The Marvel Cinematic Universe is entering a new phase of reinvention with Avengers: Doomsday (2026), but one of its most familiar faces won’t be joining the fight this time. Mark Ruffalo has officially addressed his absence from the next Avengers installment—offering fans a trademark humorous explanation that hints at Marvel’s continuing culture of secrecy.
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the creative duo behind Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), Doomsday is pivoting away from its earlier Kang storyline to focus instead on Doctor Doom. Robert Downey Jr. will return to the MCU to portray the infamous villain in what’s shaping up to be one of the franchise’s largest-scale productions yet.
The first glimpse at the film’s enormous cast came during a May 2025 “chair reveal” livestream that featured a wide-ranging lineup of returning heroes. Among those confirmed are Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), and James Marsden (Cyclops).
That same reveal stunned audiences with the official integration of Fox’s X-Men characters. Ian McKellen (Magneto), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), Patrick Stewart (Professor X), and Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler) are all returning, marking one of Marvel’s most ambitious Multiverse crossovers to date.
Additional names—including Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Will Poulter, Tessa Thompson, Dominique Thorne, and Xochitl Gomez—have been rumored to appear, though Marvel has yet to confirm those roles.
In September 2025, reports indicated that Pedro Pascal—having debuted as Reed Richards in 2025's The Fantastic Four: First Steps—wrapped his scenes for Avengers: Doomsday. His early completion suggests a potentially smaller role or limited screen time. Alan Cumming also confirmed he had finished filming as Nightcrawler, stating that his “stunt work, training, and scenes were officially complete.”
Such updates underscore the size and complexity of the production, which continues to evolve even as cameras wrap for some of its major players.
Ruffalo, who has portrayed Bruce Banner/Hulk since 2012’s The Avengers, was notably absent from the cast reveal. Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, he addressed the situation with humor: “They decided that it was better to get rid of me than for me to tell the end of the next movie.”
As Comic Book Movie observed, the remark nods to Ruffalo’s reputation as Marvel’s “most notorious spoiler risk.” Over the years, he has accidentally revealed details ranging from Infinity War’s ending to portions of Thor: Ragnarok (2017).
Despite being left out of Doomsday, Ruffalo’s connection to the MCU isn’t ending. He’s confirmed to appear in Destin Daniel Cretton’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026), and leaked concept art has featured both Hulk and She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany) in scenes believed to be tied to either Avengers: Doomsday or its follow-up, Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).
Marvel’s Phase Six began with The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), which opened strong before experiencing a sharp second-week decline, a reminder of the studio’s current challenge to sustain long-term audience enthusiasm.
Kevin Feige and the Russo brothers have since teased that Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars will serve as a “reset point” for the MCU, paving the way for the introduction of the X-Men and a redefined cinematic direction.
With Doctor Doom emerging as the saga’s next dominant force and a crossover lineup blending legacy and modern heroes, Avengers: Doomsday could mark a turning point for the franchise. As production winds down and speculation builds around Ruffalo’s potential return, fans are left to wonder what the future holds for the Hulk, and for the MCU as it redefines itself for a new generation.
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