ruffalo's comeback, responding to a follower who suggested that Brand New Day would be his Hulk's final appearance by saying he's "gonna be in Secret Wars." The flick will mark his fifth Avengers franchise role and 12th MCU project overall (including post-credit scene cameos).
Sadly, Perez dashed hopes that 2003's Hulk star Eric Bana could reprise his role on Battleworld, which many are hopeful will be a vehicle to bring back familiar Marvel Legacy characters as Variants. The scooper noted that he "[hasn't] heard anything about Eric Bana," while behind-the-scenes drama surrounding The Incredible Hulk makes it rather unlikely for Edward Norton to return either.
Ruffalo isn't expected to return for Doomsday, as with most of the Brand New Day cast, presumably due to scheduling or narrative conflicts. The actor is now busy filming Task Season 2, although Jeff Sneider recently reported that he took a break from his HBO series to film scenes for an X-Men project that some speculate may be related to the latest wave of Avengers 5 reshoots, adding new cameos.
MyTimeToShineHello also chimed in on the Hulk conversation, claiming that there will be "there are multiple Hulks but no Maesteo." The insider's comment was in response to a viral rumor that Maestro, an older, evil, far-future version of the Hulk, would appear in Avengers 6, although neither rumor should be taken at face value.
By comparing the Russo Brothers' Hulk in Secret Wars to Taika Waititi's from Thor: Ragnarok, Alez Perez may be teasing the return of a Hulk with a toddler-like intellect and nature, along with his rejection of Bruce Banner. Regardless, it suggests that Smart Hulk won't be coming back anytime soon and that the Savage Hulk truly is here to stay, even if he doesn't quite reach Brand New Day levels.
Last year, Secret Wars concept art leaked of Hulk on Battleworld with Tatiana Maslany's She-Hulk and his son, Skaar, who officially returned in Spider-Man 4. The jury is still out on whether Jennifer Walters or Skaar will feature in the Avengers blockbusters, as they have been mostly absent from the MCU since She-Hulk: Attorney at Law disappointed Disney+ subscribers in 2022.
Ruffalo has been filming Task Season 2 since July, and HBO CEO Casey Bloys confirmed to Deadline in mid-September that "they’re about halfway through." That points to the FBI-focused Emmy-winning wrapping filming in November/December, allowing Ruffalo to board the Secret Wars production several months in, as it is expected to begin this month.
Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, and Avengers: Secret Wars will follow next year on December 17, 2027. While Mark Ruffalo will reportedly reprise Hulk in the latter, the next question for many will be which of his Spider-Man: Brand New Day co-stars are coming along for the ride.
Which Other Spider-Man: Brand New Day Characters Are Most Likely to Appear in Avengers: Secret Wars?
1.) Yelena Belova
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed some time ago that both the Fantastic Four and Thunderbolts would appear in Secret Wars after Doomsday, making Florence Pugh's return as Yelena Belova a sure thing. There is a high chance that Yelena will be one of the many heroes brainwashed under Doctor Doom's rule on Battleworld who will be restored to normal ahead of Phase 7.
2.) Spider-Man
While Tobey Maguire will reportedly be the only Spider-Man in Doomsday, both he and Tom Holland are rumored to play major roles on Battleworld in Secret Wars, reuniting them for the first time since Spider-Man: No Way Home. Marvel Studios all-but-confirmed Spider-Man's Avengers comeback as Brand New Day's post-credits scene teased that he is off to space, although where and why is unclear.
3.) Jean Grey
Much like Tom Holland's Spider-Man, Sadie Sink will reportedly reprise Jean Grey with a "major" role in Secret Wars before leading the charge in 2028's X-Men. The mind-meddling mutant could join Spider-Man as one of a select group of heroes who remember the old world before Battleworld and fight to restore it, possibly even meeting some of her future X-Men allies for the first time along the way.
4.) Punisher
Now that Jon Bernthal's Punisher has entered the realm of the MCU's larger-than-life heroes, it's not a question that he could tag along again for Secret Wars, even if it was just for a minor cameo as one of Battleworld's residents. However, Bernthal may not actually be the Punisher for Secret Wars, as there have been signs that the original Frank Castle, Thomas Jane, might return.
6.) Ned Leeds
From here on out, the chances of the rest of Brand New Day's cast returning in Secret Wars are very low, simply because the Multiversal tale is already jam-packed and won't have much room for non-superhero characters. That said, perhaps one of Peter Parker's friends could appear with him at the end to showcase a restored universe, and Jacob Batalon's Ned Leeds already appeared in Infinity War and Endgame, giving him an undeniably higher chance.
5.) MJ
Just as Ned Leeds stands a chance at appearing in Secret Wars to showcase Peter Parker returning to day-to-day life while confirming that he has truly restored his best friendship, Zendaya's MJ could appear in a similar capacity. That said, her chances are lower, since the actress' stardom and busy schedule may not leave room for her to film such a cameo, holding back her return until Spider-Man 5.
7.) Bill Metzger
Tramell Tillman's Damage Control boss, William Metzger, proved to be Brand New Day's surprise villain, revealing his newfound interest in experimenting on mutants, starting with the Grey sisters, that will reportedly carry into a villainous role in the MCU's Mutant Saga. While Metzger is on the run and could have a cameo to set up his larger anti-mutant future, it's tough to envision room for him in Avengers 6.
