Avengers: Doomsday directors confirm Hulk’s fate after Endgame Encore
It’s almost become a tradition for fans to guess the major plot twists of the next MCU film long before its theatrical release, effectively silencing directors and actors for months. The most recent example is Sadie Sink’s role as Jean Grey in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which, despite her obviously poor reputation, wasn’t confirmed before the film’s release. Now, the Russo brothers are experiencing the same thing before “Avengers: Doomsday” after being bombarded with questions about Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk.
In the lead-up to Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel announced the return of dozens of actors. One return that hadn’t yet been confirmed was Ruffalo, which sparked speculation among fans that this might be why the Hulk wouldn’t be appearing. However, this speculation changed with the recent re-release of Avengers: Endgame, which includes some new scenes directly tied to Doomsday.
In one of these scenes, seemingly set after Brand New Day, Dr. Banner is in self-imposed captivity, which is abruptly interrupted by a voiceover announcing, “I’ve come to collect Banner.” A flash of lightning occurs, and Banner vanishes. Green runes remain in the cell. The mysterious man who freed Banner is, of course, Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.).
This strongly suggests that Banner will appear in Doomsday. Empire Online directly asked Joe and Anthony Russo for confirmation in a new interview. Naturally, the directors avoided giving a direct answer as much as possible. “There’s really no beating around the bush,” said Anthony Russo. “You know us. We’re just fighting with ourselves to save the presents for Christmas.” Joe added, “[Banner] is definitely involved in the Doom storyline. We’re neither going to confirm nor deny his appearance in Doomsday.”
Anthony spoke up again to remind the audience that many characters and actors for the upcoming film have yet to be announced – which is probably the clearest confirmation we’ll get. Admittedly, there’s always the possibility that Ruffalo won’t appear in “Doomsday” at all, and that the “Endgame Encore” scene is setting up his appearance in “Secret Wars” in 2028. Time will tell.
What does Doctor Doom want from Bruce Banner in Avengers: Doomsday?
The encore scene in “Avengers: Endgame” raises the question of why Doom even wants to capture Banner. The Russo brothers only hinted that “his interest might extend beyond Banner.” This could mean that Doom is interested in Banner’s research on gamma suppression – a field that Peter Parker has further developed with his own mutation inhibitor device. Access to technology that could neutralize the powers of numerous heroes would be a crucial tool in his impending battle against the Avengers.
Alternatively, Doom’s desire to gather Banner around him could have a thematic reason. Doomsday seems to strongly suggest that Downey Jr., who previously portrayed Tony Stark, is now playing Doom. Scenes from Endgame Encore draw a direct parallel between the two characters.
Stark and Banner have shared a close relationship since the first Avengers film; the two brilliant scientists have developed a kind of camaraderie. Banner, forced to help Doom and given the opportunity to play out a twisted version of the Stark-Banner relationship, could provide a strong storyline.
