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:
Yeah, I’d love to have a solo Hulk movie. I don’t know if you know the whole story about that, but it’s not really owned by Marvel; it’s a Universal property. I don’t know if it’ll ever really come to be, honestly.
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:
We keep talking about it, what it would be.There’s been so many Hulk movies already, it’s like, ‘Does anyone really even want another one?’ But I’d love one, and I do think the audiences would be into it if we could crack the nut of it.
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.
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