Will the Hulk be in Captain America: Brave New World?

Movies

There are conflicting reports about whether or not Captain America: Brave New World will have a Hulk. It had been taken as a given that he who smashes (or used to, anyway, before Modern Marvel got their fun-hating claws into him) would appear in the film in some capacity, as it’s festooned with members of his supporting cast – in particular, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), General Ross (Harrison Ford, taking over for the late William Hurt), and the Leader (Tim Blake Nelson). And in an interview at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, Mark Ruffalo said he would indeed be in the movie. He responded to the question of his presence in Brave New World with “Yeah,” and after he was asked if he was allowed to say that, “Yeah; it’s going to be great!” You can see that clip from the interview below:

But not so fast; Variety has an exclusive piece saying they’ve heard from “multiple sources” that Ruffalo and his character(s) will not be in the film, saying that he thought the question was whether Brave New World was one of Marvel’s next movies rather than if he would be acting in it. This denial – I’m sorry, clarification – came quickly, a day after Ruffalo’s comments. It should also be noted that Brave New World is undergoing reshoots this year, and they’re so extensive that it’s fair to assume the entire film is being remade. It’s also relevant that in his interview, Ruffalo said he was told his character arc would be in four movies (presumably Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame) because there was no way the Hulk would get another MCU solo film, but he was coy when asked if those circumstances had changed. (“I could talk more about it, but I’ve been told not to.”)

So, which account is the right one? I think Mark Ruffalo’s is. That denial from Marvel (via their “multiple sources”) is weaker than decaf coffee. Look at that video; he knows she’s talking about whether he’s in Brave New World. Why would she ask him about future Marvel movies that don’t involve him during an interview about his career? And pay attention to his face when she asks if “that’s next;” he’s unsure whether he should answer at first, but decides to go for it. He’s also discussed the possibility of a Hulk movie down the line in the past couple of years, which he now says he was told not to mention. (Though how much fun is that going to be now that everything that makes the Hulk cool is gone, with nothing but Mark Ruffalo playing a CGI version of himself in its place?) This is Marvel trying to keep a secret that was never much of a secret to begin with. Don’t get me wrong; considering how their recent movies and shows have gone, I wouldn’t put it past Marvel to make a film with Hulk’s girlfriend and Hulk’s two main villains without putting Hulk in it. (Star-Spangled Falcon has taken his new motif from Captain America; he might as well take his supporting cast from the Hulk.) But it would be a glaringly bad move even for the people who thought Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was ready for theaters. It’s true that the film is essentially being remade during the first half of 2024, but I highly doubt the Hulk will be left out of it.