Marvel Has Finally Given Us 3 Versions Of The Hulk In 1 Movie

Published Aug 4, 2026, 11:30 AM EDT

After five decades of Marvel movie appearances, Hulk has finally been depicted with three distinctive personalities in the same narrative. The Hulk has always been one of Marvel's most fascinating characters because he is far more than a simple superhero with anger issues. Since his debut in 1962, Bruce Banner's transformations have gradually evolved into something much more complex. The initially straightforward Jekyll-and-Hyde scenario eventually became a story about multiple personalities, trauma, and competing identities all sharing the same body.

Over the decades, Marvel Comics introduced a variety of Hulk personas – the childlike and destructive Savage Hulk, the calculating Grey Hulk, the intelligent Professor Hulk, the ruthless Devil Hulk, and more. Writers such as Peter David and Al Ewing transformed Hulk mythology into one of Marvel's richest psychological explorations, with different Hulk alters emerging depending on Banner's mental state and circumstances.

The MCU has taken a simpler approach. Early appearances focused primarily on the conflict between Bruce Banner and the Savage Hulk. Then Avengers: Endgame introduced Smart Hulk, a version that combined Banner's intelligence with Hulk's strength. Since then, Smart Hulk has largely been the dominant version audiences have seen on screen.

While comic readers are accustomed to multiple Hulk personalities interacting with one another, the MCU has traditionally treated them as different phases of the same character rather than distinct identities. That made Spider-Man: Brand New Day particularly noteworthy, because it quietly accomplished something Hulk fans have been waiting years to see.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Featured 3 Different Hulk Alters

One of the most surprising achievements of Spider-Man: Brand New Day is that it finally brought three distinct Hulk personas into the same movie. While Bruce Banner, Smart Hulk, and Savage Hulk have all appeared separately throughout the MCU, this is the first time three have been present within a single film.

Bruce Banner appears during Peter Parker's search for answers regarding his increasingly unstable spider mutations. Smart Hulk is present later, representing the version of the character audiences had last seen.

Then there is Savage Hulk. During the film's major confrontation at Damage Control headquarters, Jean Grey unleashes the Savage Hulk to distract Spider-Man and Punisher. Unlike Smart Hulk, this version is driven primarily by instinct, rage, and overwhelming strength. The contrast becomes immediately obvious, creating a clear distinction between the different aspects of Hulk mythology.

Comic readers have long viewed these personas as separate alters rather than simple transformations, and Brand New Day comes closer than any previous MCU film to reflecting that interpretation. Seeing Bruce Banner, Smart Hulk, and Savage Hulk all represented within one story feels like a significant step toward embracing the character's comic-book complexity.

Could The MCU Explore More Hulks In The Future?

Now that Marvel has acknowledged multiple Hulk identities more directly, the obvious question is whether the MCU could introduce additional Hulk personas from the comics. One of the most likely candidates is Grey Hulk, sometimes known as Joe Fixit – whom many suspected would finally emerge in Brand New Day.

Unlike Savage Hulk, Grey Hulk tends to be more cunning, manipulative, and street-smart. The character famously worked as a Las Vegas enforcer while presenting himself as a sharply dressed businessman. Bringing Joe Fixit to the MCU would allow Marvel to explore a side of Hulk that feels completely different from anything audiences have seen so far.

There are also more extreme possibilities. The Devil Hulk represents Banner's darker impulses and protective instincts, while Immortal Hulk expanded the mythology into horror territory. Both personas could dramatically change how viewers perceive the character and introduce entirely new storytelling opportunities.

The biggest obstacle remains the long-running distribution rights situation surrounding solo Hulk movies. While Marvel Studios has been able to use Hulk freely in ensemble projects, the character's complicated film rights history has often limited opportunities for dedicated Hulk stories. As a result, major developments tend to occur in crossover films and Disney+ appearances rather than standalone movies.

Still, Spider-Man: Brand New Day demonstrates that Marvel is willing to dig deeper into Hulk mythology than ever before. If audiences respond positively to seeing multiple Hulk alters represented on screen, there is plenty of comic-book material left for the MCU to explore. After all, Bruce Banner's mind contains far more than one angry green giant, and Marvel has only just started opening that particular green door.