This Avenger Is Reportedly Making A Return In She-Hulk

Mark Ruffalo's Hulk will smash again in the MCU.

At least that's the word coming from the folks at The Illuminderdi, as the site is claiming that "sources" close to Disney+ and Marvel's upcoming She-Hulk series have provided "definitive" proof that Ruffalo is officially on board to reprise his role as Bruce Banner on the small screen. It should be noted, however, that the site does not provide said proof for the masses to see, nor do they actually say what that proof is; one would have to imagine they've seen Ruffalo's signature on an actual contract for it to count as "definitive." Either way, it still might be wise for MCU enthusiasts to temper their excitement about Hulk's return until Team Marvel makes their own announcement.

That news would hardly come a shock, though, as it's been widely rumored in recent weeks that Ruffalo's big green guy would indeed be joining the anxiously-anticipated She-Hulk series in some capacity. Ruffalo himself even recently confirmed that he was in talks with Marvel and Disney to reprise his role as Banner-slash-Hulk for the Disney+ series (via ScreenRant). Seems those talks might have been a bit further along than Ruffalo was letting on, as The Illuminerdi is now reporting the actor's deal was likely already in place when the actor made those comments. 

There's still no confirmation as to how many episodes of She-Hulk Ruffalo might appear in, or if his new deal with Marvel might include another big screen turn in the future. We're not even sure if we'll be getting the "smart" Hulk we saw in Avengers: Endgame, for that matter. Whatever the case, it now seems more likely than ever that we will indeed see the return of Ruffalo's Hulk to the MCU sometime in the near future.   

That's great news for MCU enthusiasts far and wide, as Ruffalo's take on the Green Goliath is easily the best version of the Hulk we've seen on big screens or small. Ruffalo took over the role after the folks at Marvel famously parted ways with O.G. MCU Hulk Edward Norton. Making his first appearance in 2012's The Avengers, Ruffalo immediately made the role his own, playing Banner-Hulk in four subsequent MCU flicks (not including uncredited cameo appearances). Marvel's brass are clearly fans, and have now reportedly ensured that no other actor will play Hulk for the foreseeable future.

As for what role Bruce Banner will play in She-Hulk, if the Disney+ series stays true to the character's comic book origins, his role will (at least initially) be fairly major. For those unfamiliar with She-Hulk, the character's name is Jennifer Walters, and she's a successful attorney (often for the superhero set). She just so happens to be Bruce Banner's cousin. If you're wondering how Walters becomes She-Hulk, the transformation occurs after she receives a blood transfusion from dear cousin Bruce, after which she finds herself with a similar green affliction — although she actually Hulks out with her intellect and self control intact.

Walters eventually becomes a member of the Avengers and A-Force, and she continues to play a major role in Marvel comics, so you can likely expect to see a lot more of the character as the MCU charges ahead. As for what that could entail, well, Marvel Studios would be remiss not to use Walters' career as an attorney — a 7-foot, green attorney — as a way to introduce her to the wider MCU.

The studio's head honcho, Kevin Feige, has already made it quite clear that characters introduced via Disney+ series will be making appearances in future films, and we can think of a hero or two who may be in need of legal representation in the very near future. Case in point: Peter Parker, who was just publicly outed as Spider-Man and framed for an extremely high-profile murder, and who suddenly has some blowhard vlogger named J. Jonah Jameson ranting about what a menace he is.

As for Banner, well, for all we know, his stint on She-Hulk could be a one-off deal that sees him supplying the necessary Hulk blood to facilitate his cousin's transformation, and going on his merry green way. We're not-so-secretly hoping, though, that this news means that Ruffalo still has a vital role to play in future phases of the MCU. She-Hulk has not yet received an official release date, but production on the series is expected to begin in July; we'll keep an eye out for an official announcement, and we'll be sure to keep you informed.