Anytime there’s an upcoming Marvel movie on the horizon, fans are going into the experience knowing full well what the Hero Vs. Villain situation is going to be, with the Russos’ Avengers: Doomsday as the ultra-epitome of that idea. Not so much with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, though, which tipped fans off to both Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle and Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner, but without word on specific big bads. It’s really starting to make my Nicky Sense tingle. (Editor Note: destroy the phrase “Nicky Sense.”)

It’s obviously a known mystery amongst fans that major villain reveals have yet to surface, but Tom Holland himself spoke to that notion at one of Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s red carpet premieres, as seen in a clip shared on X. He shared:

Certainly not the first time someone has used the "unlike anything we've seen before" boast to address a villain, and this is certainly an instance where we literally haven't seen the villain yet. So it tracks, logically speaking. But having Holland address it as a "mystery" without spoiling anything sparked a few theories in my head about why Marvel and the Spider-Man team are waffling on reveals. (Especially if the antagonist ends up being Tombstone, who first took over the rumor mill back in February, or others like Ramrod, Tarantula and Boomerang.

Theory 1: It's Connected To Doctor Doom, And Can't Be Revealed Until Doomsday's Trailer Is Out

The idea here is that whatever villain Spider-Man is dealing with in Brand New Day's reworked version of reality is directly related to Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, and that Kevin Feige & Co. won't want to show off the villain's iconography without first revealing RDJ's full Doom look in an Avengers: Doomsday trailer, which is rumored to be going public for San Diego Comic-Con.

It's not extremely likely, but it's possible that Spider-Man: BND's reshoots went down to incorporate things from Doomsday that hadn't yet been conceived when director Destin Daniel Cretton went through the initial production phase, and/or that already filmed scenes needed touch-ups to bring in new visuals. How cool and depressing would it be if Peter had to face off against a Tony Stark clone, or if Sadie Sink is playing a femme Doombot?

Theory 2: The Villain Reveal Will Be A Twist Involving A New Character

Also possible: Spider-Man: Brand New Day may already revealed its key villain by proxy of one of the new actors joining this corner of the MCU. Which pretty much limits this theory to Severance great Tramell Tillman's Bill Metzger or one of the as-yet-unidentified characters being played by Sadie Sink or Keith David. unidentified character.

Although it could technically end up being Eman Esfandi, who will be portraying a new love interest for Zendaya's MJ. Such a transparent placement might be a weak story move, but it's still feasible, all things considered.

Theory 3: The Villain Will Be A Variant Of An Already Existing Character

To flip the previous idea, it's possible the biggest foe trying to take Spider-Man down is someone who's already very familiar to MCU audiences, only under the guises of a more heroic role. What if, much like Robert Downey Jr. jumping from Iron Man to Doctor Doom, another beloved actor flips from playing a virtuous hero to playing a devious bad guy?

Could we see Chris Evans taking over the role of Green Goblin or something, or something even wilder, like Tobey Maguire and/or Andrew Garfield taking on new life as Brand New Day's antagonist(s)? That sounds way wilder than whatever will probably happen, but one can dream. I'm also not counting out the idea that the previously spoiled Savage Hulk could be the main villain.

Theory 4: It's Ned

To stretch the previous theory out a little more, maybe we're not talking about a variant of a superhero character, but rather an alternate version of someone from Peter Parker's personal life. Such as, oh I dunno, Jacob Batalon's Ned. The movie's twisted version of reality makes this theory seem easier to pull off than it would if Ned was still knowingly Peter's BFF.

But maybe the Ned we see in the trailers isn't just the same memory-lapsed dude that we're meant to think he is. Maybe this Ned is all-knowing and responsible for the dangers and terrors that come Peter's way in Brand New Day. Plus, I don't think it's a coincidence that an anagram for the movie's subtitle is: Brand Ned Way. That's pretty much all the evidence needed, amirite?

I cannot wait to find out which of the webslinger's rogues will be bringing the chaos when Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31, 2026.

With Nicolas Cage having brought his spider fascination to the small screen with Spider-Noir, fans are now waiting in earnest for the MCU’s official webslinger to return in the upcoming Marvel movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The sequel will also excitingly feature the return of Mark Ruffalo as both Bruce Banner and Hulk, and it’s sounding more and more like the green behemoth will truly be bigger and badder than ever before. At least in live-action.

The latest quasi-update sorta-rumor suggests that the brainiac Hulk we’ve gotten used to over the years isn’t long for this world anymore, and that an evolution is imminent, even if it’s not exactly clear yet what’ll be behind the change. Specifically, industry insider MyTimeToShine took to X with what appears to be dialogue from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, though without any verifiable context about whether it came from an as-yet-unreleased trailer or as part of the script penned by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers. Whatever the case, here’s the post:

Before we dive into sophomoric hysterics, let's actually view this line through the lens of canonical reality. Without knowing exactly what's happening in this alleged movie moment, we can only make assumptions, but it does sound like Bruce will be changing into something that goes beyond the Hulk we've seen at any point previously in the MCU. Something that one might call...savage.

Not that fans are completely in the dark about the potential emergence of Savage Hulk in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Set photos have implied Bruce goes through some kind of medical situation, but then Savage Hulk’s arrival was possibly spoiled by toy announcements. That's right, plural. First with a toy mask, and then with an action figure. Still, toy spoilers don't always turn out to be the most dependable, so we're still keeping a grain of salt here.

But I mean, come on. We're getting Savage Hulk, right? LOOK ME IN THE EYE AND TELL ME WE AREN'T, MARK RUFFALO!

He can't do it! He just can't do it. So that's proof, right?

Is it wrong to want to see Hulk and Jon Bernthal's Punisher square off? After seeing the vigilante destroy so many people in the standalone special One Last Kill, I'd love to watch Frank Castle trying to strategize taking down a giant green monster. But if Spidey's aforementioned comment is made calmly, maybe the bigger-than-normal Hulk won't be completely out of control right away.

Outside of any and all elation related to Savage Hulk's potential appearance, the alleged Spider-Man quote above inspired quite a few commenters to skew amusingly perverse, with multiple followers posting various GIFs of The Office's Michael Scott delivering his signature "That's what she said." Other reactionary GIFs were also posted of Dan Levy, The Boys' Homelander, Mr. Bean and more.

And yeah, at least one person was all about seeing Spider-Man and Hulk hooking up. It's a slippery slope. But I guess if Peter and MJ are splitting up...

To relive all of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man adventures, they can each be streamed via Disney+ subscription while awaiting Brand New Day’s release on July 31, 2026.

It’s been almost a year without any upcoming Marvel movies being released, but that’s about to change later this summer with Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The movie not only follows Tom Holland’s Peter Parker after the events of No Way Home, but it also features all sorts of Marvel characters, including the return of Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner/Hulk. Now, one popular theory about the return of the original Avenger seems to be very likely after a new merch drop.

Ever since Mark Ruffalo was spotted on the set of Brand New Day shooting a scene where he looked disoriented on a stretcher, fans have been thinking that this is the movie where Bruce Banner finally loses control of Hulk again. Now, a new Marvel figurine of Hulk connected to the new Spider-Man movie may confirm fans’ thoughts. Per France Figurines’ description of their product:

Oops! Now, this isn’t the first time a piece of merch has allegedly spoiled this. News of Hasbro’s Savage Hulk Talk’n Electronic Mask also pointed fans in the same direction.

We’re still a couple of months out from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, so we don’t imagine this aspect of the film was supposed to be out in the world, but it very much is. There have been no official images of Bruce Banner in Hulk form in Brand New Day, so we can’t be completely sure the movie will have this, but it definitely solidly places the storyline in that direction, and it's an exciting possibility.

When we first met Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner in Avengers, he didn’t have control of his other form – which is known as Savage Hulk. But as the movies went along, he found a way to balance his two sides, notably by debuting his Smart Hulk form in Avengers: Endgame. And in She-Hulk, we learned that he created something called the Hulk Inhibitor Device that allows him to change form at his will, which he wears in the footage we’ve seen of him from Brand New Day thus far.

Since not only Bruce Banner, but Punisher will be in Brand New Day, and both have storylines that are specifically connected to anger, fans have already been talking about how it might inform the upcoming movie. When we catch up with Spider-Man, he’s lost a lot. His friends don’t remember him, and he’s still dealing with the grief of losing Aunt May. While it’s becoming clearer every day that we’ll see a Hulk out in Brand New Day, it’s still yet to be seen how these characters will all tie together. The new Spider-Man movie comes out on July 31!

Paramount Skydance is currently in the process of finalizing specifics to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in a deal worth around $110 billion. All the while, various people have been speaking out about the proposed merger, with creatives across Hollywood having shared a plethora of thoughts. Now, a total of 1,000 creatives including the likes of Mark Ruffalo, Kristen Stewart and Adam McKay are voicing their opposition to the deal via an open letter. With that, Paramount has since issued a response to the sentiments.

Various Hollywood Creatives Sign Open Letter Denouncing The Paramount/Warner Bros. Merger

Signees of the initial open letter are actors, directors, producers and media pundits and, aside from those previously named, Don Cheadle, Alyssa Milano, Denis Villeneuve, Joaquin Phoenix and Jane Fonda were among the others who signed. Said letter was published early Monday morning, with Variety reporting about the situation. Via that statement, the stars collectively assert that they’re expressing their “unequivocal opposition” to the supposed merger. As for the reason for their position, they say the following:

Per the letter, the creatives also express concerns about the entertainment industry already being under “severe strain” due to continued media consolidation. It’s also argued that this “has accelerated the disappearance of the mid-budget film, the erosion of independent distribution, the collapse of the international sales market, the elimination of meaningful profit participation, and the weakening of screen credit integrity.” The letter closes with the creatives reiterating their stance and stressing the importance of “competition”:

Up to this point, the notion of competition within the industry has been mentioned as a key factor by those arguing against the merger. The potential economic impacts of the deal (which will seemingly result in various layoffs across different brands) has also been mentioned.

Paramount Releases A Statement In Response To The Letter

A reaction from Paramount was shared later on Monday, with the studio saying it can “hear and understand the concerns that some in our creative community have raised and respect the commitment to protecting and expanding creativity.” The company also emphasizes it knows “firsthand that this is also a moment when the industry has been facing significant disruption—and the need for strong, creative-first and well-capitalized companies that can continue to invest in storytelling has never been greater.” It also says:

Before Paramount landed Warner Bros., the latter was initially set to be acquired by Netflix, a prospect that also worried director James Cameron along with others. (Cameron’s own blistering response to the deal also garnered a reaction from Ruffalo.) The tides changed, however, after Paramount topped the steamer’s $83 billion bid. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos later confirmed that the price is what caused the company to back out, and he also expressed concerns about potential job losses. As for Paramount, its letter concludes with:

Nevertheless, creatives seem to be standing firm in their positions. That includes a prolific TV writer, as they both signed the letter and discussed that decision on their own.

Damon Lindelof Weighs In On The Paramount/WBD Merger

Among the many to lend their voices to the chorus of creatives speaking out against the merger was Damon Lindelof. The creator of Lost, The Leftovers and other shows took to Instagram to express his concerns about Warner Bros. being folded into Paramount. Lindelof also admitted that he was initially hesitant to voice his opposition publicly but decided to for several reasons, including the prospect of crew members losing work:

This message from Lindelof comes as he works on an upcoming DCU show for WBD, Lanterns. It’s also worth noting that some of the other signatories have projects that are in various stages of production at Warner Bros. As Paramount continues to go through the consolidation process, time will tell if other stars speak out.

When I saw Crime 101, Chris Hemsworth’s first release on the 2026 movie schedule (Doomsday is coming), I was disappointed. I love a great heist movie, and I was excited for this, thinking it’d be a really fun popcorn chomper of an action flick. I wrote about how I thought it was a little too long, owing mostly to a somewhat pointless love story, and I thought the movie was full of silly tropes and lazy plot devices (plus a one-car car chase that was kind of ridiculous).

Then I started seeing a bunch of reviews from critics and fans alike who really liked the movie. The Rotten Tomatoes score kind of blew my mind. It’s currently sitting at 89% on the Tomatometer and 85% on the Popcornmeter. What in the world did I miss here? What were other people seeing that I wasn’t? I had to watch it again, so I fired up my Prime Account, where it is currently streaming, and gave it another shot.

My Opinion Hasn’t Changed

As anyone can relate, sometimes when you see a movie for the first time, you’re in the wrong mood for the movie, or you’ve got other things on your mind. Sometimes a first impression is a bad one. My most notable experience with that was seeing The Big Lebowski in theaters when it was released in 1998. I hated it. It’s now perhaps my favorite movie of all time. I didn’t expect the same thing to happen with Crime 101, but given how much some people really liked it, I felt I owed it a second chance.

So after watching this weekend, I came away from it with the exact same feelings as I had the first time. It’s a trope salad that looks slick, but just under the surface, it feels hollow. The love story between Hemsworth’s character, Mike/James, and Maya (Monica Barbaro) is still pointless. The dialogue is still stilted and shallow. The cat-and-mouse game between Mike and Sharon (Halle Berry) still didn’t get me excited, and Barry Keoghan’s character Ormon still feels unnecessarily psychotic.

All The Pieces Are There For A Really Fun Movie, But…

On paper, this movie should work, and I think it should work for me. I think it’s the perfect kind of role for Hemsworth, and, frankly, the whole cast is in roles that work really well for them. Mark Ruffalo as a down-and-out-but-brilliant detective is right up his alley. Nick Nolte as the grizzled veteran thief is also a fantastic role for him. But none of it really works for me.

As I said, it’s slick, some of the stunt work is wonderful, and I like the general story, but it never gelled. There is just something off about it. It might just be me (in fact, it clearly is, given the Rotten Tomatoes score), but it’s not going to end up on my list of best heist movies, and it really has been yearning for the next big heist movie on my radar, Michael B. Jordan’s remake of The Thomas Crown Affair. I’m hoping for big things from the Oscar-winner!

It’s become a common refrain with movies over the last few years that films that struggle in theaters frequently become big hits once they arrive on streaming platforms. The latest example of this trend has arrived on Prime Video as the heist drama Crime 101, which failed at the box office despite a strong critical reception, is now killing it at home.

Crime 101 Is The Number One Movie In the World On Prime Video

Crime 101 only debuted on Prime Video on April 1st, but the film, which stars Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, and Halle Berry, is already the top streaming movie globally on the platform and the number two movie in the United States. It’s just the latest case of audiences clearly “waiting for streaming” when it comes to theatrical releases that people clearly want to see, but not quite enough to go to the theater.

Crime 101 stars Chris Hemsworth as a thief who teams up with an insurance investigator, played by Halle Berry, to work a major job. Mark Ruffalo is the police detective trying to stop them. Over the course of the film, the cast of characters travels through LA trying to pull off their respective plans, and it turns into one intense crime thriller.

Overall, it seems that those who are watching Crime 101 are likely enjoying themselves. The movie was well reviewed by critics, many of whom compared it favorably to Heat. The film has an 89% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes alongside an equally impressive 85% audince score, indicating that while a lot of people didn’t go to theaters to see it, those who did liked it.

Crime 101’s Road To Success Is Only Becoming More Common

Not every movie that flops in theaters becomes a success on streaming, but a lot of the films that are successful on streaming struggled theatrically first.

It’s clear that audiences still want to see these movies, but many are simply unwilling, for whatever reason, to go see every movie in a theater. Whether it’s a general dissatisfaction with the theatrical experience or a feeling that only certain types of movies are “worth it,” it’s far from uncommon to see character dramas like Crime 101 have a hard time at the box office. Seeing those sorts of films succeed in theaters has become the exception, not the rule.

At the end of the day, there’s certainly some value in the movie finding a way to get in front of eyeballs. People make movies to be seen, and as long as they get seen somehow, that’s worthwhile. At the same time, the continued failure of these sorts of movies in theaters is only going to lead to fewer of them being released in theaters, and potentially fewer of them being made at all, which would be tragic.

However, thankfully, Crime 101 seems to have found its audience, and you can stream it now on Prime Video.

I’ve been a fan of Mark Ruffalo for essentially my whole life, and I’ve realized recently that he really loves to play a cop or someone who works in law enforcement. In the last year alone, he did it in the beloved series Task (which you can stream with an HBO Max subscription) and the film on the 2026 movie schedule, Crime 101. I’m not the only one who has picked up on this, either, and when CinemaBlend interviewed Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry, who worked with Ruffalo on Crime 101, they told us why he’s so good at playing a cop.

