Summary
Spider-Man: Brand New Dayhas a brand new cameo… maybe. Recent reports suggest that Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner and his green alter ego, Hulk, might show face in Tom Holland’s fourthSpider-Manmovie. It might not be the obvious option, but it’s no less the best.
InSpider-Man: Brand New Day, Spidey needs a break from multiverse-ing to focus on a neighborhood story. A meaningful partner in his movie with whom he can share his hobbies is optimal. Banner and Hulk (whichever version) fit that description to a tee.
A Nick Fury or Doctor Strange Kind Of Cameo Is Completely Worn Out
Only Tony Stark’s InSpider-Man: HomecomingFelt Genuine
Every film in the MCU Spider-Man “Home” trilogy has had a father figure for Peter Parker. In the first film,Spider-Man: Homecoming, it was Tony Stark—spilling off fromCaptain America: Civil War—who kept Peter’s hopes of attaining Avenger-level status in check.Nick Fury is Nick Fury (or a Skrull impersonator)inFar From Home, and Doctor Strange dipped a finger into the Multiverse with Peter inNo Way Home. Arguably, only Stark’s feels like a genuine inclusion, with the other two being there for franchise purposes. It lends credence to the rumor of a backdoor deal between Marvel Studios and Sony mandating the former to include at least one key character in a Spider-Man film.
Bruce Banner and Peter Parker Are Yet To Officially Meet In The MCU
But There’s A Catch…
It might not seem like it, but Bruce Banner and Peter Parker have never met in person…at least on screen (both would have crossed paths at Stark’s funeral). The closest in proximity these two characters got is inAvengers: Infinity Warwhen Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian attack New York. That doesn’t mean that Banner does not know that there is a Spider-Man—he’s an Avenger after all —it only means that he has no way of knowing his true identity. Even if he did, remember Doctor Strange’s spell inNo Way Home?That should make him forget.
But there’s a catch: Banner isn’t the same person as Hulk. A spell only affects a being in existence at a given time; so whichever it was at the time it was cast—Bruce or Hulk—the other knows Spider-Man’s identity. In the comics,Hulk still remembers Sentrywhen the rest of the globe didn’t. In this regard, it wouldn’t be totally surprising for writers to employ this tactic to introduce both characters to each other inSpider-Man: Brand New Day.
A Banner-Parker Team-Up Would Be Epic
Fans Would be Treated To Strong Chemistry and Effortless Comedy
Since Bruce/Hulk could be the only one who remembersPeter as Spider-Man afterNo Way Home, it makes absolute sense that he would guide the teenager. In the comics, Peter Parker and Bruce Banner share a unique bond rooted in science, guilt, and the transformative power of their alter egos. Both were shaped by accidents they didn’t ask for, and both struggled with the consequences of their powers. One fan theory already brewing is that Banner could be Peter’s new college professor, unknowingly crossing paths with the very student he once fought alongside. That setup leads to an interesting sub-plot. Peter’s blood has some levels of radioactivity—a field Banner is an expert in. Could fans be getting an experiment-gone-wrong moment à la Spider-Hulk?
Even With the Hulk,Spider-Man: Brand New DayNeeds To Keep It Street-Level
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man Needs to Go Back To Neighborhood-Friendly Roots
In the comics, Spider-Man is actually very heavily involved in all the shenanigans and action Marvel has to offer. But that’s on print. In live-action, there’s a longstanding, unspoken rule of giving Spider-Man street- or city-level threats, and not world-levels (although not all films have adhered to this).
With the words, “stay friendly… a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man,” Robert Downey’s Tony Stark clipped the enthusiastic wings (more like “webs”) ofHolland’s Peter Parker inSpider-Man: No Way Home. Since then, he’s done just that and added a bit of Avenger-ing and Multiverse-ing to the mix. That’s fine; it worked. But now, there’s a reasonable call from Spidey lovers that their hero should go back to doing this thing in the streets of New York.
What Kind Of Hulk Would MCU Fans Be Getting At This Point?
“Isn’t adding a Hulk in the first place go against the friendly-neighborhood idea?” should be the ideal follow-up. The answer? Not necessarily. It all depends onwhich version of Hulk shows upinSpider-Man: Brand New Day, and that hinges on when the film takes place relative toAvengers: Doomsday.
For all we know, Hulk is still in his professor stage. Thus, ifBrand New Dayis set beforeDoomsday, we would likely see a return of the reserved,intelligent, and ideally suited for a grounded Spider-Man.If it comes after, depending on what the Russo brothers have in store, the most savage persona yet might be what’s afoot for the character.In such a case, any villain has to be just as strong—or even stronger, considering it’s a team-up with Spidey—to justify the Hulk’s presence. It’s hard to think of anyyet-to-be-introduced Marvel villainwho matches such a description.
