Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The latest development in Smart Hulk ’s MCU future tense come duringShang - Chi ’s post - course credit scenewhen Mark Ruffalo appeared in Bruce Banner ’s human form . The scene corroborate that at some point afterAvengers : Endgame , the Smart Hulk trammel ends to let Bruce take full control and revert to his human mannikin . It ’s intriguing to note that he ’s still work with a form of the Avengers and is recover from the injuries sustain by using the Infinity Stones to reverse Thanos ' Snap . Marvel has yet to explain why this conclusion was made , although it has been beleaguer that answers will come in upcoming MCU projects . For now , though , audiences have been leave in the nighttime about what happened to Smart Hulk and why the MCU retconned his futurity in his first appearance afterAvengers : Endgame .
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As audiences waitress to see more ofSmart Hulk in Phase 4 , theShang - Chiretcon could go a longsighted way in setting up storylines that will strike multiple MCU project . Marvel has only confirmed one upcoming show for Bruce Banner / Hulk , but rumors intimate he ’ll be a with child part of the time to come even after these recent changes . It ’s not too surprising the MCU will keep him around either , especially as three original Avengers have seemingly wrapped up their MCU arcs . Now , Hulk is in a position to play a potentially self-aggrandizing function go forward , while what happened to him inShang - Chican also impact a motley of announced and rumored MCU projects .
She-Hulk
Hulk ’s first and only confirmed upcoming MCU appearance afterShang - Chiis inShe - Hulk . The MCU Disney+ show rivet on Bruce ’s cousin , Jennifer Walters ( Tatiana Maslany ) , and there are a few options forhow Smart Hulk ’s changecould factor into the show . For starters , She - Hulkfootage confirmed that Smart Hulk does appear in the serial , but his arm is also healed of the harm fromAvengers : Endgame . This pull up stakes two realistic possible action : there are fit congeal beforeEndgame ’s finale and the MCU will place She - Hulk ’s inception during The Blip , or Bruce heals in his human form and get along to find his Smart Hulk physique after that . Marvel Studios ' account will go a farseeing way in explaining whenShe - Hulkis set in the MCU timeline , but the connections to Smart Hulk ’s retcon are still plain .
Smart Hulk’sShe - Hulkreturn will either search what happened to him betweenAvengers : EndgameandShang - Chi ’s post - credits or be used to excuse how he comes back again after . The latter will makeShang - Chi ’s MCU Hulk retconeven more confusing in the grand dodging , as it means he ’ll alter his main form in three serial appearances , even though Smart Hulk was meant to make the need for that obsolete . Now , the idea that there will be a time when Hulk is not in co - control , it could make the Smart Hulk partnership more delicate move forward , potentially leading to Bruce Banner and Hulk once again fighting for ascendency . Meanwhile , it set the stage for She - Hulk to take a prominent character in the MCU .
World War Hulk
After Hulk and Bruce Banner fight back for control for years , the Smart Hulk partnership was mean to allow them to work together . Since it is obscure how Bruce recover full ascendancy ahead ofShang - Chi ’s post - credits scene , it is possible that Hulk wo n’t want to keep sharing going forward . This could then mean that the Smart Hulk retcon is setting up therumoredWorld War Hulkmovie . Marvel Studios reportedly start get aWorld War Hulkfilm last twelvemonth , and reports advise that it could begin film as soon as 2022 . The comics interpretation of this history saw Hulk turn back to Earth and adjudge warfare against some of Marvel ’s bragging heroes due to their part in ostracize him to Sakaar . Since the picture show is unconfirmed , it is not clear if aWorld War Hulkmovie will directly adapt the comics or be reimagined as a war on Sakaar potentially . In either font , Shang - Chi ’s retcon pave the fashion for this tarradiddle as Smart Hulk is n’t the right version of the Jade Giant needed for this plot line .
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It is possible thatShang - Chi ’s post - credits scene was Marvel take steps to free the MCU of Smart Hulk and allow a moretraditionally angry Hulk to return . Avengers : Endgameproved that Smart Hulk is n’t terribly interested in fighting , as Banner ’s personality views it as gratis . However , if Marvel is going to do aWorld War Hulkstory properly , the substantial version of Hulk need to be involve . In that sentiency , it could work in the exalted scheme of Marvel ’s program to have Smart Hulk no longer be the character ’s lasting state .
