Mark Ruffalo

We’ve heard Hulk grunt and pant and do all the things big guys do when they’re Hulk-smashing their foes, but we’ve yet to hear the giant Avenger speak. That may change in Thor: Ragnarok, as Mark Ruffalo previously hinted that we’ll finally see Bruce Banner and the Hulk interact — something that’s already happened in the comics. Lending credence to that idea is Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi, who has a few things to say regarding whether or not Hulk will have a few things to say.

Let’s get this out of the way first: no, a Hulk standalone/spinoff movie is never happening any time in the near future. The rights are all mucked up with Universal and Marvel and creatively it just doesn’t seem like something Marvel is willing to take the risk on right now. But. BUT! Mark Ruffalo has said that you’re about to get the next best thing to a Hulk movie in Hulk’s storyline that plays out over Thor: Ragnarok and the two-part Avengers: Infinity War finale.

We are still about a year and a half away from the release of Thor: Ragnarok, but the rumors just keep pouring in. In addition to last week’s report on Cate Blanchett’s potential villainous role, another report has surfaced, this time suggesting how Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk may enter the picture, and it sounds just crazy enough to be true.

Earlier this month, Mark Ruffalo may have accidentally let slip that Cate Blanchett is playing a “baddie” in Thor: Ragnarok, and although the actress has yet to be officially confirmed for the sequel, we may have some new intel on just which baddie she’ll be playing. A new report suggests the identity of Blanchett’s character — and it’s one that has potential to play a huge part in the future of the MCU.

Mark Ruffalo loves to talk about Thor: Ragnarok.

And in other Marvel news… Although Cate Blanchett has not yet been confirmed for Thor: Ragnarok, that isn’t keeping one of her potential co-stars from gushing over her role in the upcoming sequel. Mark Ruffalo has maybe-possibly spilled the beans on Blanchett’s part in the film, revealing that she’s in talks to play the “baddie.”

Mark Ruffalo previously dropped a hint about what we might see happen with Bruce Banner and the Hulk in Thor: Ragnarok — namely, that we might see them sharing the screen at some point, which could be pretty neat. The actor is out doing press following his recent Golden Globe nomination, and as expected, he’s answering even more questions about Thor and Hulk, though he always seems quite happy to do so.

And now, for their next trick: a sequel!

After the first Avengers movie, many Marvel fans voiced their excitement over a potential Hulk spinoff movie. The first two Hulk movies were mostly critical and commercial disappointments, but this was a new Hulk, one that Marvel had finally cracked. But, despite Hulk’s popularity within the Marvel Cinematic Universe being at an all-time high, Marvel currently has no plans for a standalone Hulk movie. In fact, star Mark Ruffalo says that a Hulk movie now “feels even further away” than it ever has.

Just a couple of days after he shared his hopes for an on-screen meeting between Bruce Banner and his alter-ego the Hulk, Mark Ruffalo is talking about Thor: Ragnarok again, this time hinting that it’s a buddy team-up movie and that we’ll probably see those buddies fighting — again.