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Mark Ruffalo replaced Edward Norton as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Bruce Banner/Hulk in 2012’s The Avengers and has been a fan-favorite in that role ever since. While Ruffalo never got the opportunity to headline his own Hulk solo movie (thanks to complicated rights issues with Universal), he left his mark on the franchise through his performances in multiple Avengers films and Thor: Ragnarok. Outside of a voice role in What If…?, fans haven’t seen Ruffalo in the MCU since She-Hulk in 2022. That’s set to change this summer in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but Hulk’s future beyond that is unknown, causing rumors to spread that Ruffalo has been fired.
Now, the actor has addressed that speculation. In an interview with The News Movement while promoting his new film Crime 101, Ruffalo was asked about the rumor. “Not that I know of. People keep going, ‘Did you get fired?’ I’m like, ‘Not that I know of,’” he said. In the same interview, Ruffalo’s Crime 101 co-stars Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry dismissed the rumors as “nonsense” and said if they were true, they would “protest” in support of Ruffalo.
Ruffalo continued, “Yeah, I’ll be there as long as they have me. I have a good relationship with them. You know, who knows, there might be things I’m already doing that are … I’m around. Let me just say that.”
Will Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk Be In Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars?
If Ruffalo had been fired, that kind of major development undoubtedly would have made headlines in the industry trades and official news channels (similar to what happened during the James Gunn situation during development of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), so fans can rest assured the actor is still part of the MCU for the time being. This serves as a reminder that there’s a lot of baseless speculation circulating around online, and it’s important to tread carefully and keep an eye on the sources making certain claims.
Ruffalo doesn’t outright confirm anything, but he’s certainly teasing an appearance in a future Marvel project in his comments. Brand New Day wrapped production in December, so if Ruffalo is hinting at “things” that could be in motion, he might be referring to the Avengers movies that are in the works. The actor has not yet been confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday, but there’s always the possibility Marvel is trying to hold back some surprises for the audience. Chris Evans wasn’t announced during the record-breaking Doomsday cast reveal livestream but was the star of the film’s first teaser trailer. There’s no telling what Marvel has up its sleeve until the movie is out.
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Even so, Doomsday has a lot on its plate to balance, including multiple superhero teams across different realities and the introduction of Doctor Doom. Trying to fit a significant character like Hulk into the plot might be a bridge too far even for Joe and Anthony Russo, who have done a great job balancing large Marvel ensembles in the past. A more plausible scenario is bringing Hulk back for Secret Wars, where he potentially could have a more meaningful role. There’s a chance some key characters die in Doomsday, so Hulk could fill the void left by one of those departed heroes. Tom Holland reportedly isn’t in Doomsday, so perhaps Brand New Day sets the stage for Spider-Man and Hulk’s role in Secret Wars.
It would be strange if Hulk wasn’t part of the confrontation against Doctor Doom. He’s one of the few original Avengers still active in the franchise and would be a very powerful ally in the fight (Hulk’s brawn and Banner’s brain could both be useful here). There are MCU characters who probably won’t appear in either Doomsday or Secret Wars, but Hulk feels like a safe bet given his status as a fan favorite and Marvel’s leaning on legacy elements to help the films resonate with fans. Plus, with a soft reset on the way, this could be a chance to give Ruffalo a proper send off before he steps away from the MCU — on his own accord, not because he was fired.
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