Mark Ruffalo denied he was in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Mark Ruffalo plays Bruce Banner in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but a viral MTV UK interview shows him saying he knows nothing about the film and joking that he and Chris Hemsworth should be in Tom Holland's movies. He was promoting Crime 101 when he fibbed—MCU spoiler control that now looks obvious with the trailer out.
Key Takeaways
- Mark Ruffalo reprises Bruce Banner/Hulk in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, in theaters July 31, 2026.
- A viral MTV UK clip with Chris Hemsworth shows Ruffalo claiming he knew nothing about Holland's Spider-Man film.
- He was promoting Crime 101 when he joked they should be in those movies—before the March trailer confirmed Banner.
- His absence from Brand New Day press tours ties to HBO Max's Task Season 2 filming, which started July 9, 2026.
- Details of how Banner/Hulk fits the story remain under wraps despite the trailer appearance.
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Why did Mark Ruffalo pretend he wasn't in Spider-Man?
According to CinemaBlend via Yahoo, Ruffalo has a well-known habit of spilling Marvel spoilers. For Brand New Day, he tried the opposite approach.
In the MTV UK interview, while discussing Holland starring in both The Odyssey and the new Spider-Man movie, Ruffalo said he didn't know anything about those projects and hoped he could go to the premieres. Later he doubled down with Hemsworth, asking why they weren't in those movies and joking that they should be.
The fib lands differently now: Banner appears in the Brand New Day trailer, and the film is already in theaters. CinemaBlend notes Ruffalo once claimed he didn't have a script back in September—even though filming happened in August 2025—so the tight-lipped act fits a longer pattern of keeping Hulk rumors quiet.
Why was Mark Ruffalo missing from Brand New Day press?
Fans mostly saw Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Sadie Sink, and Jon Bernthal on the promotional circuit, with little sign of Ruffalo. Theories ranged from Marvel sidelining him over spoilers to speculation about his politics.
ComingSoon reporting syndicated on Yahoo offers a simpler explanation: Ruffalo was busy shooting Season 2 of HBO Max's crime drama Task, where he plays Tom Brandis. Filming reportedly began July 9, 2026, in Manayunk, Philadelphia—right as Spider-Man press heated up.
That schedule conflict, more than a deliberate freeze-out, explains why the Hulk star skipped the usual junket circuit even as his return became public knowledge.
What role does Mark Ruffalo play in Brand New Day?
Ruffalo returns as Bruce Banner, with ComingSoon noting fans will see a Savage Hulk version fighting Spider-Man. Director Destin Daniel Cretton also stacks the film with Michael Mando, Liza Colón-Zayas, and Marvin "Krondon" Jones III in key roles.
Marvel has kept the story specifics sealed. Even with Banner confirmed ahead of release, how Hulk factors into the post-No Way Home plot has stayed under wraps—exactly the kind of secrecy Ruffalo's on-camera denial was meant to protect.
Beyond the MCU, Ruffalo also appears in Apple TV's Being Heumann as a stubborn bureaucrat opposite Ruth Madeley, with a short theatrical window planned before streaming later in 2026.
Is actor secrecy just part of the Marvel job?
Yes. CinemaBlend compares Ruffalo's denial to Andrew Garfield famously lying about Spider-Man in No Way Home. Fibbing to protect twists is now expected MCU PR, which is why fans often distrust "I'm not in it" claims from stars like Elizabeth Olsen.
With Spider-Man: Brand New Day open and Avengers: Doomsday still ahead, Ruffalo's viral clip is less a gotcha and more proof he finally learned how to keep a Marvel secret—until the trailer did the talking for him.