update: Variety reports that multiple sources have revealed that Mark Ruffalo is not scheduled to appear in Captain America: Brave New World. The actor allegedly misspoken while acknowledging a question from a host at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, saying he meant to agree that the upcoming Captain America movie was indeed one of Marvel's next projects. However, he reportedly had no intention of appearing in it.
Mark Ruffalo, who played the Hulk for many years, has finally confirmed that he will be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Bruce Banner in Captain America: The Brave New World.
The actor commented on his next adventure as the green superhero as part of a discussion with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. He said little about what role he would play in the film, simply asserting, “It's going to be great.”
“They literally have drones chasing me,” Ruffalo joked, referring to Marvel's secret film practices. “My phone is recording all of this now.”
Details about the fourth mainline Captain America movie are still under wraps, but we do know some of the key characters who will appear. Most notable are Captain America himself, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), and Thaddeus Ross, who will be played by Harrison Ford after William Hurt's death in 2022.
Thaddeus is an important character not only for Marvel fans but also for Hulk fans. This character has a long history with Bruce Banner, eventually becoming the feared Red Hulk in many stories. Since Ruffalo's Hulk is expected to appear in some capacity, this could be a sign that his counterpart, the Red Hulk, may also appear. We'll probably get a better idea of how the movie will connect to the MCU when Marvel is finally ready to share more.
Ruffalo has been somewhat absent from MCU films in recent years. The actor has appeared sporadically in films such as She-Hulk and What If…?, but his last role in a Marvel movie (aside from a brief cameo in Shang-Chi) was in 2019. It was “Avengers: Endgame.'' Since then, the actor has appeared in non-superhero films, including I Know This Much Is True, The Adam Project, and most recently, Poor Things.
Captain America: Brave New World will be released in theaters on February 14, 2025. In other Marvel news, the company released the first trailer for Deadpool and Wolverine yesterday.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor to IGN. He began his writing career in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work in media such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to follow me on Twitter @MikeCripe.
