The MCU’s Real Hulk Never Recovered From His Biggest Defeat (but 2026 Can Finally Fix That)

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The Hulk, played by both Edward Norton and Mark Ruffalo in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is a founding hero fans hope to see return. After first appearing in the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk, Mark Ruffalo took on the role and featured the character in ten MCU projects, including the Avengers films. A new movie planned for 2026 could finally address a major, divisive event that happened to the Hulk in Avengers: Infinity War.

The Hulk has gone through a lot of changes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, particularly since Avengers: Endgame. That movie showed us Bruce Banner successfully merged with the Hulk, creating a “Smart Hulk” – essentially Banner’s intelligence inside the Hulk’s powerful body. He hasn’t changed back to his original form since, suggesting the Hulk hasn’t fully recovered from a major setback. Though fans often miss the Hulk’s earlier, more aggressive personality, it looks like that version might be coming back soon.

We Haven’t Seen the Real Hulk Since Avengers: Infinity War

In the opening scene of Avengers: Infinity War, we see the last appearance of the Hulk in his original form. The movie begins with Thanos attacking the Asgardian ship carrying refugees like Thor, Loki, and Bruce Banner. Banner transforms into the Hulk to fight Thanos, but Thanos proves to be much more powerful and quickly defeats him. Heimdall then uses the Bifrost to send the Hulk to Earth, a decision heavily influenced by Thanos’s victory.

Throughout Infinity War, Bruce Banner couldn’t turn into the Hulk. The Hulk seemed too embarrassed or felt too insignificant to appear, even when facing threats like Cull Obsidian and Ebony Maw, and during the battle in Wakanda. This inability led Banner to find a middle ground, blending his human mind with the Hulk’s power. The fact that the original, more intelligent Hulk hasn’t returned suggests this experience continues to impact Banner deeply.

In Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Bruce Banner appeared as a hologram in his human form, using a special device to suppress the Hulk. This device was broken in the first episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (“A Normal Amount of Rage”) in 2022, causing Banner to transform back into the Smart Hulk. He’s still grappling with being the Hulk and seems to want to live as a human again, which could happen in the next Marvel movie scheduled for 2026.

The Real Hulk Could Return to the MCU in Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Mark Ruffalo is set to appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which comes out in August 2025. He’ll be acting alongside Tom Holland as Spider-Man and Jon Bernthal as the Punisher. However, it’s currently unknown what part Bruce Banner (the Hulk) will play in the film. Fans are hoping that Brand New Day will bring back the Hulk’s classic, more aggressive personality, which hasn’t been seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for quite some time.

As a big MCU fan, I’m really hoping to see the Hulk get a proper storyline soon! Ever since his defeat by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, he hasn’t felt like himself. I think a story like Spider-Man: Brand New Day could be exactly what he needs to get back to his full power. I’d love to see him pushed to his limits in fights against classic heroes and villains – imagine him battling Spider-Man, the Punisher, Scorpion, or Tombstone! It’s been a long time – since The Avengers in 2012, actually – since we’ve seen Banner fully transform on screen, and I’m incredibly excited to see where they take the Hulk next.

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2025-11-23 20:40