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Avengers: Endgame Killed The Original Hulk, Only Smart Hulk Exists Now
The Russo Brothers participated in a quarantine Avengers: Endgame watch party in celebration of its one year anniversary and answered some fan questions, including one about the fate of pre-Endgame Hulk. The fourth Avengers film came out on April 26, 2019, and made almost $900 million in profit. Anthony and Joe Russo have directed multiple Marvel films, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and of course, Avengers: Endgame.
In the third Avengers movie, Bruce Banner/Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo, was constantly in conflict with his other half, trying to get Hulk to come out and fight. After the five year jump forward in Endgame, we find a completely new version of Banner, commonly referred to as Smart Hulk, who has successfully combined his two egos into a new, balanced being with the brains of Banner and the strength of Hulk. As he says in the film, it's the "best of both worlds." Smart Hulk was originally supposed to be introduced in the third Avengers film, but was cut for a variety of reasons.
The Russo Brothers announced they were participating in a watch party in honor of Avengers: Endgame's one year anniversary, and took to Twitter to answer some fan questions. The directors also streamed live on Instagram for the first hour of the film. A fan asked the brothers if the original Hulk still exists within Smart Hulk. In answer, the Russo Brothers said, "The personality that now exists is a new entity… it is a merger of Bruce Banner and the Hulk." This means the new version of Hulk is now all there is, and there is no longer the separate, feuding sides of Banner.
This is new information from the directors, giving fans an idea of what they can expect from Hulk in the future. Though he doesn't have a solo film coming, Banner could appear in the Marvel series She-Hulk on Disney Plus. It features the story of Jennifer Walters, a lawyer in NYC who becomes She-Hulk after an emergency blood transfusion from her cousin, Banner. Though her show isn't expected to be released until 2022, Walters may show up earlier than we think. Banner is a key part of her origin story, but Ruffalo's appearance is not confirmed yet. Even if that doesn't happen, there's plenty of possibilities for Hulk's future story in the MCU.
Since Avengers: Endgame, the Russo Brothers have been busy with different projects, but they've still kept in contact with Marvel. Next up is the film Cherry, starring Tom Holland in a very different role than what fans have seen so far, as an Army vet with severe PTSD and an opioid addiction. It's expected to release in 2020, but could be delayed because of COVID-19. They are also working on a TV miniseries called The Citadel. With more details and interesting behind-the-scenes information continually coming out about Avengers: Endgame, it's only logical for fans to hope the Russo Brothers return to the MCU in the future.