Honestly, the list of movies and shows where the actor has played a cop is long and has range. From Task to Crime 101 to Now You See Me to Zodiac, his filmography related to law enforcement runs the gamut. So, when CinemaBlend’s Hannah Saulic spoke to Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry, she asked them about their co-star’s tendency to play a cop. Here’s how they responded:

Now, let’s break all this down. In response to the question about what makes Ruffalo so good in this kind of role, Hemsworth explained:

I can totally see what he’s saying here. If Mark Ruffalo is on my screen, I want to trust him. And that level of trust always ups my interest and investment in what his characters are doing. So, if he’s playing a cop, detective or agent, I’m more inclined to be interested in him and his success with an investigation (whether his character is in the right or not).

In the case of Crime 101, where he played detective Lou Lubesnick, it was obvious that he believed in what he was doing, and that determination made his story more compelling. That’s because he got quite a bit of pushback for his investigation; however, despite everything, he stuck to his guns, and it did lead him eventually to Hemsworth’s thief, Mike.

Along with Hemsworth’s initial response, both the Thor actor and Halle Berry agreed on another quality Ruffalo has in spades, saying:

• Halle Berry: He cares.
• Chris Hemsworth: He cares, yeah.

Elaborating on that point, Berry said it’s nice to see someone who cares and wants to do what’s best on screen. That’s an energy Ruffalo brings, according to her, as she said:

Well, whether he’s playing a genuinely good cop or a morally complex agent, his care is evident. That’s clear on screen in Crime 101, too.

So, yeah, Mark Ruffalo is really good at playing cops, and I hope he continues to do it too. Crime 101 got pretty good reviews, and projects like Zodiac and Task are staples in his filmography. Clearly, he’s fantastic at this, and Hemsworth and Berry helped us define just why that’s the case.

Now, you can see why by streaming Crime 101 with an Amazon Prime subscription.

From a bird’s eye view, Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo are longtime collaborators on the big screen. Both are longtime Marvel Cinematic Universe veterans, and not only have they worked on all of the Avengers films together, but they also had a special two-hander adventure with Thor: Ragnarok. One would think that history would lead to an automatic comfort on any project they now make together, but Hemsworth would disagree, as he felt a different kind of dynamic in the making of the new thriller Crime 101.

In the Bart Layton written and directed 2026 movie (based on the novel of the same name by Don Winslow), Hemsworth and Ruffalo participate in a cinematic cat-and-mouse game: the former is an expert thief who executes his work with impeccable planning, and the latter is the detective trying to hunt him down. It’s a totally different relationship than the one we see between between Thor and Hulk in the aforementioned Taika Waititi blockbuster from 2017, and the big screen God of Thunder reflected on that experience in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly:

Thor: Ragnarok is a very silly movie, and the sensibilities of Waititi let Hemsworth and Ruffalo lean into their charisma and have fun. Crime 101, on the other hand, is not the same at all. The new Heat-esque action movie has its moments of levity (for example the physical comedy of Ruffalo’s out-of-shape character trying yoga for the first time), but it’s mostly a serious drama, and there definitely aren’t any laughs in the scenes that the two actors share.

Hemsworth directly pointed at this difference, saying,

The tone of the work demanded something very different from them both as performers, and that change apparently took Chris Hemsworth aback. He was put on his heels a bit doing dramatic work with Ruffalo, which doesn’t sound comfortable, but he was ultimately able to use that feeling to benefit his performance, as his character is an introvert who very much does not want to go to prison:

To see how this dynamic plays on screen, you can see Crime 101 in theaters now – the film not only starring Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo, but also Nick Nolte, Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Halle Berry.

Months after Netflix’s planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery was announced, many within Hollywood are continuing to discuss the potential impact it could have. Opinions have varied in regard to the merits of the agreement, and some individuals haven’t held back when sharing their thoughts. Filmmaker James Cameron has since weighed in, and he didn’t hold back when dropping his take. Since then, actor Mark Ruffalo has responded to Cameron’s comments, and he did so by posing a question of his own.

Cameron recently wrote a letter to Utah Senator Mike Lee, who leads the U.S. Senate’s subcommittee on antitrust and is analyzing the WB/Netflix deal. In his letter, Cameron asserted that the proposed deal would “be disastrous for the theatrical motion picture business”. A big concern for Cameron is the prospect of the streamer shortening the theatrical window for Warner Bros. films. The Avatar helmer claimed the streamer wanted to decrease the window to 17 days (which is a claim Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos denies).

The Titanic director’s comments eventually went viral, and Ruffalo was among those to see them. When responding to Cameron’s sentiments on X, Ruffalo expressed curiosity about the filmmaker’s thoughts on another aspect of this ongoing business situation:

What the Marvel actor is alluding to is the fact that Paramount Skydance has also been vying to acquire Warner Bros., even in the aftermath of the company’s leaders accepting Netflix’s almost $83 billion bid. The last couple of years have seen Paramount go through immense changes, specifically in terms of the Skydance merger that was completed in 2025. When it comes to this particular matter, Ruffalo appears to be questioning whether Cameron would give the same energy if Paramount were in the position to own WB.

Even ahead of the attempts from Paramount Skydance’s big brass to acquire WB, the media conglomerate was already making headlines. The David Ellison-led company has been implementing changes to its approach to content, including that of CBS News. Some analysts have argued that some of those changes reflect politically right-leaning ideologies and, with that, there’s been speculation about what that could mean for WB if Paramount acquired it.

As far as reactions to the Netflix/WB deal go, a few other filmmakers have chimed in as James Cameron has. Directors Guild of America President Christopher Nolan discussed what a “huge blow” it would be for a major studio to get folded into another. Anora director Sean Baker also spoke out about the agreement and declared that filmmakers should be seeking increased theatrical release windows.

Netflix’s Ted Sarandos has sought to set the record straight on his company’s intentions, as he’s stressed that a 45-day window would be in effect should WB be brought into the fold. When responding to Cameron’s letter with one of his own, Sarandos also claimed he and Cameron were on the same page when the latter met with his company in December. At the same time, Netflix execs have chastised Paramount’s attempts (which include a hostile takeover) to acquire WB. In January, Paramount also filed a lawsuit in an attempt to get Netflix to share financial information regarding its reason for wanting to buy Warner Bros.

Time will tell how all of this ultimately pans out for Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix and Paramount Skydance as time goes on. All the while, it can only be speculated as to whether James Cameron will offer a direct response to Mark Ruffalo’s inquiry.

Mark Ruffalo has had a great career, one marked with varied roles. He’s obviously been a fixture within the superhero genre for over a decade now, thanks to his role as Avenger Bruce Banner a.k.a. The Hulk. Sweet romantic comedies and endearing indie flicks are also part of Ruffalo’s filmography, and he thrives in them. In short, Ruffalo has put in some excellent acting work over the years across different genres. Yet there’s one specific kind of role he’s played that I don’t think he gets enough love for and would love to see more of.

There’s One Kind Of Role I Want Mark Ruffalo To Play More

Honestly, there are so many kinds of roles that Ruffalo succeeds at, though what I’ve really come to appreciate as of late are his performances as law enforcement officers. Some may not realize it, but the Oscar nominee has played a lawman on more than a few occasions over the course of his career. To date, he’s played legal officials in several films, including Zodiac, In the Cut, Collateral, Shutter Island, the Now You See Me films and the 2026 movie schedule release Crime 101.

The 13 Going on 30 alum has even played lawmen on two TV shows, with one being the short-lived UPN drama series, The Beat. And he more recently headlined the critically acclaimed Task (which is currently available for HBO Max subscription to check out).

So, with these current cop roles under his belt, it may sound weird that I feel as though I need Mark Ruffalo to play more of those kinds of parts. Well, there are a few reasons for that. First off, Ruffalo plays such roles with true conviction, and those performances, paired with excellent writing, ensure that these characters feel like layered individuals instead of clichéd cops. Additionally, Ruffalo also exudes the necessary physicality for such roles.

The biggest reason, however, that I’d love to see Ruffalo play more of these kinds of roles is that, at the age of 58, he’s now reached the point at which he can believably play rumpled, veteran cops. Such roles have been played by the likes of Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones and Al Pacino. Ruffalo just fits the mold so well, and his most recent law-related roles prove that.

Mark Ruffalo’s Work In Crime 101 And Task Is Pitch Perfect

2025 marked the release of Task, and the show sees Ruffalo take on the role of a seasoned FBI agent (and former Catholic priest) Tom Brandis, who returns to the field after dealing with a family tragedy and puts together a task force to investigate a series of robberies. Ruffalo is perfect in the role, exuding toughness and vulnerability in equal measure. So I’m glad the show – initially touted as a miniseries – is returning for Season 2. (Though I also still want a Mare of Easttown crossover.)

Ruffalo’s turn as Det. Lou Lubesnick – a newly separated man trying to solve a case of high-end robberies – in Crime 101 is also quite entertaining. The character admittedly mirrors Brandis in a number of ways, but Ruffalo plays him just as convincingly. He also receives moments of levity, which he plays well.

In short, Mark Ruffalo should continue to stay in this lane as an actor, in addition to his roles in blockbusters, comedies and more. He plays the boisterous, yet wise cop all too well, and it’d be a real shame if he stopped, especially as he gets older and settles into the mold even more. For now, though, check out Ruffalo’s performance in the well-received Crime 101, which is now playing in theaters.

Halle Berry is a beloved movie star known for her roles in major movies like James Bond the X-Men films and John Wick. But, she’s noticed lately she’s being defined a lot more for being a woman over 50. The A-list let people know it in a recent interview, as she specifically called out those who reference her age when talking about her physical appearance.

While promoting her latest movie. Crime 101, with Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo, Halle Berry took part in a segment with ScreenTime. As part of the game, the trio of stars took turns reading comments from fans. When one of Berry’s reads “Omg Halle does NOT age! Hard to believe she’s 59! Just Gorgeous!” the actress had this to say:

Obviously, the comment was meant to be a compliment toward Halle Berry, who has aged gracefully over the years. But, as the 2002 Oscar winner pointed out, she has noticed that there’s often an uneven amount of talk about how old she is, especially when you compare the comments made around her co-stars. Check out the moment in the Instagram video below:

Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth got behind their co-star as she pointed out the frequent talk of her age compared to her male counterparts. Both of the leading men are also over 40 ( Hemsworth is 42 and Ruffalo is 58) and apparently don’t receive constant mentions about about how good they look for their age. What’s up with that?

Berry thinks it’s sexism and, while the commenter probably didn’t mean to perpetuate that, it’s a good point underlying the double standards in Hollywood between men and women. In the video, the Bruised star thanked the commenter for the compliment despite being troubled by the trend. And Ruffalo even pointed out how Berry had just talked to him about how common it was for her name and age to often come up together.

Halle Berry is always exuding confidence on her socials, such as the time she posted a photo of herself in a black bikini while on vacation and made an empowering comment. At the time, she said, “We have to get older, but we don’t have to get old”. In another instance, Berry also posted a photo of herself hanging out on a balcony nude, with the caption “i do what i wanna do.” She also ended up clapping back at a commenter who said she was too old to be posting pics of her naked body.

Honestly, good for Halle Berry for bringing this up. The actress has been honest before about being in her “don’t give a f*ck” phase of life where she’s saying, moving and wearing what she wants, and moments like this show she’s walking the walk. Recently, she even got honest about the time she told off X-Men director Bryan Singer, saying “that guy deserved it.” In regard to beauty standards and sexism, I wouldn't be surprised if Berry continued to call it out as she sees it.

Crime 101 is in theaters now, and you can check out what critics are saying about the crime thriller before you watch.

This year has already seen some great leading duos in action movies with The Rip (Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) and The Wrecking Crew (Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa). Up next on that list is Thor vs. The Hulk, or rather an American-accented Chris Hemsworth vs. Mark Ruffalo in Crime 101. The plot sounds like your typical heist movie (i.e. hella fun), and critics who were able to catch early screenings are weighing in as the crime thriller hits the 2026 movie calendar on February 13.

The cast of Crime 101 is very promising, with Halle Berry playing an insurance broker who gets caught up in jewel thief Mike Davis’ (Hemsworth) crimes, as Detective Lou Lubesnick (Ruffalo) closes in. Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nick Nolte and more will also make appearances, and Damon Wise of Deadline says they don’t disappoint:

Ben Travis of Empire rates the movie 3 out of 5 stars, saying it’s “solidly enjoyable and well-constructed.” However, the movie is aptly titled, because for all of its slick presentation and impressive cast, Travis says, Crime 101 struggles to go beyond the basics. The critic continues:

Kristy Puchko of Mashable calls Crime 101 — an adaptation of the novella of the same name in Don Winslow’s 2020 collection Broken — a "competent" crime thriller, shining with star power and “stellar” car chases, with enough twists to keep audiences on their toes. In comparison to Bart Layton’s past projects, however, there’s something missing. Puchko writes:

Ryan Lattanzio of IndieWire gives the movie a B-, calling it “far from terrible,” especially thanks to Halle Berry and Mark Ruffalo. However, in expanding the novella’s story, Bart Layton adds some unnecessary ingredients to the pot, the critic says, “with characters intersecting and allegiances and motivations often contradicting one another.” Lattanzio concludes:

Clint Gage of IGN gives the upcoming action movie an “Okay” 6 out of 10, saying it has everything a heist thriller ought to have, but not much else. There are interesting ideas at play throughout the film, Gage writes, that get swapped out in service of a less-compelling plot. The critic continues:

Of all the critics’ assessments that I went through, most of them seem middling, praising the director’s portrayal of Los Angeles and providing fun action scenes. And despite the stellar cast doing apparently solid work, there’s still the feeling that critics were left wanting something more in terms of originality.

Either way, Crime 101 has been Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with 87%, so it would seem that the good outweighs the bad. If this crime thriller sounds like a fun way to spend two-plus hours, you can catch it in theaters now, as of February 13.

Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo are two of our longest-tenured MCU stars right now, with the former having started his journey in 2011’s Thor and Ruffalo joining the action in 2012’s The Avengers. This means that they’ve worked with many others over the course of the Marvel movies in order, and probably know nearly everyone who’s also played a major role in the films. That’s why I’m loving watching Hemsworth try to guess another Marvel lead in a fun guessing game with the Hulk actor.

What Happened When Chris Hemsworth Played A Marvel Actor Guessing Game With Mark Ruffalo

The 2026 movie schedule is poised to bring us two new films from the MCU, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday, in the coming months, but the time is upon us for another movie that sees two Avengers stars reunite, Crime 101. That Heat-adjacent crime thriller stars Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo (along with Halle Berry, Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, and more), meaning that the actors have now appeared in their first non-MCU film together.

With each of them being so entrenched in the Marvel multiverse, however, MTV UK recently asked them to play a round of Who Even Am I, a game where they try to guess which of their previous co-stars is being hinted at, and several of those mentioned are, of course, also veterans of the MCU. A clip was posted to Instagram, and, well, just take a look at how fun it was:

OMG. I’m obsessed! First of all, considering how many of us non-actors are basically addicted to superhero movies, many of us could play a game just like this with no problem. I think a lot of people would be able to nail both the hints and the guesses even if we also included this duo’s non-Marvel co-stars in it, simply because we also love a lot of the films they’ve done away from the mega blockbuster franchise.

Secondly, when watching the full video, they both actually do a very good job of guessing who’s being discussed, considering the sheer number of well-known actors like Tom Holland they’ve worked with (even in incredibly small roles), just in the MCU.

Something that I also love about the video is how, because of intense Marvel secrecy, they are frequently unsure of what questions to say yay or nay to, so as not to give away anything from upcoming films. This is, as we know, a factor of starring in the films/TV shows that’s sometimes been an issue for Ruffalo, and the man we see as the mystery co-star in the video clip, with Holland having spoiled specific movie scenes (and other details) on more than one occasion.

What I also love about this is that we can see how well these two stars (who worked so well together in Thor: Ragnarok) seem to get along, and I can’t wait to see how that translates to the screen in their new film.

If you follow news about upcoming Marvel movies, then you’re likely aware about how often Mark Ruffalo spoils things. The man who’s been playing Bruce Banner/Hulk since 2012’s The Avengers has a history of accidentally revealing things in the superhero franchise that are meant to stay secret, and once he even livestreamed the first 10 minutes of the Thor: Ragnarok world premiere. Well, Ruffalo strikes again with a slip about Avengers: Secret Wars, although in fairness, he had some help from Thor actor Chris Hemsworth with revealing this spoiler.

