Hulk's Spider-Man: Brand New Day Role Explained (And What It Means For Avengers)

Spoilers for "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" to follow.

Poor Peter Parker has never really had a proper solo adventure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sure, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" and the MCU "Spider-Man" movies that came before it are all clearly stories about his development and growth as a man and as a superhero. That being said, each and every single one of these films pairs Tom Holland's Peter with another major MCU character. "Homecoming" is all about Peter and Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), while "Far From Home" is about Peter and Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), even though the latter turned out not to be a hero. Then there's "No Way Home," which pairs Peter with Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and two other Peter Parkers (Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire).

Now, "Brand New Day" sees Peter joining forces with Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) and battling the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). Except, this is not a bug. One of the best things about this overall excellent movie is that its special cameos and small appearances help make its narrative feel more organic than forced, and Mark Ruffalo showing up as Bruce Banner/Hulk is one of the best examples.

We've known Spider-Man was going to fight the Hulk in "Brand New Day" for months, along with the fact that Bruce somehow managed to turn fully human again (a plot point that was established by the Disney+ series "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law"). Still, his actual role in "Brand New Day" is fantastic, and it's arguably his best portrayal in the MCU since "Avengers: Age of Ultron." What's more, it offers some hints about the character's future when it comes to the next two "Avengers" movies.

If you haven't watched "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" or went to the bathroom and got stuck there for 80% of the film and missed every scene with Bruce Banner in it, don't worry, we'll break down his role in the film.

Basically, Bruce's inclusion in "Brand New Day" serves two functions. The first is to support a story about Peter Parker experiencing mutations due to his arachnid DNA, struggling with the changes, and trying to contain his new powers. Who else could help Peter realize you can't fight yourself than the guy whose entire life revolves around fighting himself and his violent urges? Sure, Bruce doesn't wind up being the person who helps Peter realize he shouldn't try to suppress his mutation, but he certainly provides a negative example for Peter not to follow.

The other reason Bruce is in the film is, well, to have a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Poor Dr. Banner seems to have finally moved on from his time as an Avenger and a wanted man, and he even gets a job as a university professor — one whose students constantly pester him for stories about defeating Thanos. For a guy at constant war with himself, Banner actually appears to be at peace for a little while. However, just like Peter fails to completely suppress his mutation, Banner cannot fully contain Hulk forever, no matter how hard he tries. Hence, when the monster is unleashed once more, the Hulk is the most terrifying and unstoppable he's been since the events of "Age of Ultron." The result is the best Hulk story in over a decade, and watching Bruce beg a paramedic to know if he hurt anyone as Hulk is devastating.

Though it's just around the corner, it doesn't appear as though Hulk will be showing up in "Avengers: Doomsday" (so far as we know for now, anyway). He wasn't mentioned in the film's infamous chair-centric casting reveal, nor has he been in any trailer to date. More than that, by the end of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," Bruce Banner doesn't appear to be in any condition to help fight that movie's big bad (Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom). So, what comes next for him? Well, it's entirely possible Hulk will sit out "Doomsday" before returning for 2027's "Avengers: Secret Wars," which will almost indubitably include more MCU characters (major and minor alike) than you can shake a stick at (or, if you're Hulk, a tree trunk).

It's possible something similar will happen with Peter Parker, seeing as the post-credits scene for "Brand New Day" has him disappearing from Earth and being transported ... elsewhere, which would account for his absence in "Doomsday." Meanwhile, with Bruce reeling from his recent transformation into the Hulk, he could do with some time to process this terrible experience and figure out how to best move forward before he shows up again in "Secret Wars."

Will Professor Hulk return? That's one option, as the character was only really part of a single film ("Avengers: Endgame") before "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law" changed things up. Then there's the matter of Hulk's son, aka. Skaar, who showed up at the end of "She-Hulk" but has since been ignored in the MCU. Will we get a father and son Hulk-out? Come on, Marvel. This is what the people want!

"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is now playing in theaters.