The Hulk has finally been confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday, and the news comes with a heavy asterisk. It is the fifth time in the MCU that the Jade Giant has been used as a pawn for a villain, and the pattern is starting to feel less like a coincidence and more like a franchise-wide tic.
The confirmation arrived through Avengers: Endgame Encore, a theatrical re-release that included new footage. In it, Doctor Doom recruits Hulk — or Banner — to join his cause, picking up a new recruit in the process. The scene shows Banner protesting and Hulk raging, with Doom informing him he is there to “collect” him.
The Long Road Back To Banner
Hulk’s journey in the MCU has been a winding one. After Edward Norton handed the role to Mark Ruffalo following the disappointing reception of The Incredible Hulk in 2008, the character became a supporting fixture rather than a solo star. Rights complications kept a true Hulk movie from happening, and Banner played second fiddle to the Avengers, then Thor, then She-Hulk, then Spider-Man.
He remains the only original Avenger without his own project. Instead, his story has been stitched together across other people’s movies, forcing directors to compress decades of comic lore into subplots. The Russos ended his arc in Avengers: Endgame with the introduction of Smart Hulk, only to have the MCU backtrack and admit the “balance” was a mistake.
Endgame Encore Sets The Record Straight
The new footage in Endgame Encore settles the question of Hulk’s involvement in Doomsday. His name was conspicuously absent from the now infamous chairs reveal, which showed actors seated in chairs. That omission sparked debate, with speculation that he could be held back for Avengers: Secret Wars, alongside Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel.
Leaked concept art threw doubt into play, despite Ruffalo’s insistence that he would not appear in Doomsday. Now the answer is clear: Hulk is in the movie, and the MCU has confirmed it.
Doom’s Plan For The Multiverse
Doctor Doom’s recruitment of Hulk fits a larger pattern. The leaked concept art suggested Doom was gathering powerful superheroes, including Banner and Doctor Strange, to save the Multiverse from collapsing. Incursions threaten existence, and Doom has a plan that involves taking back the stolen lives the Avengers won after the Time Heist corrupted the timeline.
Banner is a strong recruit for several reasons. As a genius-level intellect, he offers strategic value. And his status as one of the top power levels in the MCU makes him an obvious addition to Doom’s roster. The scene in Endgame Encore shows Doom teleporting into a bunker two miles underground where Banner is working on a new gamma-suppression serum to cure his Hulk problem.
Five Villains, One Pattern
The repeated use of Hulk as a villain’s pawn is the story’s central complaint. It is not difficult to see why screenwriters keep returning to this idea. The Hulk is uniquely built for narrative manipulation because he is a living embodiment of a double-edged sword.
The pattern starts in The Avengers, where Loki manipulates the Avengers into capturing him so he can influence Banner to rampage through the SHIELD Helicarrier. Three years later, Scarlet Witch enchants him to rampage again in Age of Ultron. Then the Grandmaster turns him into Sakaar’s champion, attempting to kill Thor in the process. Jean Grey unleashes Hulk in her attempt to free her sister. Now it is Doom playing villainous puppeteer.
| Villain | Movie | How Hulk Was Used |
|---|---|---|
| Loki | The Avengers | Manipulation into rampage |
| Scarlet Witch | Age of Ultron | Enchantment for rampage |
| Grandmaster | Thor: Ragnarok | Champion of Sakaar |
| Jean Grey | Dark Phoenix | Released to free her sister |
| Doctor Doom | Avengers: Doomsday | Recruitment for Multiverse |
That is five distinct times, and the MCU has not yet found a sixth way to use him.
Why The Pattern Persists
The idea of Hulk’s value as a threat is compelling. A rampaging Hulk is a spectacle, and his dual identity gives writers a built-in conflict. But for Doomsday to mark the fifth distinct time this happens is madness.
The pattern raises the question: is this the only idea anyone has for him? Each iteration follows a similar shape: a villain manipulates, exploits, or recruits Banner, and Hulk emerges as a force beyond control.
The MCU has spent years stitching Hulk’s story across other movies, and now it is doubling down on a trope that has already run its course.
What Comes Next
Doomsday is not a solo project, but it is at least a confirmation that Banner appears in the movie. The new footage establishes that Doom’s recruitment of Hulk may be under duress.
The full story of Doom’s plan has not been told. There is still room for the writers to establish logic behind Doom’s mission and Banner’s involvement. Whether that logic redeems the repetition is another matter.
The Verdict On The Fifth Time
The MCU has made its decision, and Avengers: Doomsday is the latest chapter in a long-running story. The pattern of Hulk being used by villains is a fair count of repeated storytelling, and the fifth instance is a milestone that feels more like a warning than a celebration.
The question is not whether the MCU can make it work — the pattern itself raises the question of whether Doom’s plan could be entertaining — but whether the audience has already seen this movie five times. The answer, for now, is yes.
The MCU has confirmed Hulk’s presence in Doomsday, and the question of whether the idea still has legs is one the franchise will have to answer in the finished film.
See the video the story is built around at Screen Rant.
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