Ruffalo and Hemsworth star alongside Halle Berry in Crime 101, which opens on the 2026 movies schedule next week. The trio took a pub quiz while being interviewed by BuzzFeed UK, and one of the questions asked was which among them had been in the most superhero projects, and if they can name them all. The answer was Hemsworth, and while the actor himself was writing down all his Thor appearances, Ruffalo blurt out “Six.” When Hemsworth questioned Ruffalo’s number, he answered, “Well there will be,” leading the Aussie to say, “Yeah, but we haven’t shot that one.”

Avengers: Secret Wars wasn’t outright mentioned, but it doesn’t take much for anyone who keeps close tabs on the MCU to figure out that’s what Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth are talking about. I’m not just talking about the fact that it’s the most likely place for Thor to appear next after Avengers: Doomsday; it’s literally the only MCU movie dated following Doomsday. So basically, Thor fans can rest easy knowing that the God of Thunder makes it out of the next Avengers movie alive.

Add another entry on the Mark Ruffalo spoiler list, although if Chris Hemsworth hadn’t chimed in, maybe this wouldn’t have gotten so much attention. What I’m curious about now is how Ruffalo knows about Hemsworth’s involvement in Avengers: Secret Wars since there’s been no mention of the former actor being present in either that movie or Avengers: Doomsday. Maybe he simply learned this from people over at Marvel Studios, or maybe he knows this firsthand because he’ll be in Secret Wars, too.

I’m not going to fall down the rabbit hole of speculating how Hulk could factor into Avengers: Secret Wars, nor will I go on a tangent about how he might be one of the actors being kept secret for Avengers: Doomsday. All I’ll say is that since Mark Ruffalo has appeared in all the prior Avengers movies, it’ll be weird if he’s not around for the next two. As for Thor, his Doomsday teaser showed him praying to his late father, Odin, for a safe return to his adoptive daughter Love. Maybe we’ll see them reunite in Secret Wars.

Avengers: Doomsday comes out on December 18, and Avengers: Secret Wars follows on December 17, 2027. However things shake out with Mark Ruffalo on those movies, we can at least look forward to him reprising Hulk when Spider-Man: Brand New Day is released on July 31. Stream both his and Chris Hemsworth’s past MCU appearances with your Disney+ subscription.

13 Going On 30 is one of those syrupy-sweet romantic comedies from the 2000s we’ll always go back to. And, when it comes to its stars, Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo, it sounds like they’ve got a pretty adorable real-life relationship that makes me so happy as a fan of the 2004 movie.

Garner and Ruffalo actually crossed paths a few weeks ago at the 2026 Golden Globes. In a new interview, the lead of the 13 Going On 30 cast said the pair had a “good catch up” at the awards show before saying this:

Aww, I love these comments from Jennifer Garner to People. It’s been over 20 years since they made 13 Going On 30, and they’ve clearly remained in contact since then and have particularly bonded over being parents. Funny enough, both Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner have three kids around the same age – Ruffalo’s children being 23, 20 and 18, while Garner’s are around 20, 17 and 14, so they sure have a lot in common to talk about on the subject.

In 13 Going On 30, Jennifer Garner plays Jenna Rink, who wishes to be “30, flirty and thriving” on her 13th birthday, and wakes up as a 30-year-old. In her adult body, she instantly looks up her best friend, Matty (Ruffalo), whom she finds out she’s been disconnected from for years. Every time I end up rewatching the movie, I feel all the feelings watching them fall in love, so it’s too cute knowing the real-life actors are connected, too.

Garner and Ruffalo reunited on screen a few years ago to play husband and wife in The Adam Project. When they were promoting the sci-fi action movie, they said they felt like they “picked up where we left off” on the movie. At the time, they also pitched a 13 Going on 30 sequel called 50 Going on 80.

In addition to Garner having a close relationship with Ruffalo over the years, she’s also good friends with another 13 Going On 30 co-star, Judy Greer (who played “Tom Tom”). Once they even shared a joint message to Ruffalo to wish him a happy birthday. They’ve also since worked together on The Last Thing He Told Me Season 2, which premieres on Apple TV+ on February 20.

Considering all the love between the cast, maybe we really will get 50 Going on 80? Who knows.

Marvel’s version of Venom has always been a dangling thread in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since Spider-Man: No Way Home ended with a sliver of symbiote left behind in the MCU timeline, fans have been waiting to see whether Marvel Studios would pull on that thread or quietly tuck it away. A new report suggests the studio isn’t just pulling it, but is weaving an entirely new pattern, and if they’re smart, it could lead to one of the wildest monster evolutions the Spider-Man films have ever attempted.

MCU’s Take On Symbiote For Spidey Trilogy

According to insider Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK on X), Marvel Studios reportedly “wants its own take on the Symbiote for this new [Tom Holland] trilogy.” That phrasing matters because it suggests Marvel isn’t interested in rehashing Eddie Brock's story, which audiences have already seen in Raimi's OG Spidey 3 as well as across three standalone Venom films from Sony. Instead, the studio appears to be positioning the symbiote as a flexible narrative tool, one that can evolve across multiple films rather than peak and vanish in a single story.

That approach fits the MCU’s long-game storytelling instincts. Rather than introducing Venom as a one-and-done villain, Marvel could use the symbiote as a corrupting force that adapts to each host. The comics have done this for decades, turning the symbiote into less of a character and more of a narrative accelerant. If Marvel is truly crafting its “own take,” that history gives them a lot of monstrous room to play.

Symbiote’s Wild Comic History

In Marvel Comics, the symbiote has never belonged to just one body. While Eddie Brock is the most famous host, the alien organism has bonded with Spider-Man, Flash Thompson, Mac Gargan, and yes, even The Hulk. Each bond radically reshaped the symbiote’s personality and physicality.

When paired with Spider-Man, the symbiote became sleek, predatory, and emotionally volatile. With Flash Thompson, it turned into a militarized weapon struggling toward heroism. With darker hosts, it leaned fully into body horror. And when the symbiote touched the Hulk? It became something else entirely. Hulk’s immense strength and rage amplified the symbiote into a near-unstoppable cosmic nightmare.

That’s where the MCU timing gets interesting. Per reports, Mac Gargan's Scorpion and Mark Ruffalo's Hulk are expected to appear in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and that opens a door Marvel would be foolish not to at least peek through.

We Could Get The Ultimate MCU Monster In Venom-Hulk!

If Marvel wants its “own take” on the symbiote, one of the most interesting moves might be to delay Venom’s final form and instead let the organism experiment across all three Holland Spidey movies. Imagine a trilogy in which the symbiote samples different hosts, learning, adapting, and becoming more dangerous each time. By the time it reaches its endgame, it wouldn’t just be another Venom. It would be an all-new monstrosity the likes of which audiences have not seen on the big screen before.

A Hulk-symbiote fusion would instantly separate the MCU from previous Venom iterations. Visually, it would be horrifying. Narratively, it would externalize Bruce Banner’s internal struggle in a new way, turning his fear of losing control into a literal alien enhancement of his worst instincts. And thematically, it would fit Spider-Man’s world perfectly: a young hero facing consequences that spiral far beyond his ability to contain them.

Marvel doesn’t need to rush Venom. Letting the symbiote evolve slowly into something shaped by Hulk-level power and rage could make its eventual arrival feel truly earned. For now, it’s all speculation, and Marvel has a habit of zigging when fans expect a zag. If answers are coming, we may not have to wait long. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is currently slated to swing into theaters on July 31, 2026, and it could be where Marvel finally shows its hand.

Marvel fans are giddily awaiting the release of the first footage from the Russos’ Avengers: Doomsday, which Disney is reportedly showing in various forms ahead of Avatar: Fire and Ash for the next four weeks. But before the epic scope of that film opens up, there’s a web of trouble coming to 2026’s movie releases in the form of Spider-Man: Brand New World. Spidey himself won’t be the source of the trouble, and a new rumor posits he’ll be facing a certain hulk-ing threat.

Not just that, but it’s one that MCU audiences have wanted to see on the big screen for years: Grey Hulk. This rumor comes from noted insider Daniel Richtman, who shared the alleged news that Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and Jon Bernthal’s Punisher were paired together for the upcoming Marvel movie to square off against the elusive Grey Hulk.

Exactly how much of that particular Hulk we’d potentially see is unclear, but the report makes it sound like we’ll be getting the savage version as opposed to the more civilian-esque Joe Fixit persona who serves as a Las Vegas enforcer with far looser morals than his green counterpart. The non-savage version is also quite the clever S.O.B., which would make him an interesting minor antagonist for the brains and brawn of Peter Parker and Frank Castle.

It's been a full decade since Grey Hulk was conceived for an MCU introduction during Avengers: Age of Ultron, although that failed to come together after director Joss Whedon decided it might be too confusing for viewers. Not that he planned on actually utilizing the fully characterized version. The idea was just to tint the character's skin with a greyer tone to show the after-effects of Scarlet Witch's mind games earlier in the film. Hopefully his alleged arrival in Spider-Man: Brand New Day will go beyond that.

Earlier rumors pointed to Mark Ruffalo's Hulk showing up as a bridge to Avengers: Doomsday, stressed to high heaven about the idea of others being able to hulk out the same way he can. Perhaps that idea ties in with the emergence of Grey Hulk here.

Outside of Rufallo-ness, Daniel Richtman also claims that Spider-Man: Brand New Day will also include a major villainous group from the comics, giving the impression that this movie may be taking the kitchen sink approach to its rogues gallery. In this case, The Hand will allegedly make an appearance in the Destin Daniel Cretton-directed feature, which ties into bizarre past rumors about the webslinger facing off against ninjas. Maybe Electra can show up in that movie if it doesn’t ever happen in Daredevil: Born Again.

Now the wait is on to see if Funko has a Grey Hulk in whatever its tie-in line of Pops will be. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will hit theaters on July 31, 2026.

Major spoilers for Now You See Me: Now You Don’t are ahead! If you have not seen the project on the 2025 movie schedule, you can catch it in theaters now.

Leading up to the release of Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, I couldn’t help but wonder if Mark Ruffalo would appear as Dylan. He wasn’t a confirmed member of the cast and didn’t partake in press for it; however, I had hoped he’d appear somehow. And he did! The Avengers actor made a brief cameo at the very end of the film, so I had to ask Jesse Eisenberg and Isla Fisher about it.

Jesse Eisenberg Shared His Thoughts On Dylan Showing Back Up In Now You See Me: Now You Don’t

Throughout Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, there are lines dropped that allude to what happened to Mark Ruffalo's character, Dylan. According to the Horseman, he was stuck in a Russian prison after their last job went horribly wrong. However, at the end of the flick, the man behind the first movie’s great plot twist surprised the magicians again by revealing he was free and that their latest mission was only the beginning via hologram.

Speaking to that idea and the relevance of Dylan showing up at the new magicians’ hideout as a hologram, Jesse Eisenberg, who has played J. Daniel Atlas in all three movies, said:

As we know, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t’s plot twist revealed that The Eye actually wasn’t behind the plot to steal from Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike). Charlie (Justice Smith) and his pals, June (Ariana Greenblatt) and Bosco (Dominic Sessa), had actually planned the whole scheme and got the Horsemen back together.

However, after Charlie exposed his sister, Veronika, and the original four Horsemen learned what was really going on, the actual Eye came into the picture to assert its dominance. Dylan returned and complimented the work of the young tricksters, and that has seemingly led to them really being allowed to join the secret society and work with Atlas, Jack (Dave Franco), Henley (Isla Fisher) and Merritt (Woody Harrelson) on their next mission.

Isla Fisher Shared How They Filmed Mark Ruffalo’s Scene And Wether He Was Actually On Set

Now, while we all saw Mark Ruffalo in hologram form on screen, Isla Fisher explained to me what it actually looked like on set that day. Sadly, the Task actor wasn’t really there, but his voice was, as the Henley actress recalled:

Considering Mark Ruffalo is in this movie for maybe a minute and has released two TV shows, Task and Hal & Harper, and the movie Mickey 17 this year, I can see why he actually wasn’t on set. Plus, since he’s a hologram, CGI was going to need to be involved anyway.

So, the cast just heard him, and it sounds like they heard him a whole lot.

Now, if Now You See Me 4 happens, hopefully both the cast and audiences will get to see Mark Ruffalo back in action as one of the masterminds behind the Horsemen’s work. However, for now, let’s be grateful Dylan did appear in Now You See Me: Now You Don’t and left us with a lot of hope about what’s to come.

We’re entering the final stretch of the 2025 movie schedule, which also means it’s time to start speculating about what feature films from this year will be nominated at next year’s Academy Awards. That ceremony, hosted by Conan O’Brien again, won’t air until next March, but I’m already hoping that Neon’s Arco ends up being one of the nominees for Best Animated Feature. You’ll see what I mean by watching the above visually dazzling trailer for this movie starring folks like Will Ferrell and Mark Ruffalo.

Directed by Ugo Bienvenu, who also co-wrote the script with Félix de Givry, Arco follows its titular character, a 10-year-old boy who comes from a distant, peaceful future, who accidentally travels back to 2075 and discovers a world in peril. Arco soon forms a friendship with a girl named Iris, and together with Iris’ robot caretaker Mikki, they’ll embark on a journey to not only get Arco back to his home time period, but also potentially save Earth in the process. Diaphana Distribution handled Arco’s French release, and Neon is doing it in the United States.

For those watching Arco in the United States, you’ll be treated to an English cast that stars Romy Fay and Juliano Valdi as Iris and Arco, respectively, as well as Natalie Portman, Will Ferrell, Mark Ruffalo, America Ferrera, Andy Samberg and Flea. Portman also produced Arco with Ugo Bienvenu, Félix de Givry and Sophie Mas. Although none of the adult actors’ roles have been officially identified yet, if you listen closely during the trailer, you can pick out Ruffalo as Mikki, Ferrell as what sounds like one of the townspeople in 2075, and Samberg as, I’m guessing, Arco’s father.

Obviously, I’ll wait to watch Arco for myself to judge its full quality, but the visuals alone are enough to convince me this time travel movie is deserving of Oscars buzz. The visuals are exceptional, particularly when Arco is flying and leaving behind a rainbow trail. This is the kind of artistry that should be recognized at the Academy Awards, and there are already signs that it could happen.

Arco premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May and was nominated for a Camera d'Or, as well as won two awards at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Although most of the public won’t get to see Arco until it’s widely released sometime early on the 2026 movie schedule, it will have a limited, award-qualifying run starting on November 14. So Neon and its partners are clearly gunning for this movie to be an Oscars contender, and I wish them the best of luck in making this happen.

Arco’s wide release date hasn’t been announced yet, but if it does end up being nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar, we’ll see whether or not it wins when the 98th Academy Awards air on March 15, 2026, both on ABC and for those with a Hulu subscription. Neon will also release Sentimental Value, Keeper, Sirāt, The Secret Agent and No Other Choice before 2025 is over.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a well-oiled machine at this point, constantly releasing new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fan who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will recall how thrilling it was when the first big crossover happened in Joss Whedon's The Avengers. Mark Ruffalo recently shared his young daughter's intense reaction to watching him turn into The Hulk for the first time. And the story is pretty damn delightful.

Ruffalo has had a long tenure as Bruce Banner, including the upcoming Marvel movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But The Avengers was his first credit, replacing Edward Norton as Banner. While speaking with GQ about his career, he revealed how his young daughter reacted to seeing her father Hulk Out on the big screen. As he told it:

Honestly, can you blame her? The sequence where Hulk chases Black Widow around is legit terrifying, with director Joss Whedon leaning into his horror history. And one can only imagine how strange it would be to see your loving father turn into a monster on the big screen!

Ruffalo is a father of two, and didn't get the chance to see his scenes in The Avengers before the premiere. And as such, he wasn't prepared for just how scary that he'd ultimately be while raging through the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier.

In the end this would only be a drop in the bucket regarding how many times Ruffalo would end up playing Bruce Banner/ The Hulk throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Still, it was terrifying for his daughter to see him transform into the big green guy, as he went on to share:

In the end she would not get her wish, as Ruffalo would go on to play Hulk in a number of other MCU movies, including Age of Ultron, Thor: Ragnarok, Endgame, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Although for the latter two titles he was Smart Hulk, which is a far less terrifying version of the hero. But since Ruffalo's daughter has grown up through the years, I'd imagine that she's gotten used to seeing the green CGI version of the 13 Going on 30 actor.

