The Marvel Cinematic Universe may soon add another version of Bruce Banner’s alter ego. A new report claims that the Grey Hulk will appear for the first time in live action in the upcoming film Spider-Man: Brand New Day, set for release on July 31, 2026. If verified, the debut would mark the seventh variation of the Hulk introduced on screen.
Mark Ruffalo is expected to return as Bruce Banner alongside Jon Bernthal as the Punisher. Insider Daniel RPK (via Daniel Richtman) reported that the film includes a street-level battle that forces Spider-Man and the Punisher to unite against the Grey Hulk. The confrontation could deliver one of the most grounded matchups yet for the franchise.
— Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK) December 20, 2025
In the comics, the Grey Hulk (also known as “Joe Fixit”) represents a shrewder and more self-serving version of Banner’s personality. He is weaker than the traditional green form but more strategic. The character’s inclusion aligns with Marvel’s ongoing effort to explore Bruce Banner’s fractured psyche. Analysts say this storyline could pull the Hulk narrative back to personal stakes rather than cosmic spectacle.
Ruffalo’s Banner first appeared in 2012’s The Avengers after Edward Norton’s portrayal in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. The character has shifted through several stages. The original “Savage Hulk” was ruled by fury and survival instincts. Later, the “Smart Hulk” form merged Banner’s intellect with the Hulk’s strength, as seen between Infinity War and Endgame. During his years on Sakaar, Banner’s Hulk developed limited speech and self-awareness, resisting a full return to Bruce’s human form.
The MCU has since expanded its roster of gamma-powered figures. Tatiana Maslany’s Jennifer Walters became She-Hulk in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law after an accident caused Banner’s blood to mix with hers. Unlike her cousin, she maintains full control of her personality and intelligence while transformed. The series portrayed her as a capable lawyer handling superhuman legal disputes and often breaking the fourth wall to comment on the story itself.
Harrison Ford stepped into the role of General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross following William Hurt’s passing. In Captain America: Brave New World (2025), Ross serves as the U.S. President while facing a heart condition secretly worsened by gamma exposure. The tampering, orchestrated by Samuel Sterns (The Leader), triggers Ross’s mutation into the Red Hulk—an aggressive, heat-powered figure retaining Ross’s military mind. His transformation closes a long arc of obsession, turning him into the monster he hunted for years.
Another new addition came with the finale of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, where audiences met Skaar, Banner’s son from the planet Sakaar. The series presented him as a grown warrior, hinting at the larger “Planet Hulk” mythos. In the comics, Skaar combines his father’s strength with his mother’s “Old Power,” which lets him draw energy from the planet itself. If carried into film, those traits could place Skaar among the MCU’s strongest beings.
The show also introduced Todd Phelps, played by Jon Bass, leader of the online hate group Intelligencia. Obsessed with Hulk powers, Phelps injected himself with Jennifer’s blood, becoming a failed version of the Hulk he called “HulkKing.” His rapid downfall served as a warning about entitlement and fan toxicity. His capture closed the storyline without the usual spectacle, leaving him both transformed and defeated.
The possible arrival of the Grey Hulk continues Marvel’s broader pattern of exploring identity, mutation, and control. If the reports hold true, audiences may soon see another side of Bruce Banner, one less heroic, but perhaps far more human.
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