According to one MCU theory, we just got our first look at the death of the franchise’s Smart Hulk in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. As it stands, the MCU timeline has provided some major twists in recent history, both in terms of the franchise’s wider multiverse and how it’s held together in-universe, and in terms of various character arcs.
Based on this track record, it would stand to reason on several levels for Marvel’s on-screen offerings to also end the Smart Hulk’s story in this chapter of its run. Indeed, new glimpses of Spider-Man: Brand New Day and its filming seem to set the stage for this exact eventuality to happen sooner rather than later.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s Set Photos May Tease The Death Of Smart Hulk Based On 1 MCU Theory
With Spider-Man: Brand New Day now being actively filmed, several set photos and videos have given us glimpses at what to expect from the story – including previews of some of the cast, and notable sequences of Spider-Man trying to wrangle a tank. Perhaps the most interesting of these set photos and videos, though, revolve around the Hulk.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day set photos have revealed Mark Ruffalo on the set of the film – notably showing the actor seemingly teed up to play Bruce Banner and not the Hulk. These snippets also appear to show Ruffalo as an injured Bruce Banner, suggesting the scientist falls foul of some other forces in the course of the film.
Of course, this is fascinating to note, given it has previously appeared as though Banner has the scientific means to transform himself back into human form through his Hulk Inhibitor Device – suggesting that, if he were using it and in any danger, Banner would merely revert himself back. The fact this doesn’t happen may suggest the Smart Hulk form is something Banner can no longer access at this point in his story.
Ultimately, the narrative taking this approach would make sense for a lot of reasons – not just because it offers the chance to bring back the original Hulk after years of fan hopes for such an eventuality, but also in terms of giving some dimension to his arc, and raising a fascinating dilemma for the character if the Savage Hulk once again enters the scene after years of being dormant.
Why Ending Smart Hulk’s MCU Story Now Would Be For The Best For The Franchise
The decision to have the Hulk become the Smart Hulk in Avengers: Endgame, while somewhat controversial even at the time, did make sense – as it allowed the Hulk to have a complete sort of arc in terms of the Infinity Saga, and to justify Banner and Hulk being able to combine brains and brawn at a key juncture in the story.
However, several years on, keeping the Smart Hulk present in the MCU serves far less of a purpose, and arguably works to the franchise’s detriment, since much of the excitement and tension around the character is effectively undermined by Banner and Hulk being combined – which is seemingly why the comics themselves don’t permanently have Professor Hulk as the focal Hulk in stories.
As such, ending the Smart Hulk’s story now by having Banner lose his ability to transform in this manner – or by having the Hulk Inhibitor Device go awry – would seemingly serve the franchise and the Hulk best, particularly since Spider-Man: Brand New Day appears to be the last stop in the MCU’s movie roster before Avengers: Doomsday.