What we know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day is limited, but the inclusion of Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner is thrilling. For his part, the actor played coy about his role, presumably to try and avoid spoilers making it way online. After all, Ruffalo famously spoiled Infinity War's ending, and accidentally let his phone live stream in the midst of the Rangarok premiere.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day will hit theaters on July 31st as part of the 2026 movie release list. Hopefully we get an idea of how Hulk will factor into the story sooner rather than later.

Fans have a lot of questions about the upcoming Marvel movies, considering that two of the next three projects are Avengers films, where a lot is expected to happen. However, before any of that, we’ll get Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and there may actually be even more questions about this one.

While there are plenty of rumors about what Brand New Day will be about and who or what will be in it, very little has been confirmed. We know Jon Bernthal's Punisher will be on hand. We don't know if rumors of a Daredevil appearance are true or if Gwen Stacy might appear.

Fans are always interested to know in what ways a new Marvel Cinematic Universe movie will connect to other parts of the franchise, and a new rumor is suggesting how Spidey’s next adventure will relate to two other pieces of the story.

How Spider-Man Brand New Day May Connect To Previous Hulk Stories

Brand New Day will see a new era for Spider-Man where he’s no longer an Avenger and nobody knows who he is. That doesn’t mean that the movie will be without appearances by other Marvel characters. Mark Ruffalo was recently spotted on the Brand New Day set, seeming to confirm his appearance in the film.

According to a rumor reported by The Direct, Bruce Banner will be dealing with a lot of stress when we first meet him in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This stress is a direct result of the events of both She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and Captain America: Brave New World. Both stories saw new versions of the Hulk created, and knowing that can happen is Banner’s worst fear come to pass.

It’s not mentioned by the rumor if any other, more specific elements from She-Hulk or Captain America will filter into the story. However, notably, the first of those projects revealed that Hulk had a son after all.

The New Rumor Fits With Other Spider-Man Reports

While we have to take this theory with a grain of salt, as it’s a rumor, it would fit with one of the major rumors surrounding the movie at this point. There’s a strong belief that the primary villain of Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be Mister Negative, and that this villain’s particular abilities might set off Banner and release a more savage version of the Hulk than we’ve seen for some time. If Banner is under an extra amount of stress, Mister Negative’s ability to affect him would likely be even easier.

The three previous MCU Spider-Man movies have seen another major character from the franchise have a significant supporting role, with Tony Stark, Nick Fury, and Doctor Strange taking the job previously. If the past is prologue, then it would seem Mark Ruffalo’s appearance won’t be a simple cameo, though we’ll have to wait and see. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will hit theaters next summer.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a well-oiled machine, one that's constantly releasing new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. One of the most anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is Destin Daniel Cretton's Spider-Man: Brand New Day, especially thanks to the inclusion of other heroes like The Punisher and The Hulk. Mark Ruffalo was spotted in a set video, and now fans think they know what's going on with Bruce Banner when he returns to the big screen.

What we know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day is extremely limited, which is why fans are filling in the blanks with rumors and theories about what's coming. A video from the set (via ScreenRant) showed Bruce Banner on a stretcher looking disoriented. And some fans think this is evidence that OG Savage Hulk might return, rather than the Smart Hulk that was introduced in Avengers: Endgame and She-Hulk.

This is just a theory at this point, so we should take it with a grain of salt. It's more than possible that Banner simply got injured, and that Smart Hulk could stay. But having Spider-Man face off against the original version of the big green guy would make for some thrilling action sequences, especially if he's raging throughout New York City.

Moviegoers who watched the Marvel movies in order will recall that Before Banner found a way to combine the brains and muscles of his two personalities into one being, Mark Ruffalo's character would often lose control and have no memory of the destruction he caused as his alter ego. This could explain the confusion that's on the actor's face in the set video, which is already making the rounds on social media.

Fans have been theorizing about the original Hulk's return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day for a while now. This started thanks to set photos that teased the introduction of the Inner Demons, which are henchman of the villain Mister Negative. That antagonists's abilities might be able to mess with Bruce Banner's might, which could open the door for him to lose control and see Savage Hulk return to the MCU. We'll just have to wait and see if fans are correct or not.

Hulk's role is just one of many questions currently surrounding Tom Holland's fourth Spider-Man movie. Chief among them is the mystery surrounding Sadie Sink's character, as well as how Jon Bernthal's Punisher will factor into the narrative. All of his has helped buoy fan excitement, while we wait for Marvel to offer some official news about the forthcoming blockbuster.

All will be revealed when Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31st as part of the 2026 movie release list. Hopefully we great more information about our lingering questions sooner rather than later, especially since that title is the next title arriving in theaters.

Additional Mark Ruffalo is seemingly everywhere, with a busy career that belies that title of the upcoming 2025 movie Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, as we’re also seeing him in HBO’s now-concluded crime drama Task, and he’s rumored to co-star in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Before that MCU flick arrives, though, he’ll be sharing the screen with not only fellow Avengers vet Chris Hemsworth, but also former X-Men franchise star Halle Berry (and The Batman’s maybe-Joker Barry Keoghan).

The upcoming 2026 movie in question is Amazon MGM’s Crime 101, which has finally unveiled its first trailer for the public, six months after the first footage was previewed at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. And by and large, it looks like Ruffalo and Hemsworth have slotted themselves into Al Pacino and Robert De Niro’s roles in Michael Mann’s Heat, with Hemsworth’s expert thief attempting to pull off a major heist despite all kinds of extra attention.

It's probably not a perfect 1:1 comparison, but it's not exactly a stretch. Set in Los Angeles, Crime 101 centers on the Thor portrayer's Davis, a canny jewel thief whose core M.O. is setting up his elaborate heists at spots along the 101 freeway. (In case anyone thought the movie title was about an introductory course.) A thief who strictly adheres to a self-imposed "code," Davis is set to take on the mythical "one last job" worth millions of dollars, and after meeting up with Halle Berry's insurance broker Sarah, he takes her on as his partner in crime.

Meanwhile, Mark Ruffalo's Det. Lou Lubesnik is attempting to figure out who's responsible for the line of robberies. His investigation deepens all while Davis and Sarah get closer to their big heist, and that's when the normal distinctions between cops and criminals starts to shift. No giant hammers or clothes-destroying Hulk-outs or anything, but pretty tense all the same.

Again, not exactly the same as Heat, but the basic building blocks are there, and I can't wait to see how it all shakes out, especially since the core trio of stars is buttressed by a wealth of supporting actors, as listed below:

• Barry Keoghan
• Corey Hawkins
• Monica Barbaro
• Nick Nolte
• Jennifer Jason Leigh
• Tate Donovan
• Devon Bostick
• Paul Adelstein
• Drew Powell
• Payman Maadi
• Babak Tatfi
• Deborah Hedwall
• Matthew Del Negro
• John Douglas

Crime 101 is directed by The Imposter's Bart Layton, who also co-wrote the script alongside Oscar-winning writer Peter Straughton (Conclave). The film is an adaptation of Don Winslow's novella of the same name.

At this time, Michael Mann is putting together the highly anticipated sequel Heat 2, which may bring Leonardo DiCaprio into the fold, but we'll be watching Crime 101 long before that project hits the big screen.

Crime 101 is set to hit theaters on February 13, 2026, ahead of its eventual streaming release via Amazon Prime subscription.

Spoilers ahead for the series finale of Task.

Premium cable has been a hub for quality TV content since its inception, with HBO shows often getting the world talking. Those with a HBO Max subscription were recently treated to the new crime drama Task, which comes from Mare of Easttown creator Brad Ingelsby. I watched the penultimate episode, "Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a river," thinking it was the series finale, and after watching Episode 7 I kinda wish I was correct. Hear me out here.

While SNL's Mare sketch originally ruined the Task accents for me, I was able to get over that hump and get really invested in the riveting series. Episode 6 was utterly thrilling, with the titular task force and the Dark Hearts finding Thomas Pelphrey's Robbie in the woods at the same time. Shots were fired, and what resulted was a truly gorgeous episode of TV. So I'm not so sure it actually needed its finale.

Episode 6 Of Task Could Have Worked As Its Finale

In Episode 6, Robbie's long con finally reached its end. He was killed by Jayson, dying in Tom's arms in the process. Meanwhile, mole Grasso tried to play both sides, ultimately resulting the death of both Shane and Lizzie. The latter was especially devastating, given her burgeoning relationship with Grasso.

Sam finally was found by police after Maeve turned him in. As the episode played out we find out he had already sold the Dark Heart's drugs, and had given all of the money to Maeve. It was a beautiful, redemptive ending for that character, who was so deeply flawed and made a ton of mistakes. Tom vows to take down Grasso eventually, and after taking Sam, it felt like the story was wrapped up. But it turns out that wasn't the case.

After finishing the sixth episode, I truly thought I had finished Task. It wasn't until I was pitching a finale reaction story for CinemaBlend that my coworkers informed me the show wasn't actually over. So, I tuned in for Episode 7, "A Still Small Voice," which offered one more action sequence and even more closure.

While it was nice seeing loose threads like Eryn's death addressed in the finale, I'm not sure seeing Jayson and Perry's story come to a close was necessary. I just thought they'd stay in hiding or the truth would come out off screen. Grasso's ending offered him some redemption, but I'm not sure it was totally necessary.

I'll give credit to the Task series finale, because it did provide some very satisfying moments. Perhaps its biggest success was Tom's family storyline, with Mark Ruffalo's character appearing in court to make his Family Impact Statement at Ethan's sentencing. He forgives his son for accidentally killing his wife in the midst of a mental health crisis, and tells him he's welcome to return home if/when the judge allows it. This was a truly moving sequence, and is worth the price of admission for the series finale.

Still, I would have left the show satisfied if it ended on Episode 6, as I assumed that these loose ends would eventually be solved off screen. For the first time, basically ever, I was disappointed to have another episode of TV, even if the seventh Task installment had some very strong moments and offered way more closure. Regardless, I can't wait to see what Ingelsby has up his sleeve next.

Task is streaming in its entirety on HBO Max as part of the 2025 TV schedule. We'll have to see how it does this coming awards season, as Mare of Easttown got Emmy noms and wins. Some fans are hoping for a crossover with Mare, but only time will tell if that ever occurs.

The Adam Project is one of those hidden gem Netflix originals that becomes an instant favorite upon watching it. The all-star cast not only features Ryan Reynolds and Walker Scobell playing older and younger versions of the main character Adam, but it also reunites 13 Going On 30’s Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner. Directed by Stranger Things' Shawn Levy, this time-traveling sci-fi adventure flick has a ton of heart, and also humor, including a hilarious scene where the Deadpool actor and Ruffalo each swing at each other. There’s a lot of punching in this film, but Ruffalo undeniably lands the best one, and apparently the Poor Things actor lost no sleep over having to punch his buddy in the face.

Ever wonder what it’s like to punch Ryan Reynolds in a movie? Apparently that question had subconsciously been on the Mickey 17 actor’s mind for a while. It turns out Mark Ruffalo was more than ready for his chance to stage slug Reynolds in 2022’s The Adam Project, telling GQ the funny reason why he was able to get the punch right on the first take:

Imagine you’re Ryan Reynolds and you hear your co-star literally dreamt about punching you in the face. I really hope my witty Twitter king replies to these hilarious comments from Ruffalo, because I need to know his reaction.

Fortunately for Ruffalo, it’s not that strange to plan out punching the Spirited actor onscreen, as it happens pretty frequently. I have to assume it’s because of Reynolds' signature dry humor and sarcasm he brings to his characters. I mean, between all three Deadpool movies, there’s gotta be at least one punch per film with all the bs Deadpool spews. There was even an instance in The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard where Frank Grillo’s character punches Reynolds’ character to shut him up, and the Captain America: The Winter Soldier actor admitted to accidentally punching Reynolds for real during a take.

While there are plenty of witty moments in The Adam Project from both Reynolds and his mini-me (Scobell), Ruffalo’s punch is actually not in response to the IF actor’s sarcasm. Rather, he is returning the favor. Reynolds slugs Ruffalo first as a reaction to his late father Louis (Ruffalo) lecturing him on the dangers of time-traveling outside your own time line (duh).

Reynolds plays a rogue time agent, and in kid-Adam’s own words, he’s “kinda ripped.” The Now You See Me actor on the other hand plays a brilliant academic, a father, and not someone you would expect to have as tough a punch. So Ruffalo’s vision for the punch was actually perfect: a forward lunge straight to the jaw, on the jump, with his leg kicking up.

Despite the flying fists, the father-son dynamic between the two Adams and their time-resurrected father will melt your heart, especially at the end of the movie. It’s the kind of movie that doesn’t need a sequel, but I would kill to have this cast together again. Perhaps it’s not out of the question, although given the now 16 year-old Scobell is signed onto a long contract with Disney’s Percy Jackson, and Shawn Levy is getting ready to launch the final season of Stranger Things with the Duffer Brothers, I don’t see it happening anytime soon. However, I have hope Levy and Reynolds, who have collaborated on multiple films, will work together again.

Thankfully, their best team-up (imo), The Adam Project is a perfect family fall watch, and is always available to watch with a Netflix subscription.

Mark Ruffalo has starred in his fair share of Marvel Cinematic Universe movies at this point. The fan-favorite actor, who plays Bruce Banner/Hulk/Smart Hulk has played prominent roles in five films while also cameoing in a few others. Of course, throughout his MCU tenure, Ruffalo has yet to actually headline a solo film starring the Hulk. Fans have been asking for one for years, and I’m among those who’d still like to see it happen. Ruffalo himself was asked about headlining his own MCU flick, and he shared an honest take.

Since his debut as Banner in 2012’s The Avengers, Mark Ruffalo’s performance as the skittish and witty scientist has received praise from fans and critics. It’s his performance as Bruce and the Green Goliath (which is done via motion capture) that have arguably prompted fans to lobby for the physically imposing do-gooder to get his own film. While breaking down every one of his films for GQ (as shared on YouTube), Ruffalo was asked if he’d still be up for a solo film, and he provided the following thoughts:

It’s encouraging to know that the Oscar nominee is still up for starring in an MCU film centered around his character. However, he’s also correct in that there’s some serious corporate red tape that continues to prevent such a project from happening. As he explained, Universal Pictures technically owns the rights to the Hulk and, as such, that company would be responsible for a standalone Hulk movie and not so much Marvel Studios, which only owns production rights to the character.

Nevertheless, it seems that even though Universal would have to distribute a solo movie starring Bruce Banner, there have still been internal discussions at Marvel. At least, that’s what Mark Ruffalo suggested later on:

I agree that there are still those who are interested in seeing another movie focusing on the jade-colored Avenger. The last time he was at the center of his own flick was in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, at which point Banner was portrayed by Edward Norton. Over the years, there have been rumors regarding Marvel’s supposed desire to produce another standalone feature. Even earlier this year, it was alleged that the studio wanted to produce a World War Hulk flick, which is a project that’s been asked for for some time now.

The chances of a Hulk movie actually coming to fruition admittedly seem slim at this point, given the business side of this situation. Still, the good news is that Mark Ruffalo is reportedly set to appear in at least one upcoming Marvel movie. Banner is set to play a role in 2026’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day, though Ruffalo has claimed he’s yet to see a script. Also, while the actor isn’t officially confirmed for neither Avengers: Doomsday nor Secret Wars, it wouldn’t be surprising if he popped up in at least one of those team-up films.

Whether or not a Hulk solo movie happens, I’m honestly just looking forward to seeing Mark Ruffalo return to the MCU fold in some form or fashion. Be on the lookout for his return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which hits theaters on July 31, 2026, and stream his prior appearances in Marvel movies and TV shows using a Disney+ subscription.

When we sat through several hours of Marvel Studios showing us chairs as its way of announcing the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, we were shocked by some of the names we saw. The revelation that many of the original X-Men actors would appear was big news. However, there were also many names conspicuous by their absence, and one of those was the Incredible Hulk, Mark Ruffalo.

Few of the original Avengers are left in the MCU, but Ruffalo’s Hulk is one, so not having him in the next Avengers movie is kind of a big deal. In a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the host asked Ruffalo about the fact that he’s apparently not in the movie, and the actor joked that it was because of his tendency to accidentally reveal spoilers. The actor said…

While Tom Holland often gets a lot of flak for dropping Marvel spoilers, Mark Ruffalo is actually just as bad. Most famously, he once literally spilled the cliffhanger ending of Avengers: Infinity War long before the movie hit theaters.

The last time Ruffalo’s Hulk was seen in the MCU was as part of the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law series. He revealed a surprise son that, at this point, we know nothing else about, so there are likely a lot of fans who would love to see Ruffalo return if only to explain what the heck is going on.

