During a Q&A session at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, actor Mark Ruffalo inadvertently caused a stir by seemingly confirming his return as the Hulk in Marvel's upcoming film, 'Captain America: Brave New World.' Ruffalo's one-word response to a question about his involvement in the 2025 feature quickly went viral, leading fans to speculate about the potential appearance of other characters like Red Hulk, portrayed by Harrison Ford in the same movie.
However, it turns out that Ruffalo misspoke during the Q&A. He actually intended to convey that 'Brave New World' is among Marvel's upcoming films, rather than confirming his own role in it. The misunderstanding understandably disappointed fans who had their hopes raised by Ruffalo's initial response.
This incident only adds to Ruffalo's reputation for accidental Marvel-related PR gaffes. In the past, he accidentally revealed the ending of 'Avengers: Infinity War' during an interview with 'Good Morning America' in 2017. He also unintentionally live-streamed the first 20 minutes of 'Thor: Ragnarok' on Facebook from the film's premiere later that same year. Then, in 2019, Ruffalo accidentally revealed the ending of 'Avengers: Endgame.' These incidents have solidified his legendary status when it comes to inadvertent spoilers.
During the Q&A at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Ruffalo also took the opportunity to discuss the evolution of his character, the Hulk, and his mild-mannered alter ego, Bruce Banner. He shared how he pitched an idea to Marvel studio chief Kevin Feige about transforming the Hulk from a raging maniac into an integrated character across multiple movies. Feige responded positively, agreeing to develop this character arc over four films but declining to give Ruffalo a standalone Hulk movie.
Ruffalo's comments received a mixed reaction from the audience. While some may have held out hope for a standalone Hulk film in the future, Ruffalo clarified that it was not part of Marvel's plans.
Overall, this Q&A session provided fans with insights into Ruffalo's perspective on his role as the Hulk and Bruce Banner, shedding light on his collaborative process with Marvel and the character's development. Despite the misunderstanding surrounding 'Captain America: Brave New World,' fans can still look forward to seeing Ruffalo's compelling portrayal of the Hulk in future Marvel endeavors.
