The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most recognizable team is heading into its next chapter without one of its founding members.
Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday (2026) is taking shape as one of the franchise’s most ambitious swings yet, even as its development history reflects a series of major recalibrations. Directed once again by Anthony and Joe Russo, the duo behind Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), the film has pivoted sharply from its original creative direction.
A story once built around Kang has been reengineered to center on Doctor Doom, with Robert Downey Jr. returning to the MCU in a dramatically different capacity that has reshaped expectations for Phase Six.
Marvel fueled fan discussion in May 2025 with a widely viewed “chair reveal” livestream, confirming a massive ensemble that stretches across multiple phases of the MCU. The lineup included Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and Kelsey Grammer returning as Beast.
Grammer’s presence builds directly on his official MCU debut in the post-credits scene of Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels (2023), which introduced him during the Multiversal encounter between Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau and Lashana Lynch’s Maria Rambeau/Binary, a variant of Monica’s mother from Earth-616.
That same reveal confirmed Marvel’s increasing willingness to fold Fox’s X-Men era into its shared universe. Ian McKellen reprises Magneto, Rebecca Romijn returns as Mystique, Patrick Stewart steps back into the role of Professor X, and Alan Cumming once again portrays Nightcrawler. James Marsden’s Cyclops also joins the ensemble, reinforcing Marvel’s Multiversal strategy.
Even with that extensive roster, speculation quickly turned to who else might still appear. Frequently mentioned possibilities included Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel, Karen Gillan’s Nebula, Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock, Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie, Dominique Thorne’s Ironheart, and Xochitl Gomez’s America Chavez. None of those characters have been officially announced, but the scope of the confirmed cast already positions Doomsday as one of the MCU’s largest crossovers.
By September 2025, attention shifted to potential absences. Reports surfaced that Pedro Pascal had wrapped filming for Avengers: Doomsday far earlier than expected, following his MCU debut as Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025).
Alan Cumming also revealed that his work as Nightcrawler, including stunts and preparation, was complete. These updates highlighted a production still evolving as pieces gradually fell into place.
One name notably missing from the initial cast announcements was Mark Ruffalo, who has played Bruce Banner since 2012’s The Avengers. When asked about Hulk’s absence during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Ruffalo joked, “They decided that it was better to get rid of me than for me to tell the end of the next movie.”
Despite the joke, Ruffalo’s future with Marvel didn’t seem finished. He is confirmed to appear in Destin Daniel Cretton’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026), and leaked concept art has depicted both Hulk and She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany) in Avengers-related material. Whether those designs applied to Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars (2027) was unclear.
Marvel later unveiled Doomsday footage featuring a wide array of characters tied to the fifth Avengers film. The clips, which collectively surpassed one billion streams, showcased Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, and James Marsden as Professor X, Magneto, and Cyclops, along with Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Ben Grimm interacting with Wakanda’s Shuri (Letitia Wright) and M’Baku (Winston Duke).
Still absent from those previews was Ruffalo’s Hulk, and confirmation has now arrived. There will be no Hulk appearance in Avengers: Doomsday.
“The latest issue of Empire Magazine put the spotlight on Crime 101, a crime thriller in which Thor’s Chris Hemsworth stars alongside Hulk’s Mark Ruffalo,” The Direct wrote. “As part of the interview, Ruffalo confirmed he won’t be joining his MCU colleague in Avengers: Doomsday, but remained optimistic for the future.”
Ruffalo added, “As long as they keep finding cool things to do with Hulk. It’s given me so many gifts. You know, I probably wouldn’t be in Crime 101 if it wasn’t for [The Avengers].”
This news arrives as Marvel continues navigating the challenges of Phase Six. The Fantastic Four: First Steps opened strongly before experiencing a notable second-week decline, reflecting the studio’s broader effort to rebalance audience enthusiasm after years of rapid output.
Kevin Feige and the Russo brothers have consistently described Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars as reset points for the franchise, designed to simplify continuity and usher in a new era led in part by the X-Men.
With Doctor Doom stepping into the role of overarching antagonist and legacy characters converging with current MCU heroes, Avengers: Doomsday represents a turning point. As some longtime players exit the stage and others remain absent, Hulk’s future beyond Phase Six remains an open question.
The MCU continues to adjust amid canceled projects and shifting priorities, leaving its long-term direction unresolved.
How do you feel about Mark Ruffalo not appearing in the next Avengers installment? Let us know in the comments down below!
Great news that moronic lefty mouthpiece, Ruffalo is out. Things seem to be improving at dying Marvel. Now, you just need to drop the odious Alan Cumming, but that will never happen, not with Marvel, even though the little deviant ruined the reputation of one of Scotlands most beautiful villages this last weekend by inviting all his deviant buddies ( mostly Marvel ) to a gathering of the McQueeries.