The new Avengers team will need to decide on a brand-new leader in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday, and Bruce Banner’s Hulk might be the perfect choice to guide the MCU superhero team. The Avengers team was central to the MCU throughout the Infinity Saga, but has been absent since the intense Battle of Earth in Avengers: Endgame. Marvel Studios’ upcoming Avengers: Doomsday will see the titular team come back together, albeit with a new line-up, and the question of who will lead the team has been a hot topic of discussion.
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Trailers for Captain America: Brave New World have revealed that Sam Wilson’s Captain America will be urged to rebuild the Avengers, implying he could also lead the team. However, doubt has been cast on the new Captain America’s ability as a leader, though there are several other great candidates to take on this coveted role. Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner, a.k.a. the Hulk, might be the perfect choice to become the Avengers’ new leader in the MCU, should he be confirmed to return in Avengers: Doomsday.
10 MCU’s Hulk Story Has Been Criminally Ignored
The Hulk Hasn’t Been Seen Since 2022’s She-Hulk: Attorney At Law
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It has been a huge point of contention that the Hulk, one of Marvel Comics’ most regular and popular characters, has been all but ignored in the MCU’s recent adventures. Film rights disputes between Marvel Studios and Universal Pictures means Bruce Banner is unable to appear in another solo movie in the MCU, though he saw his fair share of action in the Infinity Saga’s crossover events. This hasn’t been the case in the Multiverse Saga, as the Hulk hasn’t been seen since 2022’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
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Related Hulk Movies In Order: Every MCU Appearance Of Bruce Banner
From The Incredible Hulk to She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Bruce Banner’s story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been long, varied, and exciting.
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The Hulk has been the victim of “nerfing” in the MCU, which means a character is weakened unnecessarily over time. This weakening has unfortunately made the Hulk less of a loose cannon, and therefore less of a pivotal character in the MCU. In Avengers: Doomsday, Mark Ruffalo deserves a more substantial role as Bruce Banner, and this could be accomplished by making him the new leader of the Avengers. This would put the Hulk at the center of the action in the battle against Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, which is very exciting.
9 Bruce Banner Has Already Proven Himself A Strong Mentor
Smart Hulk Trained Jennifer Walters In She-Hulk: Attorney At Law
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The leader of the Avengers must be able to help train and manage a team of growing and up-and-coming heroes, and Bruce Banner has already proven that he is capable of filling this mentorship role. Most notably, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law saw Banner take his cousin, Tatiana Maslany’s Jennifer Walters, under his wing very quickly after realizing that she had become She-Hulk. He was prepared to sacrifice years of his own time to help her gain control of her abilities, which would prove to be an invaluable mindset when bringing together the new Avengers team.
Jennifer Walters became She-Hulk after an open wound was exposed to Bruce Banner’s blood following a car crash in
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
episode 1, “A Normal Amount of Rage.”
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While there will surely be many familiar faces in the new Avengers team, the group will also consist of a number of brand-new superheroes in the MCU. This could include the likes of Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi, Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau, Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight and others, many of whom are still coming to terms with their superpowers and learning to control their new gifts. Bruce Banner can encourage these new heroes through this process, making him a commanding yet caring and supportive leader.
8 The Multiverse Saga Has Already Made Hulk A Key Figure
Mark Ruffalo Has Appeared In Two Multiverse Saga Projects
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Despite only making two brief appearances in the Multiverse Saga, Bruce Banner has been set up as a key figure in this wild chapter of the MCU. His appearance in hologram form in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ mid-credits scene saw him share knowledge with Shang-Chi, Katy, Wong and Captain Marvel when investigating the Ten Rings’ mysterious beacon. This confirms he is one of the foremost members of the MCU’s superhero community, and is trusted by the likes of Captain Marvel and the Sorcerer Supreme, making his leadership role a natural next step.
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She-Hulk: Attorney at Law was no different. Bruce Banner helped guide Jennifer Walters through her first few hurdles after becoming She-Hulk, which ultimately allowed her to return to Los Angeles and resume her work as a lawyer. While he was absent for the majority of the Phase 4 series, his shocking return alongside his Sakaaran son, Skaar, brought him back to Earth and established a new storyline for him as a father. This could translate into him becoming a guiding force and father figure among the Avengers, perhaps even recruiting his own son to the team.
7 Bruce Banner Has Both Brains & Brawn
Avengers: Endgame Introduced The Integrated Smart Hulk
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Any good leader of the Avengers needs to be intelligent, tactically-minded and physically powerful, and Bruce Banner’s Hulk has all these qualities in spades. Banner is one of the smartest people on Earth. This has been proven time and again: he was brought in to investigate the Tesseract in The Avengers, he helped create the artificial intelligence Ultron and finished building Vision in Avengers: Age of Ultron, he worked out how to pilot an alien spaceship in Thor: Ragnarok and he aided Shuri in relinquishing the Mind Stone from Vision’s head in Avengers: Infinity War.
