Summary

WhileHulk ’s replacement in theMCUmay be on his way , it is still a certain thing that he ’ll never be strong than the Jade Giant . Bruce Banner is one ofthe MCU ’s longest - serving extremity . Despite this , the Avengers beginner has yet to receive asolo movie beyond Hulk ’s MCU debut , rather appearing as part of the Avengers in their eponymous picture show or as a secondary character in other characters ’ solo outings like Thor and Jennifer Walters . This has meant that immense outcome like the generation of Smart Hulk have but occurred off - screen .

This has culminated in the widespread notion that the Hulk - Banner ’s savage alter ego capable of some truly mind - bending effort of posture - hasbeen wasted in the MCU . Moments that included deeper geographic expedition of Banner ’s relationship with his grownup , light-green alter - ego have been relatively few and far between , while Hulk ’s likely and power levels have been repeatedly nerfed as a agency of highlighting the powers of his mate and enemies instead . Now that Banner ’s MCU day are list , it falls on an forthcoming MCU reference to pick up the slack - at least , for the most part .

As it stands , it is indecipherable whether Universal still owns the distribution right to Hulk , though the lack of solo motion-picture show since his debut suggest that this is still the casing .

Smart Hulk looking glum in the MCU next to Gladiator Hulk roaring with rage in Thor: Ragnarok

The Hulk has had many looks over the course of instruction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe , with some readable winner and unsuccessful person in damage of optical esthetics .

The Thing Can Be The MCU’s Real Hulk Replacement

Cast

In exploring Marvel ’s First Family in - depth , it will become plain that Ben Grimm , AKA The matter , is quite similar to Bruce Banner and Hulk in multiple ways .

In the absence of a Hulk solo picture comesMarvel ’s upcomingFantastic Four , starring the nominal team in what could perchance be an MCU origin story . In exploring Marvel ’s First Family in - depth , it will become apparent that Ben Grimm , AKA The matter , is quite standardised to Bruce Banner and Hulk in multiple ways . Superficially , The Thing and Hulk partake in a brawny human body , super - military strength , and monstrous appearances - which are both thing that Ben Grimm and Bruce Banner desperately care to relinquish in their portion out desire to return to “ normal . ”

With this being an impossible action , both Banner and Grimm instead find a way to issue forth to terminal figure with their altered country , find a measuring stick of peace in their hardship . Compounding this are the deeper similarity that the two share in the form of their turbulent former lifetime , with both being sons to fathers who were elusive , to put it mildly . The deeper dive into Bruce ’s psyche that the MCU ’s portrayal may have sidestepped can be ably catered to by Ben Grimm ’s arrivalinstead .

Sidious, Tyranus, Maul, and Vader.

The Thing Can Give The MCU The Hulk Story Marvel Has Moved Past

Appearance of Hulk / Smart Hulk In The MCU

Year of Appearance

The Incredible Hulk

How Rachel Zegler’s

2008

The Avengers

2012

Custom image of Mark Ruffalo’s Smart Hulk looking confused in the MCU

Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury

Avengers : Age of Ultron

2015

Thor : Ragnarok

Headshot Of Pedro Pascal In The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

2017

retaliator : Infinity War

2018

Headshot Of Vanessa Kirby

avenger : Endgame

2019

She - Hulk : Attorney at Law

Headshot Of Joseph Quinn In The Premiere Of A Quiet Place: Day One

2022

While Hulk ’s early outings touched on the relationship between Banner and his unfortunately unbridled alter - ego , one of the MCU ’s biggest missed opportunity was failing to plunge deeper into the implication of that human relationship . Now that Smart Hulk has been established for several years , it is even less potential that Banner will somehow fall foul of the previous system , with his self - experimentation leading to the best of both domain for him and Hulk . The compelling catastrophe inherent to his fibre beforehand is a matter of the past , with Bruce proving that he can suppress his Jade Giant form .

This far into the Multiverse Saga , and with no hint of a second solo Hulk movie onMarvel ’s discharge slating , it is unlikely that this facet of Bruce Banner will be highlighted anymore . Instead , Ben Grimm will have some peculiarly turgid shoes to fill up when it come in to embodying the role of a tortured character cursed with a form that turns citizenry away . In a mode , this is a good matter for the MCU as it will mean it avoids treading intimate ground while giving Ben Grimm the narrative depth he deserves . However , he ’ll never measure up in one way .

Headshot of Ebon Moss-Bachrach

Stan Lee Revealed The Thing Would Never Beat Hulk

The cerebral element of Hulk and Ben Grimm may be rife with similarities , butthere is no competition when it comes to sheer strength . Hulk is already much larger than The Thing , and cute few can hold their own against the Jade Giant ( at least , in Marvel Comics ) . In an audience withThe Hollywood Reporterin 2016 , Stan Lee ( who created both Ben Grimm and the Hulk ) confirmed that , in a straight fight , there would be one clear achiever :

" Oh , the Hulk would win . The Thing is quicker and smarter , so he would plausibly obtain a way to turn it into a draw or save himself . He ’d trap or play a joke on the Hulk . But , in a fair engagement , there ’s no elbow room the Hulk [ would lose ] . "

This divine revelation is n’t all too surprising , but it intensifies the sting felt byHulk ’s belittle baron within the MCU . With SmartHulkunlikely to go rampage or keep back his own in a one - on - one conflict with a gargantuan foe like Galactus , this is a hole that The Thing is improbable to fill . At least with Fantastic Four currently set to release in 2025 before the Multiverse Saga draws to a finale , see to it Stan Lee ’s prevision play out on - screen door is a possible contingence in a succeeding MCU episode .

Bruce Banner’s Smart Hulk at the start of Avengers Endgame

Marvel Cinematic Universe