Doomsday Directors Confirm Hulk’s Fate After Endgame Encore

It has almost become a tradition for the next MCU movie’s big twists to be figured out by fans long before the film’s actual release, forcing the directors and actors to play coy for months. The most recent example of this revolved around Sadie Sink’s role as Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which wasn’t confirmed before the movie’s release despite it being the worst-kept secret in the world. Now the Russo Brothers are going through the cycle again ahead of Avengers: Doomsday after being pressed with questions about Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk.

In the lead up to Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel has revealed dozens of actors returning for the film. One returning actor who hasn’t been confirmed is Ruffalo, leaving fans to wonder if this meant the Hulk wouldn’t be appearing. That all changed with the recent re-release of Avengers: Endgame, which includes a handful of new scenes meant to tie directly into Doomsday. One such scene that seems to take place post-Brand New Day sees Dr. Banner in a self-imposed confinement that is rudely interrupted by an off-screen voice saying he’s “Come to collect Banner.” A flash occurs and Banner is gone, with green runes left behind in the cell. The mystery man who broke Banner out is, of course, Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.).

This heavily suggests Banner will appear in Doomsday. Empire Online directly asked Joe and Anthony Russo to confirm in a new interview. Naturally, the directors avoided a direct answer as best as possible. “There’s really no way to step around that,” said Anthony Russo, “You know us. We’re just fighting ourselves to save the presents for Christmas morning.” Joe continued by adding that “[Banner] is certainly involved in the story that revolves around Doom. We will not confirm or deny his appearance in Doomsday.”

Anthony chimed in again to remind audiences that there are plenty of characters and actors who have not been announced for the upcoming film, which feels like the closest thing to a confirmation we will get. Granted, there is always the possibility that Ruffalo actually doesn’t appear in Doomsday, and that the Endgame Encore scene sets up his appearance in 2028’s Secret Wars. Only time will tell.

What does Doctor Doom want with Bruce Banner in Avengers: Doomsday?

The Endgame Encore scene does raise the question of why exactly Doom would want to collect Banner in the first place. The Russos’ only tease on this topic was to say that “his interest may extend beyond just Banner.” That might be a sign that Doom is interested in Banner’s work on Gamma suppression, something Peter Parker expanded upon with his own mutation inhibitor device. Gaining access to technology that could negate the powers of a number of heroes would be a major tool in his imminent battle with the Avengers.

Alternatively, there could be a more thematic reason for Doom’s desire to gather Banner. Doomsday seems set to heavily play up the fact that Downey Jr., who previously played Tony Stark, is now playing Doom, with footage in Endgame Encore drawing a direct parallel between the two characters. Stark and Banner have had a close relationship since the very first Avengers movie, with the two genius scientists finding some kind of camaraderie together. Banner being forced to aid Doom, and getting a chance to play off a twisted version of Stark and Banner’s relationship, could be a powerful plot line.