Mark Ruffalo has been a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for nearly 15 years. Dating back to his debut in 2012’s The Avengers, the actor has played Bruce Banner/Hulk in the franchise. But has he been quietly fired by Marvel Studios and/or Disney? That’s been floating around in the rumor mill lately. So much so that Ruffalo has weighed in on the matter.
In an interview with The News Movement, Ruffalo was asked whether or not he’s been fired as Hulk. He last appeared in 2022’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law for Disney+. The actor was quick to clear up the rumors, making it clear that he hasn’t been fired. At least not to the best of his knowledge. Here’s what he had to say about it.
“Not that I know of. People keep going, ‘Did you get fired?’ I’m like, ‘Not that I know of.’”
“Yeah, I’ll be there as long as they have me,” Ruffalo added. “I have a good relationship with them. You know, who knows, there might be things I’m already doing that are…’m around. Let me just say that.”
As Ruffalo suggests, he has some projects in the works at Marvel. He’s set to appear alongside Tom Holland in Spider-Man: Brand New Day later this summer. That movie also features Jon Bernthal’s Punisher as well as a mystery character played by Sadie Sink (Stranger Things). It will also be the last MCU movie to hit theaters before Avengers: Doomsday.
Speaking of Doomsday, Ruffalo wasn’t part of the confirmed cast for the movie. It’s set to feature Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. The movie will also help tee up the ball for Avengers: Secret Wars next year, which will bring the Multiverse Saga to a close. It’s difficult to imagine Ruffalo sitting out both movies entirely.
What lies beyond that is anyone’s guess. After Secret Wars, Marvel will seemingly be hitting the reset button. While it may not be a full-on reboot, one imagines it will be a soft reset for the franchise. Will that provide a logical end point to Ruffalo’s time as the Hulk? It’s easy to picture several longtime actors bowing out after the dust settles. Time will tell. At the very least, Ruffalo is an in-demand actor who wants to do things outside of the confines of a motion capture suit.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31.
What do you think? Are you excited to see more Hulk in the MCU? Are you okay with Ruffalo moving on after the Multiverse Saga? Join in on the conversation over on Facebook or Twitter!