It is possible that, despite Ruffalo’s lack of inclusion in the big cast announcement, he will still appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige has made it clear that the list of names announced was not all-inclusive, so we still expect there to be a few surprises.

Certainly, if Ruffalo is in the movie but isn’t announced, then his appearance is exactly the sort of spoiler that Marvel Studios wouldn’t want to be revealed. It’s possible the actor’s joke is even more on point than it seems. By not announcing Ruffalo’s involvement, he won’t get asked what’s happening on the film, and thus the odds that he’ll accidentally reveal something are significantly reduced.

It’s also possible that Ruffalo isn’t in Doomsday, but will still appear a year later in Avengers: Secret Wars. While the two movies aren’t expected to be two halves of one story, the way Infinity War and Endgame were, they’re still likely connected in some way, so if Hulk appears in one of them, he’ll still be part of the story.

One of the other remaining original Avengers, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, is in Avengers: Doomsday, and his fate is already a topic of debate. Some fans are already worried he may not survive the film. This may make Hulk's status all the more important.

A decade and change after its inception, The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to turn heads thanks to new releases arriving in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who have spent that time watching the Marvel movies in order have particular love for the OG Avengers, including Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/Hulk. And the Oscar nominated actor recently revealed which other hero he'd also have liked to play.

Fans were bummed when Ruffalo wasn't included in the Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement, he is expected to have a role in the upcoming Marvel movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day. While doing a round of rapid fire questions on We're Not Kidding with Mehdi and Friends, he was asked who else he'd theoretically like a crack at playing. He responded quickly, saying:

Honestly, I could see it. Hulk and Wolverine are both rage-driven fighters, and we've seen the angry side of Banner plenty of times throughout the MCU so far. It doesn't feel like that much of a departure for Ruffalo to play Logan, particularly when you consider Wolverine's height in the comics. The mutant is a short king, and Hugh Jackman is 6'2. Meanwhile, the 13 Going on 30 star is a more sensible 5'8.

Ruffalo is an accomplished actor who has the ability to both be a leading man and a character actor. And given his passion for the character of Wolverine, I have no doubt he'd have done the role justice. But I'm also all in on his Bruce Banner, and can't wait to see what's coming next for the long-running character.

Obviously it's hard to imagine anyone but Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine, especially considering that he's spent decades in the role. His latest venture Deadpool & Wolverine broke records at the box office, and showed how much passion fans still have for the shared universe. Jackman's faux feud with Ryan Reynolds was on full display, and it seems inevitable that the studio would bring them back at some point.

As previously mentioned, the Poor Things actor is expected to appear in opposite Tom Holland in the next Spider-Man flick. Unfortunately, what we know about Brand New Day is extremely limited. And for his part, Mark Ruffalo cast some doubt recently about his role. Although whether or not that's the truth or he's guarding the movie's spoilers remains to be seen. After all, Ruffalo famously spoiled the ending of Infinity War back in the day.

Hopefully we get more news about his role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day sooner rather than later. That blockbuster is expected to arrive in theaters on July 31st as part of the 2026 movie release list. For now, Ruffalo is starring in Task, which airs Sundays on HBO.

After years and years of waiting, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t will finally be released on the 2025 movie schedule this fall. It will also return with almost all of its original cast, too, as Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco are all back as the Four Horsemen, along with Morgan Freeman and some new faces. We got to see all of them in action in the new trailer as well, which got me all kinds of excited.

However, it also left me with a question about Mark Ruffalo’s character and how he could be involved in this third Now You See Me movie.

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t's Second Trailer Shows The Old And New Cast In Action

Now, the trailer opens with Woody Harrelson’s hypnotist Merritt McKinney explaining why the Four Horsemen haven’t worked together in a long time. He notes that they tripped up a few times, saying:

However, now they’re back together and back in action. They also have some new people working with them, as Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblat and Justice Smith have joined the cast as the new (and younger) magicians in the crew. While it’s not explained how exactly all these folks come together, we know it happens, and that they’ll all be working on a mission to stop Rosamund Pike’s Veronika Vanderberg.

So, yeah, it's pretty epic to see Jesse Eisenberg and Dominic Sessa in an upside-down room, Dave Franco throwing cards and being upstaged by Ariana Greenblatt’s character while trying to pick a lock, and some epic sleight of hand. It’s everything I want in a Now You See Me movie.

A highlight of the trailer, in fact, was when we learned about Pike’s character and her money laundering schemes. As that was explained, we also got a peek at the heist they’re seemingly trying to pull off, which included Eisenberg’s J. Daniel Atlas holding up a diamond after making the one in Veronika’s hand explode.

Although, while I love seeing the Horsemen back in action, I can’t help but wonder if Mark Ruffalo’s Dylan Rhodes, the man behind the tricks, will be involved somehow.

Could The Calling Card Used In The Trailer Have Anything To Do With Mark Ruffalo’s Character?

In the first two trailers for Now You See Me 3, we have not seen Mark Ruffalo. He’s also not featured or named on the film’s poster. However, according to Variety, he will be returning. So, if he’s coming back, I have a feeling it will have something to do with the Tarot card referenced in the trailer, as J. Daniel Atlas said in reference to it:

In the first Now You See Me (which you can currently stream with a Netflix subscription), Eisenberg, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher and Woody Harrelson’s characters are brought together with Tarot cards. It’s then revealed later in the film that the man who orchestrated that was Ruffalo’s Dylan Rhodes, the FBI agent who had spent the movie seemingly trying to catch them.

So, I’m now wondering if this new card that brought the magicians together was sent by Rhodes. If it was, that would explain how Mark Ruffalo is involved in the third Now You See Me flick. However, as of right now, we still really have no clue if he’ll appear.

But we do know the Now You See Me cast is thrilled to be back, and that there’s an epic plot twist in Now You Don’t that even Jesse Eisenberg was ticked by. So, I have a feeling that no matter how Mark Ruffalo comes or doesn't come into play will be surprising and very entertaining.

So, to see the Four Horsemen and co. back in action, and to see if the man who put them together returns, you can catch Now You See Me: Now You Don’t in theaters on November 14.

One of my most anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is definitely Tom Holland’s fourth outing as the wall-crawler. Of what we know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Hulk, and The Punisher are both set to appear in the 2026 movie release, and as absurd as that sounds and had me concerned, a new fan theory about why they might be showing up sounds pretty legit.

A recent Screen Rant article lays out a fan theory that suggests Hulk and the Punisher really show up in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, not just as a spike the cameo meter, but to be mirrors for Peter Parker’s anger once that lingering symbiote fragment starts poking the bear. They lay out the clearest version of this theory: with a piece of Venom left in the MCU after No Way Home, the symbiote gravitates toward characters with volatile rage—hello, Bruce Banner and Frank Castle—before inevitably testing Peter himself. Dun-dun-dun!

It's also reported that Jon Bernthal’s Punisher and Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk are in the mix alongside returning faces like Scorpion and a mystery role for Sadie Sink. Story-wise, it’s tidy.

Hulk represents rage that’s been integrated—accept the monster, learn to live with it. Punisher represents rage unleashed—weaponize the monster and call it justice. Put both on either side of Peter, and you get a clean thematic vise, and if the symbiote does indeed show up and dials up his grief and guilt, which path does he take?

It also fits the post-No Way Home’s ending and universe reset. Peter’s flying solo, the stakes are smaller but sharper, and the emotional math matters more than the spectacle. Using Hulk and Punisher as moral foils is a smarter swing than stacking six villains and hoping the noise carries the day. If this theory is right, the final act isn’t “Who can punch harder?” but could be something as philosophical as “Who do you become when anger wins?”

A couple more dots connect neatly. That post-credits symbiot tease practically begs to reenter the story, and letting it sample Banner and Castle before bonding with Peter gives the symbiote real narrative teeth. You can even tease the return of Savage Hulk if the black suit short-circuits Smart Hulk’s balance—instant stakes, no Marvel multiverse required.

And yes, there are credible signs that the casting pieces are in place. Trade coverage in recent weeks has spotlighted Bernthal’s big-screen Frank Castle return, while chatter around Ruffalo’s involvement has picked up as Brand New Day marches toward its July 31, 2026, date. Take everything with a spider-sized grain of salt until it’s on a poster or teaser trailer, but the pieces line up with this anger-driven premise—and I’m into it. If you’re going to bring in other Marvel heroes, they should add thematic weight; this theory does.

If this is why Hulk and Punisher are part of Brand New Day, the most convincing reason is also the cleanest—both are living caution labels for what the symbiote might pull out of Peter. That’s grounded, personal storytelling and exactly what the next Spidey chapter needs. It’s a thematic lesson the filmmakers of the next Tom Holland flick can take from Spider-Man 2, which I’ve written about before. We’ll see how much of this fan theory sticks as Marvel and Sony peel back the curtain closer to the film’s release.

Until then, fans can revisit all the Marvel movies in order, as they’re streaming with a Disney+ subscription.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly treating fans to new content, both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. One of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which will finally bring Tom Holland's character back to the MCU. There's also rumors that Mark Ruffalo's Hulk will play a role, and now he's finally broken his silence on that idea.

What we know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day is very limited, but production has been underway. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have been wondering about Peter Parker's future, especially after the twist ending of No Way Home. Ruffalo recently spoke to THR about his reported role in the blockbuster, and how hyped he is to potentially work with Jon Bernthal. In his words:

Well, now I'm confused. Because if Ruffalo doesn't even have a script for Spider-Man 4 is he actually going to appear? Marvel security is crazy about scripts, but since Brand New Day has been seen filming exterior shots, I would have assumed the Poor Things actor would at least have read his role. For now I'm going to hold out hope that Hulk/ Bruce Banner gets included in the forthcoming blockbuster.

Of course, it's possible that the 13 Going on 30 icon is simply lying to guard spoilers. Ruffalo famously spoiled the end of Infinity War, and he and Tom Holland are arguably the most notorious of the Marvel stars for spilling the beans. So perhaps he's simply telling a fib about the script.

Later in the same interview, Ruffalo went on to share how hyped he is to collaborate with Bernthal, who recently returned to the MCU as The Punisher in Daredevil: Born Again. As he put gushed:

Honestly, relatable. Bernthal has had a long and varied resume, including his acclaimed tenures on The Walking Dead and the MCU. Ruffalo also name dropped his friendship and collaboration with Lena Dunham, who directed Bernthal in 2022's Sharp Stick. Given how much respect Ruffalo has for him, I'd love to see Frank Castle and Bruce Banner interact in the new Spider-Man movie. Make it happen, Kevin Feige!

Back in June it was confirmed that Jon Bernthal would play The Punisher in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, marking his first time going from TV to film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For years fans have wanted to see more street-level heroes on the big screen, and that's exactly what we'll be getting. Let's just hope that Hulk is there for the fun too.

All will be revealed when Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters July 31st of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. Hopefully we get more information about Mark Ruffalo's role sooner rather than later.

When you’ve been in Hollywood as long as Emma Stone, fans tend to think they know just about everything about you. But even two-time Oscar winners have little quirks and stories that pop up in interviews. When her Poor Things co-star Mark Ruffalo slipped and called Emma “Emily” in a joint interview, it led to some laughter. However, it also sparked a surprisingly sweet exchange about her real name and how much she’d love for folks to call her by it.

The moment happened while the pair were playing LADbible’s Agree to Disagree game. The conversation had already gone delightfully offbeat, with the two debating their favorite Spice Girl and revealing their go-to McDonald’s orders. Yet it was Ruffalo calling her “Emily” that really stood out in the clip, which you can watch in the Instagram video below:

As seen above, the two laughed about their mutual love of McDonald’s, the Zodiac actor recalled buying his costar a few late-night meals and McFlurries before blurting out: “You’re my best friend, Emily…Emma.” The La La Land star immediately grinned and set the record straight for the crew watching. She quipped:

The crew burst into laughter, and Stone leaned into the moment with her signature comedic timing. She added:

Ruffalo kept the bit going: “People are like, ‘Her name’s not Emily.’”Stone playfully finished the thought, “You’re like, ‘Oh, buddy, if you only saw her birth certificate.’”

The Cruella lead, who has been going by “Emma” professionally since her teens, was born Emily Jean Stone. She initially tried to join the Screen Actors Guild under that name, but it was already taken. That’s when she adopted “Emma” as her stage name — though in past interviews, she’s admitted she sometimes still misses being called Emily.

That interview moment highlights how Ruffalo and Stone balance humor with honesty in press interviews, which is part of why fans eat these clips up. Whether they’re joking about McDonald’s orders, trading quips about their co-stars, or, in this case, accidentally pulling back the curtain on something as simple as a stage name, it makes them feel more relatable. For two actors with Oscars, Marvel blockbusters, and critical darlings under their belts, it’s refreshing to see them break out of promo-speak and just have a real conversation.

What started as a slip of the tongue turned into a genuinely sweet moment, giving fans a glimpse of just how natural the chemistry is between The Hulk actor and The Easy A breakout. Watching the two laugh their way through it only reinforces why their on-screen dynamic works so well, because they clearly just enjoy being around each other.

Emma Stone’s 2025 movie schedule is busier than ever. She recently sparked plenty of debate with Ari Aster’s Eddington , and her next project, Bugonia, a dark comedy–sci-fi thriller that reunites her with Poor Things director Yorgos Lanthimos on October 31. Mark Ruffalo, meanwhile, has been reportedly returning as Bruce Banner in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

When it comes to prestige drama, few networks have the legacy of HBO – particularly when it comes to the Sunday night lineup. The premium cable channel changed the game forever in the late 1990s, and while not every show launched has been a winner, the track record is very strong, and it now looks like we're about to see it further extended with Task, the new miniseries from Mare of Easttown creator Brad Ingelsby that has been earning rave reviews for star Mark Ruffalo.

The Poor Things actor stars in the seven-part show as Tom Brandis – an FBI agent operating in Philadelphia who is assigned to lead a task force that is hunting for the culprits behind a series of local violent robberies. Ruffalo has past HBO drama experience, having previously played dual lead roles in 2020's I Know This Much Is True, but he is getting some of the best notices of his career for his turn. In a piece for The Wrap, Zaki Hasan offers tremendous praise for his performance in Task, saying that he delivers some of his best small screen work to date:

In a review that calls Task a "riveting cat-and-mouse chase" and offers a "Critic's Choice" label, Variety 'sAlison Herman admires the depth that Mark Ruffalo showcases in his turn as Tom Brandis, and notes that the actor brings the character's past into the character's present. The critic writes,

Admiration for the many dimensions of the character that Mark Ruffalo brings out in his performance is also echoed in Brian Tallerico's three-out-of-four star review for RogerEbert.com. He appreciates the emotional weight that the Marvel star carries in the turn, noting

In a write-up for The Hollywood Reporter, Angie Han has less positive thoughts about the show overall, the review's bottom line saying that it is "a bummer in more ways than one," but there is still praise offered, including an admiration of the way in which the energy of Mark Ruffalo's performance collides with what's delivered in Tom Pelphrey's antagonist turn:

Alan Sepinwall's piece for Rolling Stone offers perhaps the greatest praise of all for Mark Ruffalo – saying that actor is one of the best of his generation. However, the critic also feels that the bleakness of Brad Ingelsby's material makes for a complex mix with the star's talents:

It sounds like Task won't be the kind of show that viewers will be idly revisiting in the years ahead, as it's bleak, heavy and dramatic material, but it sounds as though Mark Ruffalo's performance alone is worth the tune-in.

Also starring Elilia Jones, Thuso Mbedu, Raúl Castillo, and Jamie McShane, Task will premiere on HBO on September 7, and it will simultaneously be made available for HBO Max subscribers.

It’s become tradition for the Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man movies to pair Tom Holland’s Peter Parker with other major characters who aren’t usually in the Wall-Crawler’s direct sphere. For the 2026 movie release Spider-Man: Brand New Day, we’re getting a twofer, because in addition to Jon Bernthal is reprising Frank Castle/The Punisher, Mark Ruffalo will come back as Bruce Banner/The Hulk. Now there’s a rumor going around about how Ruffalo’s character fits into the upcoming Marvel movie, and while it does sound interesting, it’s also leaving me frustrated for reasons tied to She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

How Spider-Man: Brand New Day Is Allegedly Using Hulk

Over at The Cosmic Circus, scooper Alex Perez shared that Bruce Banner is apparently at his “wits’ end” when we reunite with him in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The events of She-Hulk and Captain America: Brave New World (both of which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription) have made him realize that his “worst fear” has come alive in the form of other people being able to Hulk out too. Banner will start out pretty stressed out when Brand New Day begins, and I have a feeling this is going harsh his Smart Hulk mellow.

