Why The Hulk Could Play An Important Role In 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day’

It's an exciting time for Marvel fans, with confirmation that filming on Spider-Man: Brand New Day, currently due for release in July, 2026, has begun.. After many rumours and reports in the lead up to production, it has also been officially confirmed that MCU veteran Mark Ruffalo will reprise his role as original Avenger Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the upcoming film.

At first glance, Bruce would appear to be an odd choice to include in a Spider-Man film, as he and Peter Parker have not had many onscreen interactions in the past. However, some comic-savvy fans believe they may have pinpointed the reason for his appearance. Let's take a look at where we last left Spidey, where we last saw The Hulk, and why the latter could play a vital role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Where We Left Spider-Man

When we last saw Peter Parker/Spider-Man at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, he had, sadly, lost just about everything. His beloved Aunt May was killed by the Green Goblin, and as a last ditch effort to keep the universe from falling apart from a multiversal incursion, Peter allows Doctor Strange to cast a spell that will cause everyone on Earth to forget Peter Parker. Unfortunately, 'everyone' includes Strange, Peter's girlfriend, MJ, and best friend, Ned Leeds.

Peter promises MJ and Ned that he will find them and make them remember him. While he initially sets out to fulfill this promise, visiting MJ at the Diner where she works, Peter seems to rethink things after spotting a band-aid on MJ's forehead from a wound she had suffered during the film's final battle, and leaves without properly speaking with her.

From what we know so far about Brand New Day, Spider-Man has placed his focus on battling street-level crime in New York. This news is supported by Mayor Wilson Fisk/Kingpin briefly mentioning Spider-Man as a problem in Daredevil: Born Again.

With Jon Bernthal confirmed to reprise his role as The Punisher in Brand New Day, and strong rumours that Charlie Cox will appear as Daredevil, many fans have speculated whether Spidey will become caught up in Fisk's plan to outlaw masked vigilantes.

Where we last saw The Hulk

We last saw 'Smart Hulk', the integration of The Hulk and Dr. Bruce Banner, during She-Hulk: Attorney-At-Law. After an unexpected Sakaaran spaceship inadvertently causes the car crash that leads to Bruce's cousin, Jennifer Walters, becoming She-Hulk, Bruce realises the ship had been looking for him. After helping Jen adjust to her powers, Bruce departs for Sakaar, where he had spent two years trapped in Hulk-form as the Grandmaster's champion, to investigate.

In the series finale, Bruce returns during a family barbecue, with his previously unknown teenage son, Skarr, in tow. While alternate timeline versions of Bruce/Hulk have appeared in the second and third seasons of What If..?, Spider-Man: Brand New Day will mark the character's first canon/main timeline appearance since She-Hulk.

So, why is The Hulk potentially so important in 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day?'

At some point between the events of Avengers: Endgame and She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law, Bruce develops an inhibitor device that suppresses The Hulk, allowing him to return to his human appearance. Though not directly referenced, this device explains why Bruce appears human during his cameo in the post-credits scene of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

He is still using the inhibitor during his road trip with Jen at the beginning of She-Hulk, but it is damaged in the crash prior to Jen's transformation when she becomes infected with Bruce's Gamma-radiated blood. Bruce's subsequent reintegration with The Hulk also completes the healing of his arm, which had been heavily damaged after using the Infinity Stones in Endgame.

Of course, the real point we are making here is that The Hulk has been out of action at a few points in the MCU's recent history. The movies have made it very clear that Bruce Banner and The Hulk are separate entities, both with their own thoughts and wants.

While they appear to be of one mind after Bruce works to integrate the Banner and Hulk sides during Endgame's five year time jump, the fact that the inhibitor works by suppressing The Hulk implies that he is still a separate entity.

Strange's spell makes everyone in the world/on Earth forget Peter Parker. However, if The Hulk was suppressed at the time the spell was cast, he could be interpreted as not actually 'in the world'. Therefore, some fans have theorised that The Hulk may still remember Peter Parker.

This has precedent in the comics. In the 'One Moment In Time' arc, elements of which were adapted in No Way Home, Doctor Strange casts a spell to make everyone forget Spider-Man's secret identity after it was sccidentally revealed to the world. In a later team-up issue of 'The Immortal Hulk', it is revealed that while the spell worked on Banner, The Hulk still remembers Peter. Hulk is also the only one to remember Sentry after Strange, at Sentry's request, asked that memory of him be erased to protect his friends from the potential emergence of The Void.

It stands to reason that this plot could be adapted in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.. but it may require the Hulk to emerge on his own, which always comes with a risk. We'll just have to wait for the film's release in July, 2026 to see what unfolds.