Avengers 5
There is also a strong possibleness that the MCU ’s Smart Hulk retcon help set upAvengers 5 , as what happen to him will sure enough pretend the makeup of the roster . Due to his injuries fromAvengers : Endgame , it became undecipherable if Smart Hulk would be an active appendage of Earth ’s Mightiest Heroes run forward . If Smart Hulk regains his full strength , he could keep his place on the Avengers and contend alongsidePhase 4 or Phase 5 ’s Avengers lineup . If the real Hulk emerge , he could also retain a spot on the roster and give the next genesis of MCU heroes some additional strength . However , ifShang - Chi ’s Smart Hulk retcon stand for there will be an absence from Bruce Banner ’s Hulk for some clip , the squad assembled forAvengers 5would involve to look elsewhere for a supremely powerful being like Hulk . This could be how Marvel gets She - Hulk onto the next Avengers team , while someone as knock-down as Shang - Chi could also speedily join the team to bestow even more firepower to the new - tone ensemble .
Thunderbolts/Dark Avengers
The MCU ’s current miss front of Hulk could also be a contributing broker in setting up Marvel ’s rumoredThunderboltsproject . The seeds preserve to be plant for this squad in Phase 4 as Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine ( Julia Louis - Dryfus ) has recruitedJohn Walker ( Wyatt Russell)and Yelena Belova ( Florence Pugh ) to her causal agency . Whether this team becomes bang as Thunderbolts or Dark Avengers , Shang - Chi ’s post - credits scene and Hulk ’s future electric arc could associate to this super team ’s formation . For starters , the MCU not having Hulk around at the moment could give a team of supervillains / anti - heroes the authority to issue , as they could appear around and see most of the original Avengers no longer being around to stop them . Since there is an expected value that Red Hulk will be part of the team , Hulk ’s absence seizure could even connect to Red Hulk ’s transformation . Due to the qualifying of Thunderbolt Ross actor William Hurt , Marvel could bring Red Hulk into the film by using the comics ' 2d Red Hulk , Robert Maverick , and put him on theThunderbolts / Dark Avengers , have his origin be tied to Hulk ’s likely return or ostracism .
The Illuminati
There have also been rumors for a few years that Marvel Studios is developing a task based on The Illuminati . Doctor Strange in the Multiverseof Madnessseemingly inaugurate a multiversal version of this radical , but Doctor Strange could form his own rendering in the main MCU timeline . Hulk’sShang - Chichange could factor into this projection in a few different means . Bruce Banner or the return of Smart Hulk could make him a council fellow member of the Illuminati , as he ’s play prominent roles in universe - transfer result in the past times . It would certainly be in character for Bruce to count out for the rest of the universe , and he could take the genius / ground - submarine sandwich place traditionally hold up by Tony Stark and/or Reed Richards . If Banner / Smart Hulk is n’t part of theMCU ’s Illuminati team , the reappearance of the veridical Hulk afterShang - Chi ’s retcon could make him a scourge that the team has to make do with . This would allow Marvel Studios to mirror the comics , potentially resulting in Hulk come back to Earth with a vengeance . Depending on how the MCU ’s events shake out , Hulk could even be the villain of Marvel ’s Illuminati project if the chemical group is responsible for for the events of theWorld War Hulkmovie .
Related : Doctor Strange 2 ’s Illuminati Changes Can bear upon Their MCU Role
Young Avengers
The MCU could also useShang - Chi ’s Smart Hulk retcon to help oneself define up the rumoredYoung Avengersproject . Bruce Banner could be an ideal option to help guide the MCU ’s newest and youngest superheroes , although Hawkeye or Ant - Man could also fill that role . However , the potential absence seizure of Hulk could also be used to help introduceYoung Avengers appendage Hulkling . The Kree / Skrull intercrossed hero jazz as Teddy Altman was the Young Avengers ' stand - in for Hulk and received his superhero name in honor of the Jade Giant . Since the Young Avengers sort in the comics when the master Avengers team disbands , it is possible theMCU ’s reading will see the individual young hoagy step up in the absence of those they once admired . Just as Kate Bishop is taking over as Hawkeye for Clint Barton , Hulkling could look to replete a void left byShang - Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ' Smart Hulk variety .
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