While this sounds like an interesting narrative direction for Mark Ruffalo’s character, I am curious how the folks at Marvel Studios decided to delve into this in a Spider-Man movie rather than another project. Additionally, Alex Perez mentioned that the events go through in Spider-Man: Brand New Day aren’t to lay the groundwork for a new Hulk movie, but rather set up his role in Avengers: Doomsday. Admittedly, I am disappointed that the prospect of the World War Hulk movie that’s been rumored looking less and less likely, but that’s not what’s bothering me after reading this Brand New Day update.

Why This Rumored Hulk Information Is Frustrating

Let’s assume for the moment that this batch of rumored information from Cosmic Circus for the upcoming Spider-Man movie is correct. I certainly don’t mind that we’ll see Bruce Banner grappling with other people being able to Hulk out, including his old nemesis Thunderbolt Ross, who can become Red Hulk. This could even result in Banner reverting back to his classic Hulk form, though then that would mean Brand New Day is even less of a street-level story than some might’ve assumed. But that’s not what’s bothering me.

We’re now three years separated from She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and there’s still been no followup on Bruce’s son Skaar, who was introduced in the series’ final episode. Bruce discovered Skaar on the planet Sakaar, previously seen in Thor: Ragnarok, but we still don’t know about the kid’s MCU origins, what he’s doing on Earth now or if we’ll even see him again. It’s one of many lingering plot threads that hasn’t been resolved since The Multiverse Saga started, and I’m annoyed that Spider-Man: Brand New Day won’t address it either.

That aside, I am looking forward to the Destin Daniel Cretton-directed Spidey movie, as Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink will also appear in an undisclosed role, and Michael Mando’s Mac Gargan will finally become The Scorpion. Look out for the 38th MCU flick swinging into theaters on July 31, 2026.

Looking over the 2026 movies schedule, there are a handful of upcoming superhero movies to look forward to. On the Marvel Cinematic Universe front, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to entertaining theatergoing audience at the end of July, with this marking Tom Holland’s return to the franchise since 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. Now it’s been revealed that Holland’s Peter Parker is set to team up with another Avenger in Brand New Day, though to be honest, I’m more excited about the villain that’s also been lined up for the upcoming Marvel movie.

As shared by THR, and following just a few hours after the new Spider-Man costume tease, Mark Ruffalo has been tapped to reprise Bruce Banner, a.k.a. The Hulk, in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, something that had been rumored over the last several months. Additionally, Michael Mando is on deck to reprise Mac Gargan, who was last seen in Spider-Man: Homecoming. With his return will bring the character’s transformation into The Scorpion.

News of Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk reprisal comes three years after he last played the character in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription. Although Ruffalo and Tom Holland both appeared in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, neither of their characters shared any significant screen time. However, since they’re both scientifically gifted, I have no doubt they’ll get along splendidly.

As indicated earlier, Hulk will be the second Avenger Tom Holland’s Peter Parker teams up with in one of his own movies. He first did so with Tony Stark/Iron Man in Spider-Man: Homecoming, then the team-up trend continued with Nick Fury in Spider-Man: Far From Home, followed by Doctor Strange and the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield variants of Peter in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Jon Bernthal had already been announced to be reprising Frank Castle/The Punisher in Brand New Day, but needless to say that Mark Ruffalo’s character packs a lot of extra muscle.

And yet, I find myself being more excited to see Michael Mando’s Mac Gargan finally become The Scorpion. Not only was it teased in the Homecoming end-credits scene that Gargan was looking to exact revenge on the Wall-Crawler with other like-minded individuals, but Scorpion is one of those classic Spidey enemies who still hasn’t been adapted for film. Sure, it was cool to see Scorpion in action during the animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man earlier this year, but I’ve been waiting for years for that character to try and impale Spidey with his cybernetic tail on the big screen. Now it’s happening, though it’s unclear if Scorpion will be the movie’s big bad or just a supporting antagonist.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day will begin principal photography later this month, and will arrive in theaters on July 31, 2026. This time around, Destin Daniel Cretton is sitting in the director’s chair, while Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers once again handled scripting duties.

We’ve seen The Avengers assemble in four Marvel movies (which you can stream with a Disney+ subscription), and some of them are returning for the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. But have you ever wondered what it would look like if these heroes donned their suits as infants? Well, I haven't, but some apparently have, as AI gave us a visual of The Avengers reimagined as babies, and even Mark Ruffalo can’t get enough of it.

The only time we’ve ever seen The Avengers as kids was in the Disney Junior cartoon series Spidey and His Amazing Friends. However, if you want to imagine these superheroes as young as toddlers, @junkboxai has worked its magic, and get ready to start laughing at the sight of these baby Avengers:

Just like I was impressed seeing the Fast and Furious cast as infants, seeing the ultimate superhero team in the same form makes me want to pinch all of their cheeks! One of the most impressive reimagined characters has to be Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury in a high chair. He looks just like Baby Jackson. Although if he repeatedly drops curse words like the actor who portrays him, he’ll be getting a lot of time-outs and a full swear jar.

I also thought Little Thor and Hawkeye were so precious to look at. Now, we need a new video of the little Marvel team showing off their superhero strength and moves…once they learn how to walk, of course.

The one re-imagined Avenger that made me laugh the most was Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. We see a crying Baby Hulk in his cute little purple shorts. It looks like the comic book character’s anger issues have been around since birth. Plus, it was made even better when the 13 Going on 30 actor commented on the post with an:

Yes, it truly is amazing to see what AI can do. It’s clear that Mark Ruffalo is astounded by the sight of his character and the other Avengers in their little baby forms. I guess every superhero has to start somewhere.

As for which Avengers are coming back for Avengers: Doomsday, Mark Ruffalo wasn’t listed on the massive Doomsday cast list. But we will get to see Chris Hemsworth back as Thor, as well as Anthony Mackie as Captain America. Even Robert Downey Jr. will be back, but he'll be the villainous Doctor Doom this time.

If you thought Avengers: Endgame was a giant reunion of Marvel characters, the upcoming Marvel movie will have the X-Men team up as well as The Fantastic Four, Ant-Man, and more. Maybe once Doomsday premieres, we can also get more mockups of what these heroes would look like as babies.

I never would have thought seeing The Avengers as babies would be on my Bingo card this week, but I loved it! And so did Mark Ruffalo. Earth’s mightiest heroes clearly had superhero bravado in their blood. Not to mention, they were freaking adorable. You can see your favorite superheroes return in their adult forms in the upcoming 2026 movie, Avengers: Doomsday, coming to theaters on December 18th.

Mark Ruffalo and Natalie Portman already have Marvel movies in common, with Portman as Jane Foster and Ruffalo as The Hulk. But before they delved into the superhero genre, they were also known for acting in intimate, steamy movies. Fortunately, the former MCU actors will be diving back into the rom-com genre by starring in a Netflix movie together, and I’m already loving the premise.

One of the most fascinating things about these two is their ability to blend into any genre. This year, Portman has starred in the heist action-adventure movie Fountain of Youth (which is streaming on your Apple TV+ subscription) and will be in the animated 2025 Netflix release The Twits. Ruffalo is busy this year too, with the HBO crime miniseries Task. But if you’d like to see them come back to their rom-com goodiness roots, they’ll both star in Lena Dunham’s new Netflix movie Good Sex. Can I just say that I’m already digging the rom-com’s original premise? Here's the intriguing plot from the streamer on X:

Now, this is a love triangle I can get into. It’ll be very interesting to see a 40-year-old have to choose between two different age groups and see which leading man gives her those steamy vibes. There have been plenty of recent movies that show age has nothing to do with who’s good in bed, such as the A24 thriller Babygirl, The Idea of You (one of the best Amazon Original Movies), Netflix’s Lonely Planet and more.

But at least in this case, it’s not just about the older woman going out with the younger guy (played by Tucker Pillsbury a.k.a Role Model). The 40-year-old Ally also has a man in her 50s sweeping her off her feet. Compared to the usual love triangles having to do with the rich and the poor, at least an unconventional setup like this will leave me guessing who Ally would choose.

If anyone can pull off an original premise like this, it’s Lena Dunham. She’s an actress/writer/director who’s never been afraid to delve into sexual themes. After all, her HBO show Girls got the world talking, which not only showed physically how sex can be messy, but also the emotional insecurities that come with it. With the Emmy nominee not afraid to tackle sex with honesty and humor, I have no doubts she’ll do the same with her new Netflix movie.

It’ll be so nice to see Mark Ruffalo and Natalie Portman head back into the rom-com genre. You can’t forget about Ruffalo sweeping Jennifer Garner off her feet in 13 Going on 30, Reese Witherspoon in Just Like Heaven, and Jennifer Aniston in Rumor Has It… Some of Portman’s best movies happen to be in romantic comedies as well, like Garden State and No Strings Attached. As these two are capable of sharing chemistry with any of their screen partners, I’m sure the duo being paired together will bring something sexy and electric to their new movie.

Good Sex’s entertaining premise already has me sold knowing that Lena Dunham has written and directed Natalie Portman to get into a love triangle with Mark Ruffalo and Tucker Pillsbury. With the two leads heading back to the rom-com genre and the creative force of Girls behind it, how can we go wrong? Check out our 2025 movie releases in case the new Netflix rom-com finds its way there.

While there’s a lot we still don’t know about all the big upcoming Marvel movies, we recently got some big news in the form of the main cast of Avengers: Doomsday being officially confirmed during an epic five and a half hour livestream event. One member of that cast, Simu Liu, recently revealed that, while he, of course, knew that his name would appear, the rest of the names were as much a surprise for him as it was for the rest of us.

Appearing on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Simu Liu talked about how excited he was to be joining the cast. However, who else would be named was apparently news to him. He says he knew nothing about Doomsday beyond his own participation because a couple of other Avengers had ruined it for everybody. Liu said…

Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo both have reputations for having loose lips when it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Holland especially has needed to be handled to avoid spilling the beans. Both actors have a tendency to say more than they should about their movies. Marvel has always been pretty tight with details in order to avoid spoilers from leaking, but it seems the studio is taking zero chances with its own talent.

This meant that the endless stream of chairs was just as wild an experience for Simu Liu because he didn’t know what names would be appearing. By and large, the biggest surprise for fans was the list of original X-Men franchise actors who will be joining the MCU. Liu specifically mentioned two of them that he is very excited about. The Shang-Chi actor said…

One can tell that the idea of acting alongside Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen has Simu Liu more than a little excited.

Of course, if details of Avengers: Doomsday are being kept under wraps, then he likely doesn't know yet if he’ll share a scene with either of them. With so many characters appearing in the film, unless the movie contains an Avengers: Endgame-style final battle that includes literally everybody, then it’s more likely that only small groups of these characters will share screentime together.

We’ll find out what’s going on when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters next year. Hopefully, Shang-Chi and the X-Men get to hang out together for a while.

Like millions of people around the world, I spent five hours watching Marvel slowly roll out all those Avengers: Doomsday names in March 2025, and like a lot of people, I was bummed a few of the biggest MCU stars, including Ryan Reynolds, didn’t have a chair. While it may be true that we will see more additions as we work toward the release of the upcoming Marvel movie, I was shocked by some of the names left out of the excruciatingly long cast announcement.

That said, here’s a list of some of those beloved MCU actors I really hope we see when the Russo Brothers’ Avengers: Doomsday opens on the big screen in May 2026. It’s a long list (no, not as long as that video), so let’s get started…

Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds, who has played Deadpool since the Fox days, has made a habit of teasing his return to the MCU ever since the release of Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024. I totally thought we’d see his name on one of those chairs in that seemingly endless lineup, which is why I’m so bummed the wise-cracking, R-rated, and lethal hero wasn’t included.

In an ideal world, Reynolds’ return would also include the likes of Dafne Keen, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Garner, and Leslie Uggams (you can’t have Deadpool without Blind Al).

Tom Holland

With the Spider-Man 4 release date so close to the Avengers: Doomsday rollout, it would be shocking if Tom Holland doesn’t show up in the massive crossover film a few months before his new Web-Slinger adventure. The highly in-demand actor seemed like a shoo-in to be included in the gargantuan list filled with all his MCU buddies. There are rumors that Holland won’t be in the next Avengers film, but I’m not totally convinced at this point.

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson has been a part of the MCU since he showed up in Tony Stark’s house and revealed himself as Nick Fury way back in Iron Man. Since then, he’s popped up in all of the Avengers movies, so I was a little saddened and surprised by his omission from the absurdly long cast list for Doomsday. I mean, Fury is still alive on the Marvel Cinematic timeline after the events of The Marvels.

Chris Evans

Even though his version of Captain America retired during the Avengers: Endgame ending, Chris Evans has reappeared in the MCU (Johnny Flame in Deadpool & Wolverine), so I wouldn’t be shocked if some character played by the franchise mainstay shows up by the time it’s all said and done. Evans has been cagey about a possible return in the past, but not seeing his name on the back of a chair is a little disheartening, if I’m being honest.

Mark Ruffalo

Mark Ruffalo has been one of my favorite MCU actors ever since he took on the role of Bruce Banner/The Hulk in 2012’s The Avengers. He’s been there for all the major moments in the franchise since then, but now I’m starting to think his iconic character won’t be saving the planet, galaxy, universe, or multiverse with his old buddies next summer. This can’t happen. I mean, who’s going to give Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man an extra taco?

Benedict Cumberbatch

Is Benedict Cumberbatch bringing back Doctor Strange (third eye and all) for Avengers: Doomsday? I don’t know because the longtime Marvel staple wasn’t included in the longest line of chairs I’ve ever seen. The actor’s comments about his return to the MCU have been all over the place, with his most recent comments to Business Insider in January 2025 making it sound like he could possibly return.

Don Cheadle

Though the Armor Wars project seems to be up in the air, I thought Don Cheadle would for sure be a part of the upcoming Avengers movie. James Rhodes has been a part of the franchise since the very beginning, and Cheadle’s version of the character has had a part in three of the four crossover films to date.

Brie Larson

Another big name missing from the “Infinity Scroll of Chairs” was Brie Larson, whose Captain Marvel has long been one of the strongest heroes in the entire MCU. We last saw her in The Marvels back in 2023, so she’s due for a return at this point. The same can be said about co-stars Teyonah Parris and Iman Vellani, who play Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan, respectively. I’d be shocked if they didn’t appear.

Jeremy Renner

Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye has had one of the craziest journeys in the MCU over the years. The underrated Avenger has been through it all, and I’ll be bummed if he’s not part of Doomsday next year. He famously wasn’t part of the Avengers: Infinity War cast, so maybe, just maybe, we’ll see him in Avengers: Secret Wars in a few years.

Charlie Cox

With Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdoch very much a part of the MCU again with the recent arrival of Daredevil: Born Again, I will be shocked if the actor doesn’t appear in Avengers: Doomsday. His name is on the rise (both the actor and character), so his absence could be felt a great deal.

Also, I would love to see Cox’s Defenders co-stars like Mike Colter, Finn Jones, and Krysten Ritter have some kind of role in what appears to be the biggest Marvel movie in years.

Halle Berry

Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and several other major players from the original X-Men movies were all announced for Avengers: Doomsday, but there was one actress whose absence really bummed me out: Halle Berry. Whenever the music would change and the camera would pan to the right, I kept hoping to see the Storm actress listed on a chair, but it never came.

The same can be said about Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, and Hugh Jackman, three other major names from the franchise who are oddly missing from the cast list.

The Guardians Of The Galaxy

Though Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff seem to be finished with the MCU after the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the rest of the actors should still be in play moving forward. With Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, and Vin Diesel being major parts of the last two Avengers movies, it will be odd not to see them in the upcoming Doomsday. I really hope that changes, as I’d love to see that ragtag group of space scoundrels save the day again.

The Eternals

After Captain America: Brave New World referenced Eternals earlier in the year, it felt like maybe this oft-forgotten MCU movie would be getting some attention again. However, none of the actors from the 2021 epic were included in the Avengers: Doomsday rollout. I guess we’ll have to wait longer to figure out what’s going on with the group played by Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, and Barry Keoghan.

