Spider-Man: Brand New Day Takes Hulk Where the MCU Wouldn't
Among the OG Avengers, no arc feels more squandered than Hulk’s. By sanding down his rage, Marvel turned its most volatile hero into a crowd-pleaser—and a flashpoint for fans—leaving the multiverse as his last, best chance to smash his way back to form.
Hulk has spent a lot of time on the MCU bench, and when he does show up, his biggest edge — the barely-contained rage — has mostly been sanded down. That might finally change. The latest chatter says Spider-Man: Brand New Day could bring back the scary version of the green guy. Emphasis on 'could.'
The rumor and where it comes from
Scooper Alex Perez (a name fans will recognize and generally file under 'semi-reliable') told The Cosmic Circus that Brand New Day puts both Peter Parker and Bruce Banner through the emotional wringer. The gist: guilt and trauma they have both been carrying get dragged into the light — and the fallout is not pretty.
'The events of Brand New Day are going to force both of these characters to come face-to-face with their own personal trauma and guilt over the events of their past as they come bubbling to the surface.'
Important caveat: none of this is officially confirmed by Marvel. Reports have Mark Ruffalo returning in Brand New Day, which would obviously make any Hulk swing possible, but again — until Marvel says it out loud, treat it as rumor.
What the scoop actually claims
- Peter and Bruce are both pushed to confront past guilt and trauma.
- Hulk gets angrier than we have seen in live-action.
- The outburst could outdo Age of Ultron in intensity.
- Unlike Ultron, where we saw massive damage but no confirmed fatalities, Brand New Day might show Hulk crossing a line and taking a life.
How far are we talking?
Post-Age of Ultron, Hulk has mostly shown restraint in the MCU — sometimes by choice, sometimes because the stories steered him that way. Even during Scarlet Witch’s mind-twist in Ultron, we saw chaos and injuries, but Marvel steered clear of on-screen deaths tied directly to Hulk. Perez is basically saying: not this time. If Marvel actually lets Hulk break bad for real, that would be a major course correction — and, frankly, the kind of bold swing the character has needed for years.
Quick reality check
This all sounds great if you have been craving classic, volatile Hulk. It also hinges on Marvel choosing to go darker with a character they have kept pretty cuddly since Ragnarok. Plans change. Scripts evolve. Keep expectations flexible.
About that solo Hulk movie
Another reason Hulk has lagged behind the other OG Avengers is the lack of a proper solo follow-up after 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. The long-running hurdle: Universal has held distribution rights that complicate Marvel going solo on a new Hulk film. Mark Ruffalo has been open about wanting one, while also sounding realistic about the legal mess.
'Yeah, I’d love to have a solo Hulk movie. I don’t know if you know the story of that, but it’s not really owned by Marvel. It’s a Universal property. I don’t know if it’ll ever really come to be, honestly.'
So for now, the path back to a feral Hulk probably runs through team-ups and other heroes’ movies — which makes Brand New Day a logical pressure cooker.
The bottom line
If the scoops are accurate, Brand New Day could finally let Hulk be scary again — not just strong, not just funny, but dangerous. That would be a big swing for a character with a lot of untapped potential in the MCU.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is currently slated for July 31, 2026.