Several details about Hasbro's 2026 Marvel Legends action figure lineup surfaced online. Among other exciting additions to the line from Avengers: Doomsday and Thunderbolts* is a trio of figures from Spider-Man: Brand New Day. One such figure might help shed some light on the Hulk's status as of the film.
Popular toy review channel Displaying Model Behavior recently uploaded a video containing information that he got ahold of about what Hasbro will offer with Marvel Legends next year. One intriguing listing is Hulk. The Gamma Goliath will evidently be part of the assortment for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Mark Ruffalo has also been confirmed to return as Dr. Bruce Banner in the MCU's fourth Spider-Man solo movie.
Bruce is multifaceted in that it's not just him in there. Since Avengers: Endgame, Bruce has lived in a form colloquially dubbed "Smart Hulk." Like this, he retains all of his intellect but with the Hulk's physicality and all that it entails.
This change hasn't sat well with everyone. A large swath of the MCU's expansive fanbase has clamored for Bruce to lose control and become the ferocious "Savage" Hulk once again.
It's always been in the character's pathos to struggle with stability. Instability causes Bruce to transform, propels the Hulk, and could cause the beast to reemerge. So, with Ruffalo's role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day being sight unseen, many cling to any scrap of info about what Bruce Banner will get himself into in the film.
In Displaying Model Behavior's video, he uses his informed belief that Hasbro will make a new MCU Hulk figure to tie into Brand New Day to comment on the widespread consensus that Spider-Man 4 will boil Smart Hulk down to Savage Hulk. Nothing concrete yet supports this, but the twist isn't difficult to predict. Nonetheless, the action figure's supposed upcoming release is compelling.
A Smart Hulk figure was produced for the second of two Marvel Legends waves based on Avengers: Endgame, but Legends generally doesn't release many MCU Hulk figures.
In the 17 years of the MCU, Hasbro has released four unique Hulk offerings, apart from a deluge of gimmicky variants for 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Those items did not carry the Marvel Legends name, however, and the brand itself was dormant.
The number of Iron Man figures in the toy line is now in the twenties, and Captain America and Thor are not far behind. It's probable that Hasbro would want to focus on picking its spots where MCU Hulks are concerned, but its plans are most often beholden to what Marvel Studios wants to be made.
Hulk seems to be a major focus in Spider-Man 4, along with Jon Bernthal's Punisher.
Given Peter Parker's intelligence and Frank Castle's unrepentantly vicious brutality, Bruce could be caught in the middle and unexpectedly ceding his agency to the full force of the Hulk. Marvel Studios will undoubtedly want to capitalize on his return in the marketing of Brand New Day. Bringing back Savage Hulk may feel especially warranted to Marvel, given the tepid audience response to Smart Hulk.
It's important to note that while Sony owns the film rights to Spider-Man and Universal owns the film distribution rights to the Hulk, Marvel Studios and Disney have full authority on merchandising both heroes. Whatever version of Hulk they want on promotional tie-ins will be the one that goes forward.
Here is what is known about Spider-Man: Brand New Day, as it involves Mark Ruffalo: He will appear in it, he will play Bruce Banner, and Bruce will almost unequivocally become the Hulk, although which Hulk is not clear. The studio will center the media push on any Hulk it wishes, including through action figures.
While it is impossible to form a total opinion on exactly which Hulk that will be, the Savage incarnation feels within the realm of likelihood based upon extrapolation. Only time will reveal the truth of this bad-tempered topic.
Jointly produced by Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures and directed by Shang-Chi helmer Destin Daniel Cretton, Spider-Man: Brand New Day will begin crawling the walls of movie theaters on July 31, 2026. Brand New Day stars Tom Holland as the leading web-head. Mark Ruffalo will also reprise Bruce Banner, and Jon Bethnal's excruciatingly violent Frank Castle will play a central role.
Michael Mando will return to the MCU after spending nine years away. Mando will again portray Mac Gargan, an unbalanced criminal who swore a vendetta on Spider-Man after their encounter left him scarred and incarcerated in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Stranger Things' breakout Sadie Sink and Emmy Award-winner Liza Colón-Zayas have been cast in undisclosed supporting roles. Jacob Batalon's Ned Leeds and Zendaya's MJ have also been indicated to play a part after being extended question marks due to the memory-erasing ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Bruce Banner vs. Hulk vs. Smart Hulk in the MCU
Chronologically, apart from accidentally unleashing the original Hulk in the car accident that created She-Hulk, Dr. Bruce Banner has spent a canonical total of at least seven consecutive years as Smart Hulk. He described it in Endgame as "the best of both worlds," and it is evident by the way he speaks that this kind of reconciliation is what he always fought for.
Banner hates the Hulk, the Hulk hates Banner. But more than anything else, the Hulk hates being controlled. The Jade Giant despises Bruce for locking him away in his body under normal circumstances. It's natural that his anger would intensify that much more if Bruce had made use of his strength and physique without letting him out to any real degree.
Since confirmed plot details for Spider-Man: Brand New Day are unknown, everything discussed about what the Hulk will be present for can only be speculated, specifically, how angry he'll be. But if he gets a chance to finally push Bruce aside, he'll be furious about not having a grip for so long.
Annie McDonough has been a writer at The Direct since its 2020 launch. She is responsible for the creation of news articles and features. She also has a particular affinity for action figures and merchandise, which she revels in discussing in the articles she writes, when the situation calls for it.
