Phase 1’s The Incredible Hulk dropped a nod to a classic Hulk character that may finally get to make his first on-screen MCU appearance more than seventeen years later. Hulk hasn’t had a movie of his own since Louis Leterrier’s 2008 The Incredible Hulk. Nevertheless, the MCU’s Hulk has completed a full arc across several appearances as a supporting character. Hulk’s status as a founding member of the Avengers, his time as an intergalactic gladiator, his role in saving the universe, and the reconciliation of his two personas have already been explored throughout the years.

One drawback of Hulk’s lack of solo movies is that his friends and enemies haven’t had the chance to appear in the MCU as often as other Marvel characters. For example, Doc Samson only had a small role in The Incredible Hulk, Absorbing Man and Glenn Talbot appeared in Agents of SHIELD outside the MCU’s main timeline, and Hulk’s wife Caiera never appeared in Thor: Ragnarok. Fortunately, Marvel Studios started putting more focus on Hulk characters since Phase 4, which means that Hulk’s long-overlooked friend from the comics could appear long after the MCU first teased his existence.

The MCU Referenced Rick Jones Twice In Phase 1

Marvel Dropped Two Blink-And-You-Miss-It MCU Rick Jones Easter Eggs

The Incredible Hulk‘s opening credits summarize Hulk’s origin story, adding some MCU elements to it in order to place Bruce Banner’s superhero origin in the context of the then-blooming franchise. These include SHIELD files that mention Nick Fury and Stark Industries, but also one name that hasn’t been uttered out loud by any MCU character so far: Rick Jones. The Incredible Hulk‘s opening credits reveal the MCU’s Rick Jones was a student back when Bruce Banner’s Gamma incident took place, but the rest of the information in his file was redacted.

Four years later in The Avengers, SHIELD’s files on all founding members of the team include an even subtler nod to Rick Jones. Part of Bruce Banner’s background can be read under Natasha Romanoff’s profile. The file states, “Reaching the civilian, a teenager named Rick Jones, Banner threw him into a protective trench…” This information comes from Hulk’s origin story from the comics, where Bruce Banner gets blasted with Gamma radiation when he tries to save Rick Jones from an explosion. According to The Incredible Hulk‘s opening credits, though, Banner simply volunteered to be experimented on, ignoring the fact that the government was researching the Super Soldier serum.

More Hulk Characters Are Currently In The MCU Than Ever Before

The MCU Is Bringing Back Hulk-Related Characters After Many Years

Only William Hurt’s then-General Ross returned after The Incredible Hulk in the Infinity Saga — once as an antagonist in Captain America: Civil War, and twice in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame cameo appearances. Now, Marvel Studios has started to bring back other Hulk-related characters. Tim Roth reprised his role as Abomination in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, and Captain America: Brave New World features the return of TIm Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns, Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross, and of course, Harrison Ford replacing William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross, now the Red Hulk.

Phase 4 also introduced Tatiana Maslany’s Jennifer Walters a.k.a. She-Hulk, plus an MCU adaptation of longtime Hulk villains the Wrecking Crew and the Intelligencia. And albeit short, Skaar’s debut in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law‘s ending sets up future storylines that may take Hulk back to his brief stint as a gladiator in Sakaar to reveal exactly when Hulk’s son was born. Likewise, Marvel Studios could revisit Hulk’s MCU origin story and formally introduce Rick Jones and explain whether he had a role in the Gamma incident or not.

Captain America: Brave New World Provides A Perfect Excuse To Introduce Rick Jones & His Hulk Transformation

Rick Jones’ Gamma Monster Transformation Comes From The Leader

Captain America: Brave New World marks the debut of Thunderbolt Ross’ Red Hulk transformation, brought about by the Leader, as suggested by the trailers and supported by the source material. After the Leader transforms Ross into Red Hulk in the comics, Red Hulk kills Abomination, and the Leader decides to transform Rick Jones into a new Gamma monster called A-Bomb. A-Bomb is strong enough to stop Red Hulk, and he spends some time fighting as a Hulk-like superhero. The Leader’s secret conspiracy in Captain America: Brave New World may have something to do with the creation of more Gamma mutates other than Red Hulk.

Hopefully, Captain America: Brave New World doesn’t kill off Red Hulk or take the transformation away from Thunderbolt Ross before he can fight the Hulk. After the events of Captain America: Brave New World, the Leader could create more Gamma monsters, including A-Bomb and possibly Betty Ross’ own Gamma transformation, Red She-Hulk. The creation of a small army of MCU Gamma monsters would give Smart Hulk a reason to get back into fighting shape after a rather long break from the brawl.

Upcoming MCU Movies

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  Captain America: Brave New World

  Release Date

  
  February 14, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Thunderbolts*

  Release Date

  
  May 2, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  The Fantastic Four: First Steps

  Release Date

  
  July 25, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Doomsday (2026)

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Spider-Man Homecoming 4

  Release Date

  
  July 24, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Secret Wars

  Release Date

  
  May 7, 2027
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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