Avengers: Doomsday Is Officially Repeating The Same Hulk Story For The FIFTH Time In The MCU

Published Sep 26, 2026, 5:30 PM EDT Simon Gallagher has worked in movie and TV journalism for more than 17 years. He has written more than 6000 articles and reviews, and edited thousands more. He is an expert in the entertainment industry, particularly in the golden age of screen superheroes. Simon is also a Rotten Tomatoes approved critic. The Hulk might be the strangest character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not because he’s a Jekyll and Hyde split personality who turns a man of science into a gamma-infused monster, but because his story has been a wild ride. And thanks to Avengers: Endgame Encore, it just got wilder. Since Edward Norton handed the reins for Bruce Banner to Mark Ruffalo after The Incredible Hulk’s disappointing release in 2008, Hulk has largely been a big green plot device, rather than a solo hero. Thanks to rights complications the MCU inherited, there hasn’t been a true Hulk movie in almost 20 years, as Banner played supporting character to the rest of the Avengers, then Thor, then She-Hulk, then Spider-Man, with some cameos thrown in for good measure. He’s now the only original Avenger to not have his own project. Instead, his narrative arc has been stitched together across other people’s stories and team-ups, forcing the MCU’s directors to condense decades of comic lore into subplots. And not every one of those creators saw Hulk the same way. He’s been a tragic figure, a comedic one, and, more than anything, a manifested conflict wrapped in the dorky outer casing of a scientist. The Russos eventually “ended” his storyline in Avengers: Endgame with the introduction of Smart Hulk, but the MCU has subsequently worked back from that, basically admitting the false “balance” was a mistake. In other words, Hulk has regressed, and trying to map out an actual character arc means acknowledging the repetition. Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s ending set us all the way back to the idea of Banner as a bomb waiting to explode, and now that Avengers: Endgame Encore has shockingly revealed what comes next, it’s even more difficult to ignore the fact that the MCU is stuck repeating the same Hulk story over and over. Hulk Is Finally Confirmed For Avengers: Doomsday Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s shocking ending left the Hulk’s future shrouded in uncertainty, given the fact that Banner was carted off and apparently labeled a public threat once more. There was some speculation that could be setting up a new Hulk project - perhaps even a take on World War Hulk - but that still felt somewhat unlikely with Marvel hurtling towards what’s being widely framed as a selective reboot after Avengers: Secret Wars. We were all also led to believe Hulk wouldn’t be involved in Avengers: Doomsday - at least by the official Doomsday cast announcement - because Mark Ruffalo’s name was conspicuously absent from the now infamous chairs reveal. That, inevitably, sparked some debate, with some expectation that he could be held back for Secret Wars, alongside Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel (among others). Leaked concept art showing Hulk threw some doubt into play, despite Ruffalo’s insistence that he won’t be in Doomsday at all. But the answer to that particular mystery came sooner than anyone could have predicted, with Avengers: Endgame Encore’s release in theaters with new footage. Hulk will now definitely be in Avengers: Doomsday, which is, again, not a solo project, but it’s at least a confirmation that he’s back. Doctor Doom Recruits Hulk For Avengers: Doomsday As revealed in the new Avengers: Endgame Encore footage, Hulk - or Banner - will be working with Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom. That may be under duress, but the Endgame post-credits scene left little room for doubt. With Banner in self-containment in a bunker two miles underground and working on a new gamma-suppression serum to cure his Hulk problem, Doom magically teleports in and informs him he’s there to “collect” him. Banner protests, Hulk rages, and Doom picks up a new recruit. There’s long been speculation that Doctor Doom will be recruiting powerful superheroes, including Banner and, most likely, Doctor Strange, at the very least, to complete his mission to supposedly “save” the Multiverse from collapsing. Incursions threaten existence, and Doom has a plan, which we know includes taking back the stolen lives the Avengers seemingly won after the Time Heist corrupted the timeline. As a genius-level intellect, Banner is a strong recruit, and the fact that he’s also in the top power level in the MCU is an obvious added benefit. But if you think the idea of him being used by a villain seems a little familiar, you’d be right… Hulk Has Been Used By Villains FIVE Times In The MCU The idea of Bruce Banner and Hulk in conflict has been an ever-present part of the character’s MCU story, because it’s a definitive part of Hulk’s Marvel lore. Repeating that and undoing resolutions and finding new ways to escalate the conflict makes sense, but the fact that the MCU keeps writing stories where the Jade Giant is used as a weapon by a villain is a lot less forgivable. Obviously, the idea of Hulk’s value as a threat is a compelling one, but for Avengers: Doomsday to mark the fifth distinct time this has happened is madness. Through manipulation, brainwashing, exploitation, and now outright recruitment (with some logic to be established in Doomsday), Hulk has been used by five different MCU villains. A good idea is a good idea, but is this the only idea anyone has for him? Maybe Doctor Doom using Hulk will prove an entertaining move, but it’s still irresistible to raise an eyebrow. It all began in The Avengers when Loki manipulated the Avengers into capturing him so he could influence Banner to rampage through the SHIELD Helicarrier; then three years later, Scarlet Witch enchanted him to rampage again in Age of Ultron; then the Grandmaster turned him into Sakaar’s champion (and attempted to kill Thor); then Jean Grey unleashed Hulk in her attempt to free her sister; and now it’s Doom playing villainous puppeteer. Perhaps we need a new playbook? As I’ve already said, it’s not difficult to see why screenwriters keep returning to this specific idea. The Hulk is uniquely built for narrative manipulation, because he’s a living embodiment of a double-edged sword, and a savage Hulk delivers Bruce Banner’s nightmare in an easily plottable way. And the MCU has a bit of a fetish for putting its heroes through their nightmares: Tony Stark’s fear became Iron Man’s obsession and led to his death, Spider-Man lost everything, Hawkeye went on a murderous spree after the death of his family, Black Widow died, Thor had a breakdown, War Machine was kidnapped by aliens… The list is remarkable. It just seems that the MCU can’t get enough of the core tragedy of the Hulk. Banner’s entire existence is defined by a desperate desire for agency, control, and peace, and depriving him of that agency by turning him into a weapon to be used by villains amplifies his inner tragedy. In a rather meta way, Hulk and Bruce are fittingly trapped in an endless loop that will only end when there’s a true final solution. Release Date December 18, 2026 Runtime 165 Minutes Director Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Cast Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic Vanessa Kirby Sue Storm / Invisible Woman Avengers: Doomsday is the fifth Avengers film and kicks off Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A stacked cast of heroes both new and old to the MCU — including members of the X-Men — will face off against Victor von Doom, revealed at San Diego Comic-Con in 2024 to be played by a returning Robert Downey Jr.