Warning! This article contains major spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World.It’s no secret that Sam Wilson fights the Red Hulk in , but that makes the absence of another MCU Hulk character even more obvious. While trying to come to terms with being the new Captain America, Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson is thrust into the middle of an international incident involving the new President of the United States, Thaddeus Ross. Harrison Ford took over the character from the late William Hurt, and this is his first project in a while where he plays a major role.

Ross has always been in an opposition role to the Avengers, and Brave New World is no different. He and Sam clash on his various political decisions, but the fight escalates to something much more intense. After getting poisoned with gamma by Samuel Sterns, Ross turns into the Red Hulk. The MCU has introduced other Hulk variations before, but Bruce Banner will always be the original. Bruce is mentioned several times in the film, but Mark Ruffalo’s character is nowhere to be seen. Though questionable, his absence ultimately makes sense.

Marvel fans initially believed that Ruffalo would be reprising his role as Bruce’s Hulk in Brave New World because the actor seemingly confirmed his appearance. During the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2024, Panel moderator Anne Thompson asked if he was allowed to talk about it, and Ruffalo replied, “Yeah, it’s going to be great!” Considering the Hulk references in Brave New World, it was a reasonable assumption to believe.

However, it all turned out to be a misunderstanding. Multiple sources confirmed that , thinking that he was being asked about the MCU’s upcoming slate. He replied yes to Captain America: Brave New World being an upcoming release. Ruffalo has become known for his Marvel PR blunders, from accidentally live-streaming a portion of Thor: Ragnarok to spoiling various plot points in interviews. While his absence is a letdown for some fans, it is a classic Ruffalo moment that isn’t surprising anymore.

Ross has a complex relationship with Bruce Banner, and other classic characters from The Incredible Hulk like Betty Ross and Samuel Sterns even appeared in Captain America 4. But, while Bruce is referenced by Ross several times, some may question why Ruffalo didn’t appear in the film. His absence ultimately made sense to the story that Brave New World was trying to tell. , and while Ross was a major character, he was ultimately trying to distance himself from his past actions.

Many assumed that Red Hulk would be a prominent part of the film, but it actually ended up being a side storyline that didn’t truly materialize until the end of Captain America: Brave New World. Ross is shown trying to suppress his rage, but . It would’ve been cool to see Ruffalo’s Hulk fighting Red Hulk, but the focus wasn’t meant to be on flashy action. Instead, Captain America: Brave New World wanted to focus on Ross’ internal struggle and his actual character, and Bruce Banner wouldn’t have fit into that narrative.