Related Hulk’s 10 Most Impressive Displays Of Power In Marvel Movies
Hulk is one of the most powerful beings in Marvel history, and throughout the movies, a great variety of scenes reveal the Hulk’s true power.
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As well as being supremely intelligent, the Hulk is also known as the Strongest Avenger, given his immense might as an almost unmatched being comprised solely of muscle. The Hulk’s huge power level would make him a formidable Avengers leader, particularly following in the wake of super soldier Steve Rogers’ Captain America. He would be able to physically protect his team while also using his intelligence and tactical mind to devise a clever and thought-out plan to stop any villain, which will prove handy in the fight against the similarly-intelligent Doctor Doom.
6 MCU’s Original Avengers Roster Is Smaller Than Ever
Only Three Original Avengers Are Still In The MCU
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It would make sense for the leader of the new Avengers team to be one of the original members of the group from the MCU’s Phase 1, but this group has halved in size in the years since its debut. Originally comprising Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye and the Hulk, only three members of the original Avengers team are currently alive in the MCU. It’s unlikely that the seldom-on-Earth Thor would lead the Avengers, while Hawkeye has often tried to retire from his superhero career, which leaves Bruce Banner’s Hulk as the only Avengers leader candidate.
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|
Original Avenger |
Actor |
Debut Movie |
|---|---|---|
|
Tony Stark’s Iron Man |
Robert Downey Jr. |
Iron Man (2008) |
|
Bruce Banner’s Hulk |
Mark Ruffalo |
The Incredible Hulk (2008) |
|
Natasha Romanoff’s Black Widow |
Scarlett Johansson |
Iron Man 2 (2010) |
|
Thor Odinson |
Chris Hemsworth |
Thor (2011) |
|
Clint Barton’s Hawkeye |
Jeremy Renner |
Thor (2011) |
|
Steve Rogers’ Captain America |
Chris Evans |
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) |
Of course, it’s possible that one of the MCU’s newer heroes could be promoted to the role of Avengers leader. Popular theories have suggested that the likes of Sam Wilson’s Captain America, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange and even Star-Lord could lead the titular team in Avengers: Doomsday. While any of these candidates would surely be great leaders, with some already having experience leading superhero teams, Bruce Banner’s Hulk has put in the work and has the mileage as a member of the original Avengers team, so he is a clear choice.
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5 Bruce Banner Is The Oldest Surviving Original Avenger
Bruce Banner Debuted In The MCU In 2008’s The Incredible Hulk
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As well as being perhaps the only member of the original Avengers team who would want to become the leader of the new Avengers, Bruce Banner has also been in the MCU for the longest time. Banner made his MCU debut in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk – then portrayed by Edward Norton – which was a full two years before any other original Avengers member was introduced (Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow in 2010’s Iron Man 2). Robert Downey Jr. appeared as Tony Stark’s Iron Man beforehand, but his sacrifice makes it impossible for him to lead the new Avengers.
Edward Norton played Bruce Banner in
The Incredible Hulk
, but was replaced by Mark Ruffalo in
The Avengers
, and the latter has become the more well-known version of the Hulk in the years since.
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Having been in the MCU since the very beginning, it’s a surprise that Bruce Banner has never been given a more central role in the franchise. He has often been viewed as a supporting character, which has been an unfortunate consequence of Universal still holding the Hulk’s film rights. This needs to change in Avengers: Doomsday, and the best way to give the Hulk some retribution would be to make him the leader of the Avengers – a role that he might have always been destined for since his debut in The Incredible Hulk.
4 Bruce Banner Is Universally Liked In The MCU
Bruce Banner Is One Of The Nicest Characters In The MCU
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While the Avengers leader needs to be intelligent, powerful and experienced, it would also be beneficial for this position to go to someone who is well-liked in the world of the MCU. Bruce Banner is one of the most favorable individuals in the MCU, and is universally liked by everyone, ranging from children in restaurants to his fellow superheroes. This quality would make him a much more effective leader, as the other members of the Avengers would listen to him, take his commands with ease and be respectful of his position.
Related 10 MCU Characters Who Became Way More Popular Than Anyone Expected
The MCU is full of iconic characters. While it may be difficult to remember, some were never expected to get as massively popular as they’ve become.
Bruce Banner being well-liked would also present a huge advantage when rebuilding the Avengers team in the MCU’s Phase 6. While some of the MCU’s newer heroes might struggle to build connections with the potential members of the Avengers, perhaps not being able to even recruit them to the team, Banner wouldn’t find this difficult at all. This has already been shown when he brought Thor back into the mix in Avengers: Endgame, and could be repeated with heroes such as Captain Marvel, Shang-Chi, She-Hulk and many more.
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3 The Hulk Is One Of The MCU’s Strongest Heroes
The Hulk Is The Strongest Avenger
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As previously mentioned, physical strength is a necessity for the leader of the Avengers. The leader often needs to make bold and fast decisions, and sometimes use their sheer might to achieve their goals, and Bruce Banner’s Hulk has more physical power than almost every other hero in the MCU. This has been put on display since the MCU kicked off in 2008, as the Hulk was first seen sparring with the equally-as-powerful Abomination in the streets of Harlem in The Incredible Hulk.
