Thanks to a Spider-Man: Brand New Day set pH๏τo, I’m convinced the MCU will give us the Hulk story we’ve waited 10 years for. Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s story is mostly being kept under wraps, but the start of shooting has revealed some key elements. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day costume is one such reveal, for instance.

Beyond that, though, several other details have been gleaned from Spider-Man 4 set pH๏τos. Be it the reveal of Jon Bernthal’s new Punisher outfit or the glimpses of a mᴀssive action set piece that resulted in half of Glasgow city centre being shut down, Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s production is kicking off in high gear.

To align with this, several reports about Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s cast have been released. When combining the reveals of the set pH๏τos and the updates about the film’s cast, I believe Spider-Man 4 can offer the MCU Hulk story we have been wanting for the last decade.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s Set PH๏τos Seemingly Confirm Mister Negative As An MCU Villain

Firstly, it is worth exploring one specific aspect of Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s set pH๏τos. In one of the images, a tank can be seen donning a red logo. This logo looks akin to that of the Inner Demons from Marvel Comics, a gang run by a Spider-Man villain known as Mister Negative.

Mister Negative has long been touted as the potential villain for Spider-Man 4, with the symbol visible on set seemingly confirming as such. However, it is worth noting that this is simply conjecture, and the symbol could mean something else. Nonetheless, Mister Negative would certainly be a cool villain to see in a live-action Spider-Man movie.

A popular Mister Negative fancasting for Spider-Man 4 was asked about a potential role recently. ScreenRant‘s own Liam Crowley asked Daniel Dae Kim about the possibility, with Kim replying: “It’s interesting. I’m always up for an interesting role and an interesting project.” Kim would be a great choice, but this all remains speculation.

That said, with the Spider-Man: Brand New Day set pH๏τos hinting that Mister Negative may be involved, the speculation could soon become official. If so, this opens up the possibilities for storytelling where some confirmed MCU characters are concerned.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Will Feature Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk

One of the confirmed MCU characters in question is Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. It was first reported by THR that Ruffalo had been cast in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, with the report outlining that the film could feature Hulk, Spider-Man, and The Punisher clashing with one another before discovering the film’s true villain.

In the same report, Michael Mando was confirmed to return as Scorpion, last seen in Spider-Man: Homecoming‘s post-credit scene. Whether he will be the main villain of Spider-Man 4 remains to be seen, but it is clear the тιтular webhead will have some help via Hulk and Punisher.

Concerning the Hulk, it is unclear whether he will be depicted as Smart Hulk or revert to his rageful ways. Since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, Bruce Banner and Hulk have been one and the same, with the latter’s angry alter ego making way for the former’s calmer, smarter demeanor.

If the rumors that Hulk and Spider-Man will clash in the movie are true, it is hard to see why Smart Hulk would engage him. Therefore, this could hint at a return of the angry Hulk, something that has not been part of the MCU for 10 years, since Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Mister Negative Could Allow The MCU’s Angry Hulk To Return After 10 Years

If the angry Hulk does return to the MCU in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the possibility of Mister Negative being in the film could explain why. In Marvel Comics, Mister Negative has the power to alter people’s minds and control them, just as he does in the recent Insomniac Spider-Man game that somewhat popularized the character.

If Mister Negative is in Spider-Man 4 and takes issue with Peter, he could control Hulk as a means of taking Spider-Man out. This would explain why Hulk is clashing with Spider-Man, as he cannot control himself, much like his last angry outburst in Avengers: Age of Ultron was caused by the Scarlet Witch.

Since Age of Ultron, Hulk began a character arc. His character was still somewhat angry but more sentient during 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. Avengers: Infinity War focused only on Bruce Banner before the five-year time jump in Avengers: Endgame confirmed the development of Smart Hulk.

If this theory comes true, Spider-Man 4 could finally bring angry Hulk back. Audiences have not been overly receptive to Smart Hulk, with many wishing for an angry version of the character to return. Mister Negative could be the key to this, explaining Hulk’s involvement in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Why Mister Negative Mind-Controlling Hulk Would Benefit Spider-Man 4

If Mister Negative does mind-control Hulk in Spider-Man 4, it would only benefit the film. For one, the aforementioned issue of audiences not connecting with Smart Hulk would be removed. Moreover, it would allow Spider-Man to shine in a way Smart Hulk would not.

If Smart Hulk appeared, he could easily be a mentor figure to Spider-Man, like Tony Stark and Doctor Strange were in the past. This has also been a criticism of the MCU’s Spider-Man in the past, yet angry Hulk would avoid this. If Hulk is mind-controlled and is someone Spider-Man has to stop, it would only prove how experienced the latter has become.

This would allow Spider-Man to stand on his own as a major MCU superhero, capable of standing up to the Hulk, The Punisher, and, potentially, Mister Negative in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.