The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a well-oiled machine, one that’s constantly releasing new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. One of the most anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is Destin Daniel Cretton’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day, especially thanks to the inclusion of other heroes like The Punisher and The Hulk. Mark Ruffalo was spotted in a set video, and now fans think they know what’s going on with Bruce Banner when he returns to the big screen.
What we know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day is extremely limited, which is why fans are filling in the blanks with rumors and theories about what’s coming. A video from the set (via ScreenRant) showed Bruce Banner on a stretcher looking disoriented. And some fans think this is evidence that OG Savage Hulk might return, rather than the Smart Hulk that was introduced in Avengers: Endgame and She-Hulk.
This is just a theory at this point, so we should take it with a grain of salt. It’s more than possible that Banner simply got injured, and that Smart Hulk could stay. But having Spider-Man face off against the original version of the big green guy would make for some thrilling action sequences, especially if he’s raging throughout New York City.
Moviegoers who watched the Marvel movies in order will recall that Before Banner found a way to combine the brains and muscles of his two personalities into one being, Mark Ruffalo’s character would often lose control and have no memory of the destruction he caused as his alter ego. This could explain the confusion that’s on the actor’s face in the set video, which is already making the rounds on social media.
Fans have been theorizing about the original Hulk’s return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day for a while now. This started thanks to set photos that teased the introduction of the Inner Demons, which are henchman of the villain Mister Negative. That antagonists’s abilities might be able to mess with Bruce Banner’s might, which could open the door for him to lose control and see Savage Hulk return to the MCU. We’ll just have to wait and see if fans are correct or not.
Hulk’s role is just one of many questions currently surrounding Tom Holland’s fourth Spider-Man movie. Chief among them is the mystery surrounding Sadie Sink’s character, as well as how Jon Bernthal’s Punisher will factor into the narrative. All of his has helped buoy fan excitement, while we wait for Marvel to offer some official news about the forthcoming blockbuster.
All will be revealed when Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31st as part of the 2026 movie release list. Hopefully we great more information about our lingering questions sooner rather than later, especially since that title is the next title arriving in theaters.