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|
Bruce Banner’s Live-Action Project |
Year |
Role |
|---|---|---|
|
The Incredible Hulk |
2008 |
Lead Role |
|
The Avengers |
2012 |
Main Role |
|
Iron Man 3 |
2013 |
Cameo |
|
Avengers: Age of Ultron |
2015 |
Main Role |
|
Thor: Ragnarok |
2017 |
Main Role |
|
Avengers: Infinity War |
2018 |
Main Role |
|
Captain Marvel |
2019 |
Cameo |
|
Avengers: Endgame |
2019 |
Main Role |
|
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings |
2021 |
Cameo |
|
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law |
2022 |
Minor Role |
While his power may have weakened over time, he is still a formidable presence in the MCU. The Avengers saw the Hulk jump from building to building while fighting the Chitauri, while Avengers: Age of Ultron featured his epic and destructive rampage through Johannesburg under the manipulation of the Scarlet Witch. He was almost able to bring Thanos to his knees single-handedly in Avengers: Infinity War, while he later showed off his easy and impressive strength in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’s premiere. This sheer power would make him an excellent leader in Avengers: Doomsday.
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2 MCU’s Hulk Has Experience With Some Of The Universe’s Most Terrifying Villains
The Hulk Has Battled Many Iconic MCU Villains
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Bruce Banner could use his rich experience in battle against some of the most powerful and terrifying villains in the universe to become a better leader of the Avengers in Phase 6. His lengthy history in the MCU has pitted him against villains other heroes would have struggled to battle, leading all the way back to his fight against Emil Blonsky’s Abomination in 2008. Since then, the Hulk has taken on the likes of Loki, Ultron, Hela and her army and the Mad Titan, Thanos, each teaching him new lessons and allowing him to realize new strengths.
The Hulk had a rematch with Emil Blonsky’s Abomination in
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’s
finale, though this moment was rewritten and erased after She-Hulk spoke to KEVIN.
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These battles, as well as those against powerful heroes, such as Iron Man in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Thor in The Avengers and Thor: Ragnarok, have taught Bruce Banner many important lessons that he can put to use as the Avengers’ new leader. The range of antagonists the Hulk has battled has primed him to take on practically any threat in the MCU’s future, even one as scary and mysterious as Doctor Doom. Few other heroes have battled as many foes as the Hulk, so he could finally put this experience to good use.
1 Hulk Leading The Avengers Makes 1 Future MCU Story More Impactful
World War Hulk Has Been Teased For The MCU
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Although there has been no official confirmation about the development of a World War Hulk adaptation in the MCU, Marvel Studios seems to have been dropping several hints that this epic 2007 storyline from Marvel Comics could be brought into live-action. If Bruce Banner’s Hulk becomes the leader of the Avengers, an adaptation of World War Hulk would have a much deeper impact. Not only would it be an ally turning against the Avengers and other heroes, but the team’s own leader would become their most significant villain yet.
Related The MCU Can Still Do World War Hulk Even Without A Solo Hulk Movie
Mark Ruffalo has noted that he may never get a solo MCU film as Bruce Banner’s Hulk, but that doesn’t mean his most iconic story will be forgotten.
The exploration of Marvel Comics’ Planet Hulk story in Thor: Ragnarok began to tease World War Hulk in the MCU, as this storyline immediately preceded World War Hulk in the comics. More recently, the introduction of Skaar, the return of many Hulk-related characters in Captain America: Brave New World, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ debut of the Illuminati and the upcoming X-Men appearance make World War Hulk more likely. If Bruce Banner’s Hulk becomes the Avengers’ leader in Avengers: Doomsday, the MCU’s World War Hulk would be even more poignant, emotional and intense.
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026) Not Yet RatedAdventureSuperheroAction
Avengers: Doomsday is the fifth Avengers film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will bring together heroes, new and old, to face off against Victor von Doom – played by the returning Robert DOwney Jr.. Avengers 5 will also mark the beginning of phase 6 of the MCU.
Director Anthony Russo , Joe Russo Release Date May 1, 2026 Studio(s) Marvel Studios Cast Vanessa Kirby , Joseph Quinn , Pedro Pascal , Robert Downey Jr. , Ebon Moss-Bachrach , Benedict Cumberbatch prequel(s) The Amazing Spider-Man , Shang-Chi 2 , Captain America , Captain Marvel , Daredevil , Ant-Man and the Wasp
Upcoming MCU Movies
-
Captain America: Brave New World
Release Date February 14, 2025
- Thunderbolts*
Release Date May 2, 2025
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Release Date July 25, 2025
- Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
Release Date May 1, 2026
- Spider-Man Homecoming 4
Release Date July 24, 2026
- Avengers: Secret Wars
Release Date May 7, 2027
Captain America: Brave New World
Thunderbolts*
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Spider-Man Homecoming 4
Avengers: Secret Wars