Marvel fans have spent years watching Bruce Banner slowly become one of the calmest heroes in the MCU. The angry, destructive Hulk who once tore through cities eventually gave way to the much more controlled “Smart Hulk” version introduced after Avengers: Endgame (2019). While Marvel leaned heavily into that evolution, many fans never fully accepted the softer take on the character.
Now, new details tied to Marvel’s next major release suggest the studio could be preparing to reverse course in a huge way.
Rumors surrounding Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) have sparked growing speculation that Hulk may be facing a major replacement.
Bruce Banner’s Long MCU Journey
Hulk’s MCU story has never followed a simple path. The character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk (2008), with Edward Norton portraying Bruce Banner as a scientist terrified of losing control of the monster inside him.
That early version of Hulk felt dangerous every time he appeared on screen. He smashed through enemies without hesitation and constantly battled Banner’s attempts to suppress him.
Marvel later brought Mark Ruffalo into the role beginning with The Avengers (2012), and he quickly became the face of Hulk in the MCU. Ruffalo continued to appear in Marvel’s biggest films, including Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
As the years passed, Marvel slowly transformed Hulk into Smart Hulk, combining Banner’s intelligence with Hulk’s strength and appearance. Some viewers enjoyed the new direction, but others missed the wild unpredictability that defined the character for years.
Hulk’s Last MCU Appearance
The last major Hulk appearance came in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022). The Disney+ series showed Bruce Banner mentoring Jennifer Walters while remaining fully in his Smart Hulk form throughout most of the story.
By then, Banner appeared more at peace with Hulk than ever before. Instead of treating Hulk like a curse, he seemed fully comfortable balancing both sides of himself.
Still, Marvel quietly teased future developments.
Toward the end of the series, Bruce traveled back to Sakaar before returning during the finale alongside his son, Skaar. At the time, many fans assumed Marvel was simply laying the groundwork for future Hulk projects somewhere down the line.
Instead, it now looks like Marvel may already be planning a dramatic reset.
Marvel’s Reported Hulk Shake-Up
Marvel is reportedly bringing Hulk back for Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026), which arrives in theaters July 31, 2026.
Speculation surrounding Ruffalo’s involvement exploded after promotional artwork reportedly surfaced online before quickly disappearing. The leaked material allegedly showed Spider-Man facing villains like Scorpion, Boomerang, and Tarantula.
Then came the merchandise reveal that really got fans talking.
New Hasbro packaging reportedly labels Ruffalo’s character as “Savage Smash Hulk,” immediately fueling theories that Marvel plans to abandon Smart Hulk entirely.
The wording alone raised eyebrows. Marvel spent years moving Hulk away from his comic-book rage-filled personality after Endgame. Suddenly leaning into “Savage Smash Hulk” strongly suggests the studio may want the original monster back.
Why Fans Think Hulk Is Changing
The figure itself reportedly resembles the classic Hulk design fans grew up with. He still wears ripped purple pants, still towers over everyone else, and still carries the furious expression tied to the comic-book version of the character.
What makes this version stand out is how intimidating he reportedly looks.
The figure apparently features oversized arms and a much more aggressive frame than the calmer Smart Hulk fans recently saw. Early images also appear to show Ruffalo’s Hulk remaining green rather than shifting to the rumored gray version circulating online.
That has only strengthened theories that Marvel wants to restore Hulk’s destructive side.
According to fan rumors, Tombstone and Scorpion could accidentally trigger Hulk’s transformation after using a toxin against Bruce Banner. Instead of weakening Hulk, the attack may unleash Banner’s long-suppressed savage persona.
If that happens, Spider-Man could suddenly find himself battling far more than just street-level villains.
Marvel has not officially confirmed any of these details yet. Still, the rumors, artwork, and “Savage Smash Hulk” branding continue pushing fans toward one major conclusion: the Hulk MCU audiences have known for years may soon disappear completely.