Other Marvel Stars I Want To See In Avengers: Doomsday

On top of all these names and various groups, I would love to see even more actors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe show up in Avengers: Doomsday. From longtime staples like Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Hayley Atwell, and Scarlett Johansson (nobody stays dead forever, right?) to other fan favorites played by the likes of Benedict Wong, Dafne Keen, Lupita Nyong’o, Awkwafina, and Danai Guirara to actors introduced in post-credit scenes like Brett Goldstein and Charlize Theron, there are just so many familiar faces that could show up.

Will any or all of these actors show up in Avengers: Doomsday or its sequel? I really hope so.

Kieran Culkin has been acting since he was a little kid, and apparently, he has a reputation for being a bit of a troublemaker. The Oscar nominee recently revealed he got some actors high by replacing a fake joint with a real one while participating in the play The Moment When in 2000. He was only about 18 at the time and clearly was testing the waters for a prank that went exactly how you’d expect. Now, Mark Ruffalo, who was one of the victims of this on-stage fiasco, is telling his side of the story.

Ruffalo was a guest on The Tonight Show to promote his new movie with Robert Pattinson, Mickey 17. The conversation soon turned to Kieran Culkin, though, who is having quite the moment right now after his acclaimed performance in A Real Pain made him a frontrunner in the Oscar conversation. However, instead of talking about what's going on now, this viral decades-old story came up.

The Avengers actor revealed he had a unique experience working with a young Culkin over 25 years ago on a stage play. In one of the scenes, the actors are supposed to smoke a fake joint, which, unbeknownst to them, had been swapped by the mischievous teen actor. Thinking it wasn't real, the actors had a pretty confident approach to smoking, as Ruffalo explained:

The actors ended up smoking a lot of marijuana on stage, and it hit them all pretty quickly. At first, Ruffalo was feeling pretty good, and he felt a wave of confidence towards his performance. Very quickly, however, the Spotlight actor realized what was happening, and Culkin’s giggles behind the curtain confirmed his suspicions. He recalled:

Clearly, this gave the play a certain energy. While the actors ended up being pretty cool with what was going on, especially considering the smoking gave them a newfound confidence and calm, not everyone behind the scenes was as on board. One of the stage managers even threatened to shut the play down, but even in his altered state, Ruffalo wanted to protect Culkin from getting in trouble. He said:

The 13 Going on 30 actor then said the whole debacle resulted in him getting some of the best reviews he ever had, so thankfully, everything turned out okay.

Culkin said he got a pretty stern talking-to from the stage manager himself, but thankfully, nothing too damaging. It was the year 2000, and the cultural attitude towards weed was very different, but everything worked out, and it’s just a hilarious story now.

These days, the Succession star is still a bit of a troublemaker, but not in the same way.

He famously almost quit A Real Pain two weeks before shooting, but Emma Stone convinced him to stay on the project. Also, sarcastic quips and jabs have become his signature. And all of it has just made him even more hilarious and charming.

Even this story makes the actor even more endearing, showing he isn’t afraid to break the rules and have a little fun. He’s come a long way since then, but the mischievous spirit is clearly there and is what is making fans around the world root for him to take home the gold at this year’s Oscars.

You can see Kieran Culkin in the role that got him his 2025 Oscar nomination by streaming A Real Pain with a Hulu subscription. Also, make sure to check out Mark Ruffalo in Mickey 17, which is set to hit theaters on the 2025 movie schedule March 7th, 2025. Then, start crossing your fingers that these two work together again someday, because these on-stage hijinks and hilarious storytelling are things I desperately want more of from them.

Pretty much since Bong Joon-ho won three Academy Awards in 2020 for Parasite (including Best Picture), movie lovers have been excited to see what he does next. At long last, his next project is hitting the 2025 movie calendar soon. Mickey 17 is an adaptation of the book Mickey7 by Edward Ashton and stars Robert Pattinson as the titular expendable. The sci-fi dark comedy has screened for critics, and first reactions are hitting social media. Let’s see what people think.

Before we get to the critics, though, for those unfamiliar with the source material, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) is a disposable clone worker living on the human colony Niflheim. As an “expendable,” he takes on lethal jobs, with his body being regenerated after each death. Things go awry when Mickey 17 is wrongly presumed dead and Mickey 18 is also created. Emily Murray of GamesRadar says the film feels especially relevant in current times, writing on X (Twitter):

Co-starring with Robert Pattinson are Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette and Mark Ruffalo in the role of a nasty dictator. The Nerds of Color praises all of the performances in Bong Joon-Ho’s Mickey 17, especially that of Pattinson in the dual role. They write on X:

Liam Crowley of ScreenRant agrees that Mark Ruffalo shines in this cautionary tale. Mickey 17 has even changed the way this critic thinks about being a human. The critic writes:

Eli Johnson, senior writer at POC Culture, writes via Bluesky that the director — who also wrote the screenplay — provides a brilliant commentary that’s bolstered by its lead’s performance. Johnson says:

John Nguyen of Nerd Reactor agrees Robert Pattinson is more than capable of pulling off both Mickey clones, but this critic thinks Bong Joon-ho might have missed an opportunity to expand the story toward the end. Nguyen writes:

Germain Lussier of Gizmodo also had a minor issue with Mickey 17, writing that the political movements feel too real to be fun:

Matt Maytum of TotalFilm has no such issues, thinking that the director is able to strike the right chord between its satirical message and its eccentricities. In Maytum’s words:

BJ Colangelo of Slashfilm is on board with much of the praise the film is receiving in the first social media reactions. The critic calls it “uncomfortably funny” and poignant, saying it’s Bong Joon-ho’s best English-language film to date:

CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg called Mickey 17 “wacky sci-fi fun” after seeing footage at CinemaCon, so that on top of these reactions should inspire optimism in anyone who’s read the book or simply saw Parasite and is looking forward to the director’s next movie. Unfortunately the wait to see it isn’t quite over yet. Mickey 17 is set to hit theaters on Friday, March 7.

In a movie all about struggling to fill the shoes of your predecessor, it’s quite funny that on and off screen there are some decently sized shoes to fill. Captain America: Brave New World, the next of the upcoming Marvel movies, hits the 2025 release schedule later this month, and among the things to look forward to from it is the introduction of Red Hulk. Harrison Ford was asked about being the next person to take on the mantle of the Hulk, and his answer was really on-brand.

At a London promotional event for Brave New World (via On Demand Entertainment) Harrison Ford was asked a few questions about his Red Hulk portrayal. In recent years, the idea of ‘Hulking out’ has been under the monopoly of Mark Ruffalo. When asked if Ruffalo had offered any pointers or advice, Ford's response can be described as hilariously on brand for his usual dry and witty personality. He simply said:

Ford did go further into speaking about there being some expectation and responsibility to do fill the shoes of those who walked before you. Which still is very on brand seeing as this movie is all about Sam trying to fill the hole left behind by Steve Rogers. From the costuming to the off-screen discussions, Brave New World thematically speaks on the expectations and pressures of being in one’s shadow, so to speak. All that being said, I join Ford in hoping that Mark Ruffalo approves of what he did as Red Hulk.

The movie itself has been the topic of a few tricky discussions, with some chatter on social media comparing Ford’s President Ross to President Trump. Co-star Anthony Mackie did weigh in on that discussion, stating that it’s being made more political than it should be. A comment that can be said a second time, as over the weekend in an interview Mackie talked about what Captain America represents, and this received a ton of negative backlash.

Reviews for Captain America: Brave New World have not been released yet, so whether or not Ford has filled those shoes has yet to be seen. As a result we do not know for sure what the future holds for Ford’s Red Hulk, but I am confidant that Brave New World will be entertaining nonetheless.

Going back to Mark Ruffalo, he was last seen appearing as Bruce Banner/Hulk in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. While the character's next MCU appearance hasn't been announced yet, there are rumors of a World War Hulk movie being in development.

Some of the biggest and best actors have never won competitive acting Oscars. Some of those names might completely shock you as they have certainly put in the performances that make them worthy of winning the awards. There are a few on this list who have won honorary Oscars or won in other categories, like directing or acting, but none of these stars have been bestowed with the one they probably want the most. So here is our list of actors and actresses who have shockingly never won an Oscar for acting.

Glenn Close

At the top of the list of actors who have shockingly never won an Oscar has to be the great Glenn Close. For decades Close has been putting amazing performances on film, and yet that golden statue has eluded her. She has won multiple Tonys, Emmys, and Golden Globe awards, yet, despite an amazing eight nominations for either Best Actress or Best Supporting Actress, she's yet to win one.

Tom Cruise

There is no bigger "movie star" on the planet than Tom Cruise. While no one would realistically expect Cruise to be nominated for his action roles like in the Mission: Impossible movies (though, his stunt work in those movies should really be acknowledged), the Top Gun star has put in the work with Oscar-worthy performances in films like Rain Man, Jerry Maguire, Born on the Fourth of July, and Magnolia. He has been nominated four times, but he's yet to take home the prize.

Angela Bassett

In 1994 Angela Bassett lost out on the Best Actress Oscar for her incredible, transformative performance as Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do with It. Not to take anything away from the winner, Holly Hunter for The Piano, but it's frankly astonishing Bassett didn't win. Sadly, though she was honored in 2024 by the Academy, she still has yet to win a competitive Oscar.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp has gotten a lot of bad press in recent years and that may hurt his future chances to win an Academy Award, but frankly, it's amazing he hasn't already won multiple Oscars, and yet he's never won even one. Despite three nominations and many other amazing performances, the Pirates Of The Caribbean star is still Oscar-less.

Sigourney Weaver

It's hard to believe that Sigourney Weaver hasn't even been nominated for an Oscar since the 1980s, when she was nominated thrice. In spite of wonderful performances in huge hits like Avatar and Aliens, she's still searching for that golden statue.

Bradley Cooper

Honestly, you can almost smell the desperation on Bradley Cooper to win an Oscar and that's completely understandable. Cooper is one of the best actors of his generation and has been nominated five times in an acting category (and another seven times in other categories), but hasn't won...yet. He'll surely get one.

Annette Bening

Five nominations and no wins. That's Annette Bening's resume at the Oscars and that is shocking. For decades she's been crushing it on screen and despite those nominations, most recently in 2023 for her incredible performance in Nyad, a win has eluded her.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey may have burst on the scene in wild comedies like Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask - and we can argue that amazing comedic performances don't get nearly enough love from the Academy - but his more serious roles, like in Man on the Moon and even The Truman Show are certainly worthy of Oscars. Despite multiple Golden Globe nominations and wins, the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind actor has never even been nominated for an Oscar.

Amy Adams

When Amy Adams was first nominated for an Academy Award in 2005 for her breakthrough performance in Junebug, a betting person would have bet everything that she would win an Oscar in her career. Yet here we are more than 20 years later and despite five more nominations, Adams is still Oscar-less.

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson has played every kind of character and starred in every kind of movie. From mega-franchises like Star Wars and the MCU, to more indie films like Pulp Fiction and Do The Right Thing, Jackson has done it all in Hollywood, except win a competitive Oscar and he's shockingly only been nominated once. He was honored by the Academy in 2021 for his body of work.

Scarlett Johansson

In 2020 Scarlett Johansson was nominated in both the Bet Actress category for Marriage Story and Best Supporting Actress for Jojo Rabbit. She lost out in both that year and despite an incredible career, they remain her only nominations.

Laurence Fishburne

Literally, since his breakout movie role when he was only 16 in Apocalypse Now, Laurence Fishburne has been putting in award-worthy performances. One of the most astonishing facts on this list, Fishbourne has only been nominated once, for What's Love Got to Do with It in 1994. Despite roles like Furious Styles in Boyz n The Hood, Professor Phipps in Higher Learning, and countless others, he still hasn't won.

Hugh Jackman

While he's best known for his work as Wolverine these days, the multi-talented Hugh Jackman has a ton of performances that have deserved more attention from the Academy. He's won every other award on the planet, including three of the "EGOT" awards, but he's still missing the "O."

Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams has been nominated for an Academy Award five times, starting with her breakout role in 2005's Brokeback Mountain. She has yet to break through with a win though. Certainly, she will at some point, right?

Saoirse Ronan

Saoirse Ronan was just 13 years old when she landed her first Oscar nomination for her performance in Atonement. The Lady Bird star has been nominated three subsequent times but hasn't been able to nail down an award yet. A win for Ronan at some point seems inevitable, given how she crushes every role she's in.

Matt Damon

Another one of the biggest movie stars in the world who has yet to win an acting Oscar is Matt Damon. His most recent of three acting nominations was for 2015's The Martian, and while he has won an Oscar for Best Screenplay for Good Will Hunting, an acting award has eluded him.

Salma Hayek

Despite her transcending performance in Frida, the great Salma Hayek wasn't able to win an Oscar in a stacked category in 2003 (Nicole Kidman won for The Hours). Despite numerous great performances, that remains Hayak's only nomination. For shame.

Willem Dafoe

Despite being one of the most reliable actors in Hollywood for more than four decades, somehow Willem Dafoe has yet to win an Oscar. It seems like every single role he takes on is award-worthy, and yet, despite four nominations, starting with Platoon, he still has yet to take home an Academy Award.

Carey Mulligan

2009's An Education garnered Carey Mulligan her first Oscar nom, and she's since nominated another couple of times, for Promising Young Woman in 2021 and Maestro in 2024. She's run into some stiff competition, but surely at least one of those performances was Oscar-worthy.

Mark Ruffalo

Mark Ruffalo has been acting his butt off for decades. For that hard work, he's received four Best Supporting Actor nominations, and shockingly, not for his work in Dark Waters, which might be his best performance of all. It's confounding.

Michelle Pfeiffer

The great Michelle Pfeiffer landed her first Oscar nomination in 1988 for Dangerous Liaisons and picked up two more for The Fabulous Baker Boys in 1989 and Love Field in 1992. Since then? Nothing. Zip. She has not even received a nomination as one of the best actresses of her generation. That has to be remedied, as it makes no sense.

Ralph Fiennes

Between 1996 when he was nominated for The English Patient and 2025 when he was nominated for Conclave, the great Ralph Fiennes wasn't even nominated for an Oscar despite countless award-worthy performances.

Naomi Watts

With two nominations and zero wins, Naomi Watts finds herself on this list. She was first nominated in 2004 for 21 Grams and again in 2013 for The Impossible, but she hasn't lucked out with a win yet. Surely one is in her future though, she's too much of a force not to win one.

Ryan Gosling

Year after year Ryan Gosling has put up fantastic performances, so his inclusion on this list is among the most surprising. He seems like a shoo-in to have won at least one Oscar, right? In not for Barbie or Half Nelson, both of which he was nominated for, then certainly for La La Land. Alas, he's yet to take home a trophy.

Alfre Woodard

When Alfre Woodard was nominated for her first (and to-date only) Oscar nomination way back in 1983 for Cross Creek, you'd be crazy to predict she would not get another one for what is now more than 40 years. Despite amazing performances in films like 12 Years A Slave and many others, she has been shut out.

Warren Beatty

There was no bigger movie star than Warren Beatty in the late '70s and '80s and despite a slew of hits, Beatty has never won an Oscar. Beatty has been nominated four times for Best Actor, yet his only Academy Award win came for Best Director for Reds in 1982. He didn't even win for Dick Tracy! He wasn't actually nominated for that iconic role though, which is understandable.

Laura Linney

Over her long, impressive career, Laura Linney has been nominated for many awards. She's won multiple Emmys and multiple Golden Globes, but she's never taken home a golden statue from the Academy. Linney has been nominated three times, for 2000's You Can Count on Me, 2004's Kinsey, and 2007's The Savages, but lost out each time. Linney has never been in a movie that has won Best Picture, either.

Ed Harris

Ed Harris is one of the best character actors of the last 50 years and yet he's never won an Oscar. He's been nominated three times for Best Supporting Actor, for Apollo 13, The Truman Show, and The Hours, plus picking a nomination for Best Actor for Pollock, but alas, he's never won. Weirdly, he's also 0-3 on Emmy nominations too. He has picked up two Golden Globes though.

Joan Allen

Joan Allen is an actress flies a little under the radar despite putting in amazing performances in everything she is in. It might because she's been incredibly unlucky at winning awards, despite multiple Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG nominations. That luck includes her Oscar nominations, of which she has three, for Nixon, The Crucible, and The Contender, but sadly no wins.

Richard Gere

Despite being box office gold since the early 1980s, Richard Gere has shockingly never been even nominated for an Oscar. He's been in beloved movies that have stood the test of time like Pretty Woman, An Officer And A Gentleman, Primal Fear, Runaway Bride and so many more, but no nominations. Crazy.

