Marvel fans have been waiting to see what’s next for Bruce Banner, and now new details about his role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day have surfaced.
Mark Ruffalo is set to reprise his role as The Hulk in the upcoming Spider-Man movie, continuing the Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures tradition of pairing Peter Parker with established MCU heroes.
We’ve already seen Iron Man mentor Peter in Homecoming, Nick Fury show up in Far From Home, and Doctor Strange take a central role in No Way Home. Now it’s The Hulk’s turn.
According to The Cosmic Circus, Bruce’s mindset when we meet him in Brand New Day is very different than before:
“Banner is at his wits’ end. With the events of She-Hulk and Brave New World, he realizes now that his worst fear has become real. People can become the Hulk, and it really puts a stress on his behavior. That’s the starting point for him on Brand New Day.”
That tension will carry over into Avengers: Doomsday, but don’t expect him to cross paths with Red Hulk or The Leader just yet. Both villains are reportedly still locked away inside The Raft.
Naturally, fans are wondering if this is Marvel laying the groundwork for a World War Hulk film. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Reports say Spider-Man: Brand New Day “sets up his role up for *Avengers: Doomsday, not for another Hulk movie.”
This suggests Marvel’s current plan is to evolve Hulk’s arc within the larger Avengers story rather than spinning him off into a solo project. That said, fans are still hoping we’ll see the Jade Giant lose the “Smart Hulk” persona and return to the raw, savage version of the character.
The crossover doesn’t just set the stage for Banner. It also reaffirms She-Hulk’s place in the MCU. Despite the mixed fan reception to She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Tatiana Maslany will reportedly return for Doomsday.
Scooper Daniel Richtman also notes that “Spider-Man isn’t in Doomsday, at least not in a major role unless they add him later.” That keeps the spotlight on Hulk and the broader Avengers lineup, which is absolutely stacked.
Confirmed returning heroes include Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Invisible Woman, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Letitia Wright as Shuri, and Paul Rudd as Ant-Man.
The roster keeps growing with Wyatt Russell’s U.S. Agent, Tenoch Huerta as Namor, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing, Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Kelsey Grammer as Beast, Lewis Pullman as Sentry, Danny Ramirez as Falcon, Joseph Quinn as Human Torch, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Winston Duke as M’Baku, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, and Tom Hiddleston as Loki.
Avengers: Doomsday will also feature the return of Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Ian McKellen as Magneto, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, James Marsden as Cyclops, and Channing Tatum as Gambit.
Avengers: Doomsday is being directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, reuniting with screenwriter Stephen McFeely, with Michael Waldron (Loki, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) also contributing to the script.
Doomsday is scheduled for release on December 18, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars following a year later on December 17, 2027.