Mark Ruffalo Will Officially Return to the MCU for The Hulk’s 7th Movie

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The next Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is coming soon! Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and releasing on July 31st, the film follows Tom Holland’s Peter Parker as he navigates college life in a New York City where he’s no longer a known hero. The movie features a lot of villains, including Michael Mando returning as Scorpion (in a suit that’s already causing debate), Marvin Jones III as Tombstone, Boomerang, Tarantula, and Jon Bernthal reprising his role as the Punisher. Plus, Mark Ruffalo will be appearing as Bruce Banner, and it’s now confirmed that Hulk will also be in the film – set photos showed an injured Banner, but his transformation is happening!

Recently released promotional artwork for the upcoming Brand New Day confirms Mark Ruffalo will reprise his role as the Hulk. The image features the Hulk standing behind Spider-Man, alongside villains Scorpion and Boomerang. Even though he’s partially hidden in shadow, the Hulk is clearly visible and appears characteristically angry, with a furrowed brow and clenched teeth.

The Hulk first appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk, originally played by Edward Norton. Mark Ruffalo later took over the role. Since then, the Hulk has been a part of many MCU movies, though he hasn’t had his own solo film yet due to various factors. Despite this, he remains a powerful and important member of the team, fighting alongside the Avengers. His upcoming appearance will be his seventh in an MCU film, a significant milestone. Notably, this will be the first time Hulk appears in a solo Spider-Man movie, which many Marvel fans have been hoping for.

Every MCU Movie the Hulk Has Featured In

The Incredible Hulk

Besides Mark Ruffalo, Edward Norton also played Bruce Banner, the Hulk, in the movie The Incredible Hulk. The film follows Banner as he tries to evade the US military and control his own inner demons.

The movie ended with a huge fight between Hulk and the Abomination, smashing through the streets of Harlem. Many Marvel fans feel this is the Hulk they’ve been waiting to see again – completely driven by instinct. The fight was incredibly intense and showed a very raw, untamed Hulk who wasn’t interested in talking, only in causing destruction and defeating anyone who dared to challenge him.

The Avengers  

Mark Ruffalo first appeared as Bruce Banner (the Hulk) in The Avengers, and many fans consider it one of the best portrayals of the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The iconic fight in New York City included the now-famous moment where Hulk dismisses Loki as a “puny god” before physically throwing him around.

Loki’s surprised expression and frustrated sounds as he struggled in the concrete made the scene particularly striking. Mark Ruffalo portrayed Banner as someone always holding back, and when that restraint finally broke during the final fight, it was truly impressive.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

As a huge MCU fan, I always think back to when the Hulk really lost control in Age of Ultron. Scarlet Witch messing with his head led to that devastating scene in Johannesburg, and honestly, the Hulkbuster fight that followed is still one of the most exciting and impactful action sequences Marvel’s ever done. I also remember noticing that his skin looked a little darker in that film, which just added to how genuinely frightening he was.

At the end of the movie, a deeply disturbed Hulk flies a Quinjet away from Earth, unable to confront the destructive force he almost unleashed. It took two years for anyone to locate him.

Thor: Ragnarok

When Thor unexpectedly arrived on the planet Sakaar, he discovered that Hulk had been living there for two years. Surprisingly, Bruce Banner, Hulk’s human alter ego, was nowhere to be seen. Director Taika Waititi gave Hulk a fresh, comedic personality in the film Thor: Ragnarok. It was entertaining to see Hulk telling jokes, getting angry, and insisting on being treated with respect.

While the initial scenes were delightful, they marked a turning point where the Hulk became less intimidating. The fight between Thor and Hulk is incredibly exciting, but after that, the character felt less like a powerful monster and more like a controlled force. This change also seemed to impact Thor himself, as both his later appearances and his portrayal in Love and Thunder weren’t as well-received. The movie pushed the fun, quirky style of Ragnarok a little too far.

Avengers: Infinity War

Many fans consider Avengers: Infinity War to be the best Marvel Cinematic Universe film, but some still criticize the directors’ handling of the Hulk character. His appearance in Infinity War is often seen as underwhelming. The film quickly establishes Thanos’s power by easily defeating Hulk, which dramatically changes Hulk’s character – turning the previously unstoppable force into a hesitant and fearful one. Because of this early defeat, Hulk spends much of the movie withdrawn and unwilling to fight, a stark contrast to his usual role.

Hulk abandoned Bruce Banner, but Banner managed to succeed with the help of the Hulkbuster suit, proving invaluable in the final fight in Wakanda. Many Hulk fans felt let down by this turn of events, and his subsequent movie appearance only intensified those feelings.

Avengers: Endgame

The Hulk’s role in Avengers: Endgame is arguably his most important and talked-about moment in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. After Thanos’s devastating snap, Bruce Banner dedicated a year and a half to successfully merging his human intellect with the Hulk’s physical strength, creating the ‘Smart Hulk’.

Despite being disliked by some, the Hulk was crucial to the movie’s events. Without Smart Hulk, those lost in the Snap wouldn’t have been saved. He used the special Nano Gauntlet to undo the Snap, which seriously injured his arm – something no other Avenger could have physically handled. Furthermore, a less intelligent Hulk wouldn’t have been able to successfully bring everyone back.

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2026-03-10 12:36