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MCU’s Hulk character debuted in the 2008 filmThe Incredible Hulk, brought to life by Edward Norton. Norton was later replaced by Mark Ruffalo as the character inThe Avengers. The Hulk played a role in all the Avengers team-up movies in theInfinity Saga. However, many criticized Marvel for not fleshing out the Hulk’s storyline properly. A particular deleted scene fromAvengers: Infinity Warsupports the critics’ point that Marvel did the Hulk dirty.
WhenInfinity Warwas released, fans were disappointed at how little they saw of the big guy in the film, despite posters featuring him prominently. Fans mostly got to see Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner and then his Hulkbuster avatar. However, a deleted scene now reveals that the Hulk was originally planned to emerge at the climax of the film.
Also Read:“Folks, this is way too much”: Mark Ruffalo on ‘Hulk Smash’ Mode after New Bill That Makes Patriot Act Look Like Kindergarten
Mark Ruffalo’s Smart Hulk Was Supposed To Feature InAvengers: Infinity WarClimax
In the initial moments ofAvengers: Infinity War,Mark Ruffalo‘s Hulk is thrown off the Asgardian ship by Thanos. The Hulk transforms back into Bruce Banner, who continues in the human form throughout the rest of the movie. Fans only witness the Hulk again as Smart Hulk in the next film,Avengers: Endgame. They were not particularly happy about this Hulk situation. However, the high-stakes storyline of the two movies overshadowed any immediate complaints.
However, deleted scenes fromInfinity War,included in theInfinity Sagabox set, reveal that the Hulk was originally set to appear in the final scenes of the movie. Most importantly, both Hulk and Bruce Banner have a proper conversation and reach an agreement for the first time in the MCU in this scene. The Hulk then fights and kills the Cull Obsidian, and later reveals his smart self toScarlett Johansson’s Black Widow.
A deleted scene where Banner and Hulk come to an understanding while fighting Cull Obsidian and Smart Hulk emerges.
𝙰𝚅𝙴𝙽𝙶𝙴𝚁𝚂 – 𝙸𝙽𝙵𝙸𝙽𝙸𝚃𝚈 𝚆𝙰𝚁 (𝟸𝟘𝟷𝟾)pic.twitter.com/CYvDDsa0fa
— All Marvel, All the Time (@historyofthemcu)June 30, 2025
Fans on X were pretty disappointed that they didn’t get to see one of the most crucial Hulk moments in the MCU. One fan found it hard to believe that they cut the only conversation between Hulk and Banner. Another commented that this scene would have made Smart Hulk look cool rather than silly inEndgame. Fans also criticized Marvel’s failure to explore the Hulk’s split personalities or, worse, provide him with a solo movie. Some fan reactions read:
Still UNBELIEVABLE this was cut and unfinished. Heck, unbelievable that this is the only conversation Hulk and Banner have EVER had in the MCU thus far.https://t.co/YRoKHZXwmW
— Gunner Dobbins (2nd Invincible Era) (@GunnerDobbins)June 29, 2025
This woulda made smart hulk infinitely better, and make the reveal kinda cool instead of just silly. Also does Mark Ruffalo do the Hulk voice all by himself??? I always assumed there was some editing going on there some reason
— Quinn L-N (@QuinnLN2)August 16, 2025
I can’t lie. I wish Marvel did more with the Hulk’s split personalities.
— Khalid Brooks (Miles Morales of Earth-1218) (@KhalidBrooks1)Aug 10, 2025
I feel for Hulk fans deeply. It’s been 15 years since the last Hulk movie and they’ve basically been getting crumbs ever since 😭
— Oz The Mediocre (@OzTheMid)July 18, 2025
This, uh, really needed to be in the movie.
— Whiskey Dingo (@DubiousScroll)June 14, 2025
The only one who ever did something worthwhile with the Hulk in the MCU was Joss Whedon.
— Christoph N. Kellerbach (@CNKellerbach)June 09, 2025
The writers ofInfinity Wardefended the decision to remove the scene from the movie, sharing that Hulk’s victory came at the wrong time, given the massive loss suffered by the Avengers. However, many still believe that the scene could have been placed in the movie without undermining the climactic tragedy.
Also Read:Mark Ruffalo Slapped the Sh*t Out of Channing Tatum After He Bullied the Marvel Star in Wrestling Training For Months
Why Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk Never Got A Solo Film?
While many fans still attribute the lack of additionalHulkmovies to the low box office performances of bothAng Lee’sHulkand Marvel’sThe Incredible Hulk, it turns out that this is only partly true. Indeed, the Hulk did not draw audiences as strongly as other Marvel characters, but Ruffalo’s portrayal inThe Avengersreceived positive reviews, and fans wanted to see him shine in a solo film.
However, Universal Studios held the rights to the character before Marvel. WhenThe Incredible Hulkwas made, Universal struck a deal with Marvel to distribute the movie. Universal also retained the right of first refusal to distribute any future soloHulkmovies. Initially, this arrangement seemed sensible as Marvel was an independent studio. However, when Disney took over Marvel, they gained the capability to distribute the movies themselves.
Under the earlier agreement, Universal had the authority to decide whether they wanted to distribute theHulkfilms or pass the rights to Disney. Since both entities were competitors, neither was willing to help the other in making profits. The only way Marvel could work around this issue was to make the Hulk a supporting character.
Also Read:“The biggest waste of a character in the MCU”: Fans Desperately Want Kevin Feige to Make a Bold Decision With Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk After Multiple Box Office Disasters
Avengers: Infinity Warand other MCU movies are now available for streaming on Disney+.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
