When Marvel Studios took the bold step of leaving Bruce Banner’s Hulk out of ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ despite the movie being filled with Hulk-adjacent characters, it sparked a lot of debates among fans and critics alike.
Many felt the absence of the Hulk created an uncomfortable gap in a story that included General Ross, his daughter, the Red Hulk, and the Leader. This is because all these characters are tied directly to the Green Giant’s lore. Yet, what seemed like a frustrating oversight may actually turn out to be one of the smartest decisions Marvel has made in recent years.
‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Introduced A Lot Of Characters Directly Related To Hulk’s Storyline
The absence of Hulk in ‘Brave New World’ might’ve paved the way for a long-awaited return of the Savage Hulk in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘. This potential shift could restore the primal version of the character that fans have been missing ever since ‘Avengers: Endgame’ locked Banner into his “Smart Hulk” persona. With ‘Brand New Day’ set to be the final MCU movie before ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, Marvel has the perfect opportunity to reignite Hulk’s story arc.
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The Hulk has always been more than just raw strength and green fists of fury. At his core, he represents Bruce Banner’s inner torment. He showcases the duality between reason and rage, control and chaos, man and monster. This timeless struggle is what made Hulk such an iconic character in comics and one of the most compelling figures in the MCU’s early years.
However, since ‘Avengers: Endgame’, where Banner revealed he had merged brains and brawn into “Smart Hulk,” the character has lost much of his dramatic edge. While the Smart Hulk reveal was amusing and fresh at the time, it also robbed audiences of the unpredictability that came with seeing Banner lose control and unleash the raw Savage Hulk. The problem isn’t that Smart Hulk is bad. However, much like in the comics, “Professor Hulk” was never a permanent solution.
Fans believe this version of the character has overstayed its welcome. And Marvel seems to know this. The franchise has laid the groundwork for Hulk’s extended family and enemies. They introduced She-Hulk, teased his son Skaar, and brought in villains like the Red Hulk and the Leader. Moreover, without Savage Hulk, these narratives feel incomplete.
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Could Bring Back The Savage Hulk
Timing is everything in the MCU, and ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ is the ideal stage for the Savage Hulk’s return. The movie is already set to feature Spider-Man, the Punisher, and a new antagonist. This makes it a natural team-up movie with room for larger-than-life story beats. By having Hulk return to his primal form here, Marvel accomplishes several things at once.
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First, it gives audiences a much-needed jolt of excitement before ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. Just as ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ acted as a bridge after ‘Endgame’, ‘Brand New Day’ can set the stakes heading into the next Avengers movie. Second, the return of Savage Hulk in a Spider-Man movie adds immediate symbolic weight. Spider-Man has often been used in the MCU to facilitate huge shifts.
Giving Peter Parker a role in Hulk’s rebirth only strengthens Spidey’s place as a narrative anchor. And perhaps most importantly, this move allows Marvel to undo Smart Hulk without needing lengthy exposition. ‘Brave New World’ has already primed audiences by showing us Hulk villains without Hulk himself. This gap provides just enough narrative leeway for Marvel to simply drop Savage Hulk back into the picture in ‘Brand New Day’.