Isabelle Huppert

It might not be a huge surprise that a French actress like Isabelle Huppert hasn't won an Oscar, as obviously the winners are almost always from English-language films. Still, Huppert is one of the most decorated actresses of all time in her native France, having been nominated 16 times (and winning twice) for the César Award (France's version of the Academy Awards). She was nominated for an Oscar in 2016 for Elle but lost to Emma Stone (for La La Land).

Paul Dano

It almost seems pre-ordained that at some point Paul Dano will win an Oscar. In performance after performance, he just crushes it. From There Will Be Blood to Love & Mercy, the list of his amazing performances just keeps growing. Like others on this list, the fact that he hasn't even been nominated for an Oscar is mindboggling.

Due to his part in the 2024 movie A Real Pain, actor Kieran Culkin is one of the awards season contestants the world will be following intensely. With a 2025 Golden Globes nomination for Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role, the Succession cast alum adds some excitement to what already looks to be a competitive year overall. Which is no surprise, as the mischievous performer once infamously got in trouble for hubbub of a different kind, as he’d pranked co-star Mark Ruffalo with an actual joint on stage.

The story was brought up during an interview with Kieran Culkin and The Guardian, which recalled the incident as happening while he was working with the MCU vet in 2000. Both men were starring in the play The Moment When, and a bag of fake joints presented the then-17 year-old Culkin with an opportunity to sneak a genuine article that was consumed on stage. Which led to the following anecdote:

The plus side of this interaction is that the future Scott Pilgrim vs. The World cast member would appear to be that his cast mates did not have a problem with this rather method prank. You can kind of imagine Mark Ruffalo walking off stage after the scene in question, delivering one of his trademark laughs of warmth, and making the admission shared above. I don’t know if I really expected anything to the contrary, but it’s still good to have confirmation.

However, it’s still kind of fitting for Kieran Culkin to be telling this story on the press tour for A Real Pain, as that’s probably what the show’s stage manager had secretly named him after this incident. At least, the assumption’s pretty strong, as the other piece of this story saw the party ending thusly:

Oh 2000 really was a different time when it came to the legal and sociopolitical outlooks on marijuana. You truly had to be there, and Kieran Culkin has the story to prove that he indeed was. One has to wonder if co-star/director Jesse Eisenberg knew about this story before they shared their own scenes of implied drug use in A Real Pain. Which then only turns into a question of whether or not the props used on screen were just props.

Given that Kieran Culkin’s reasons for not showing his kids Home Alone show how he’s become a more mature and concerned man, one could think those days are over. But then again, only those who know Culkin the best, and maybe Mark Ruffalo, would know for sure. While you contemplate that question, don’t forget that you can still catch Kieran Culkin's acclaimed performance in A Real Pain, both in theatrical release and through in-home PVOD rental.

In 2021, Julia Louis Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine hit the Marvel Cinematic scene, first appearing in the franchise second Disney+ subscription-exclusive series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and then cameoing in Black Widow, the 24th of the Marvel movies in order, a few months later. Then the character returned in late 2022 for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and she’ll finally return next May for Thunderbolts*. So by now, Louis-Dreyfus knows her way around handling Marvel spoilers, so maybe Tom Holland, Mark Ruffalo, two of the franchise’s most notoriously loose-lipped actors (among others), should take a note from her on the matter.

While discussing what to expect from Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in the upcoming Marvel movie, which included sharing how we’ll see “her entire plan unfold” and describing the character as an “anti-villain,” Louis-Dreyfus informed EW that she hasn’t shared any Thunderbolts* spoilers with anyone, including her two sons, who she described as “Marvel fanatics.” As she explained:

This is definitely how someone who’s working on a Marvel production should handle spoilers: assume you might accidentally say something, and then put in extra effort to make sure you don’t do that. While Mark Ruffalo and Tom Holland obviously don’t go around deliberate spoiling key Marvel plot points left and right, there have certainly been times when the Hulk and Spider-Man actors could have benefited from exercising the same kind of restraint Julia Louis-Dreyfus is talking about. As just two examples, Ruffalo spoiled the end of Avengers: Infinity War nearly a year ahead of its release, and Holland spoiled that same movie to a packed theater before it’d even started playing.

Tom Holland once claimed that Mark Ruffalo was worse about spoilers than he was, and frankly, I’ll give him. After all, along with the standard variety of spoilers, Ruffalo also accidentally live-streamed the beginning of Thor: Ragnarok during the world premiere. Regardless, Julia Louis-Dreyfus clearly has the art of Marvel secret-keeping down to a fine art and science. Now she just has to keep her streak going for roughly half a year until Thunderbolts* is released… though that’s not to say that will be the last we see of her in the MCU.

Thunderbolts* hits theaters on May 2, 2025, and Louis-Dreyfus’ costars include Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen, Olga Kurylenko and Lewis Pullman. Jake Schreier directed the feature, and Eric Pearson, Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo all worked on the script.

The Wicked movie is in theaters and crushing at the box office, following a long press tour. The Wicked cast has been promoting the film for months, and have gone viral a few times as a result. In particular, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who are consistently crying during interviews. We've reached the era where Mark Ruffalo is trolling the "holding space" for "Defying Gravity" meme, and I am here for it.

Wicked's songs are a big draw of the film, especially well-known tracks like "Popular" and "Defying Gravity". The latter went viral recently when a journalist spoke to Erivo about LGBTQ+ fans "holding space" for those lyrics and finding strength in their power. That clip has been memed countless times in the last week, and now Mark Ruffalo is getting in on the fun over on his personal Instagram.

Honestly, this is pretty funny. Ruffalo has been shown to troll his MCU buddies for years, and now he's getting in on the viral Wicked trend. We'll just have to see if Grande or Erivo end up responding.

In order to put his own spin on the "holding space" meme, Mark Ruffalo shared some footage of his character from Poor Things (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription). Although I have to say, I think he missed an opportunity by not making the meme about Hulk. After all, he and Elphaba are some of media's most popular green characters.

Ruffalo is known for having a delightful presence on social media... and for being one of the worst spoiler offenders in the MCU history. So perhaps it should be no surprise that he got in on the Wicked meme that's been going around social meia non-stop.

As a reminder, you can see the viral clip from Wicked's promotional tour below. Check it out:

This exchange quickly went viral for a few reasons. For one, the comments about "holding space" confused some. Then there's Cynthia Erivo's emotional reaction. Although perhaps the most meme-d part of this interview is the way Ariana Grande held onto Erivo's fingers during the exchange.

Grande and Erivo have been getting some flak online for being so emotional while discussing their relationship and work together on the two Wicked films. But since the second movie is going to arrive in November of 2025, the pair of acclaimed singers are seemingly going to do it all over again and go back on the road next fall. And since the second half of Wicked's story is far more tragic and emotional, I have to assume that way more tears are going to happen.

The first Wicked movie is in theaters now, and the second will follow suit on November 21st, 2025. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater in the New Year.

When Avengers: Infinity War, the 19th of the Marvel movies in order, rolled around in 2018, one of its first big moments was Thanos beating up Hulk so bad that he never emerged from Bruce Banner again, as Avengers: Endgame saw the two halves being merged into one. However, in real life, Mark Ruffalo and Josh Brolin are pretty chummy with each other. Case in point, the former shared some love on social media for the latter’s memoir, which one fan described as “The Hulk’s reading Thanos’ book.”

Brolin’s memoir, titled From Under the Truck: A Memoir, was released last week, and Ruffalo is among the many who acquired a copy. Clearly he’s having a good time reading, as evidenced by what he posted on Instagram:

As you’ll see when going through the comments section, the aforementioned fan summarized this post perfectly, while another fan asked that Mark Ruffalo give them the “Hulk vs Thanos rematch.” Don’t count on that happening since, as mentioned earlier, the original Hulk doesn’t exist anymore, with Bruce Banner now permanently in his Smart Hulk form (minus when he reverted to human form for a bit during Phase Four to heal his damaged arm). But hey, at least Ruffalo is enjoying learning about Josh Brolin’s life through his memoir, which he described as “a testament to the healing and redemptive significance of art, love and a Higher Power.”

Brolin has been making the press rounds this month to promote From Under the Truck and chat about a variety of other topics, including that time he didn’t realize Denzel Washington was fully in character and his thoughts on James Cameron being “angry” that he turned down Avatar. As far as Marvel goes, while Avengers: Endgame marked his last appearance as Thanos in the movies, Brolin did voice alternate versions of the character in two episodes of What If… ?, which can be viewed with a Disney+ subscription. Beyond that though, there’s no indication that he’ll ever play any version of Thanos again.

With Mark Ruffalo, we have no idea what’s in store for his Hulk future either, but at least the chances of him returning to the MCU are a lot stronger. At the end of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Bruce Banner, who’d embarked out into space after training his cousin Jennifer Walters, came back to Earth and introduced his son Skaar. While it remains to be seen when this lingering plot thread will be readdressed, I suspect we’ll see Ruffalo back as Smart Hulk in the upcoming Marvel movies Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

As for their non-Marvel work, both men will be seen numerous times on the 2025 movies schedule, with Josh Brolin starring in Wake Up Dead Man and The Running Man, and Mark Ruffalo starring in Mickey 17, Now You See Me 3 and Crime 101.

It’s been two decades since one of the best rom-coms of all time, 13 Going on 30, graced the big screens, and it still holds up today. Thankfully, that has also meant two decades of friendship for the cast, specifically Jennifer Garner, Judy Greer and Mark Ruffalo. If you were wondering if they are all still close, the Family Switch actress’ recently shared a sweet message to social media that shows her and Greer wishing Ruffalo the happiest of birthdays and my heart is so full with love for this cast.

Fans' favorite frenemies were recently featured together on Garner’s Instagram stories, as they celebrated the Avengers actor turning 57. In the video, Garner and Greer wish their leading man a very sweet happy birthday and followed that up with numerous air kisses and “We love you” declarations right before the video ends. What warms my heart is the fact that it was more than just a post or a throwback photo, it was a sincere, heartfelt message (and I can’t handle this right now, I’m already so emotional from the end of Arcane). Check out the post:

I love that even 20 years later, this cast is still close. Greer and Garner are actually much better friends than their characters, with the Yes Day actress also never failing to wish her on-screen frenemy a happy birthday as well. But it was great to see them together for Mark Ruffalo’s birthday, and I'm hopeful that it gave him all the feels. It certainly made me smile, and it wasn’t even for me.

As for the Foxcatcher star and the Deadpool & Wolverine actress, they also remain close to this day and even reunited for a project a couple years back. Their performance as Adam’s parents in Ryan Reynolds' The Adam Project was just another fine showcase of their great on-screen dynamics as actors.

Their chemistry is just so natural, and anyone who has seen 13 Going on 30 surely knows it's a big reason why the film was so successful. Yes, it took Big’s concept and made it relatable for a new generation. And sure, the “Thriller” scene is iconic, what with the dress and flash mob and all. But Ariana Grande didn’t include the iconic 2000s rom-com in her “Thank You, Next” video because of “Thriller.” It made the cut, because it became a new blueprint for friends to lovers rom-coms, all thanks to the story of Matty and Jenna. All I can say is, thank goodness Mark Ruffalo didn't quit the movie over the Michael Jackson classic.

Not to mention, the film's concept and message still hold up today. What I wouldn’t give to have a glimpse into my future to help me realize what’s important in the long run. That, and the fact that as a kid, all you want is to just be an adult already. As an adult, many would give anything for the simpler days as a kid. I wouldn't be surprised if some teenagers who watched this movie in 2004 are now having that realization, including the now-over-30 young Jenna actress.

Hopefully, we see this trio team up again for a sequel, because I need to know what Jenna and Matty are doing now. Perhaps they even have a 13-year-old of their own… Until then, I'll just appreciate Jennifer Garner and Judy Greer's birthday tribute to Mark Ruffalo. And, of course, you can relive all the swoon-worthy “Rom-Com Ruffalo” moments and Jenna Rink silliness by streaming 13 Going on 30 with a Prime subscription.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going strong for over 15 years, releasing projects in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will remember the first phase of projects was a bit experiment, especially the OG crossover movie The Avengers. I had no idea Mark Ruffalo credited Robert Downey Jr. for his MCU casting, but his take is both practical and super sweet.

Mark Ruffalo took on the role of Bruce Banner/The Hulk from Edward Norton in The Avengers, and is still attached to this role today. While fans are wondering when hell return in an upcoming Marvel movie, information about his early days are still trickling out. During a conversation with NPR, the 56 year-old actor gave credit to RDJ for opening the door to his casting. In his words:

There you have it. Robert Downey Jr.'s casting was very unlikely going into the first Iron Man, although now it's hard to imagine anyone else playing Tony Stark with the same swagger. And Mark Ruffalo seems to think that was key in him being considered to play Bruce Banner in the share universe.

While a number of the OG Avengers have retired (although RDJ is returning as Doctor Doom), Mark Ruffalo has continued popping up as Bruce Banner. That includes a cameo in Shang-Chi's credits scene, as well as a number of appearances in She-Hulk. And fans are hoping that he'll be back in the next crossover project Avengers: Doomsday.

Later in the same conversation with NPR, Mark Ruffalo addressed the extensive motion capture work he's done to bring Hulk to life on the big screen. He got honest about adjusting to the mo-cap suits, saying:

In the end, he was able to make it work, and has brought both the classic Hulk and the new era Smart Hulk to life through this process. And I wonder whether or not he would have gotten this chance if another actor besides RDJ started the shared universe with Iron Man.

As previously mentioned, it's currently unclear when Mark Ruffalo will return to the MCU. But fans are expecting The Russo Brothers to once again assemble a big crew of characters or their two Avengers movies.

The next MCU blockbuster hitting theaters is Captain America: Brave New World on February 14th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.

For the last several weeks when celebrities and parties have come up in the same sentence, it’s been a discussion of the parties thrown by Sean “Diddy” Combs that are the subject of a federal indictment against the rapper and mogul. Considering all of that, it's extra sweet to hear about Leonardo DiCaprio’s 50th birthday party, which looks to have been quite the shindig. And it apparently had a guest list that would make the Governor’s Ball at the Academy Awards blush, as it truly featured a murderer's row of celebrities.

Leonardo DiCaprio turns 50 years old today, November 11, but he held his party over the weekend. The guest list was shared by deuxmoi on Instagram, and it's absolutely staggering. From DiCaprio’s fellow stars from his generation to some of the great directors that he's has worked with (and those he almost collaborated with), the guest list included:

• Brad Pitt & Ines de Ramon
• Mark Ruffalo
• Benicio del Toro
• Soleil Moon Frye
• Todd Phillips
• Kevin Connolly & Zulay Henao
• Chris Rock
• Jamie Foxx
• Guillermo del Toro
• Paris Hilton
• Lukas Haas
• Steven Spielberg
• Bill Maher
• Casey Affleck
• Emile Hirsch
• Katy Perry & Orlando Bloom
• Cara Delevingne
• Tobey Maguire
• Robin Thicke & April Love Geary
• Odell Beckham Jr.
• Teyana Taylor
• Edward Norton
• Chuck Lidell
• Dr. Dre

There may have been even more stars in attendance, but this list alone is truly a who’s who of Hollywood. Being there had to be an incredible experience. Leonardo DiCaprio's father and stepmother were the only non-celebrities reported to be in attendance. It must have been a pretty amazing night for them, I'd think.

A few of these names are potentially surprising, but it’s very interesting to see who the Wolf of Wall Street star decided to invite to the event. He and Edward Norton have been friends for a long time. The same goes for DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire, who were part of the same real-life poker game that inspired the movie Molly’s Game.

It's also great that Leonardo DiCaprio invited his Catch Me If You Can director Steven Spielberg. The same goes for Guillermo del Toro, who almost directed DiCaprio, as he was originally attached to star in Nightmare Alley before he had to drop out and was replaced by Bradley Cooper. I would have loved to have seen those two meet up at the party. If there’s a chance they could work together down the road that’s a very exciting prospect that they probably talked about.

DiCaprio’s One Upon A Time…In Hollywood co-star Brad Pitt -- along with his serious girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, -- was there, as was his Shutter Island co-star Mark Ruffalo. The Revenant star also invited a couple of people who it looks like he may have gotten to know in his role as a producer. DiCaprio produced Out of the Furnace, which included Casey Affleck in its cast. He also produced Kid 90, the documentary film directed by former Punky Brewster star Soleil Moon Frye.

Needless to say, certainly looks like Leonardo DiCaprio’s birthday party was the hottest ticket in town. Now I just need to figure out how to become his friend before next year.