‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Toy Leak Confirms Significant Cameo
Marvel has been teasing the return of Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner to the big screen for months, and at this point, the toys have all but told us exactly how that arc plays out. ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ has become one of the most merchandise-leaked films in recent MCU memory, with Hasbro, Funko, LEGO, and now Monogram all steadily revealing character lineups that paint a surprisingly detailed picture of the film’s plot ahead of its release.
The latest wave of reveals centers on Monogram’s collectible bag clips, a product line that tends to function as a surprisingly reliable piece of storytelling by proxy. These small, mass-market items have a long history of quietly confirming what big-budget blockbusters prefer to hide until opening night, and this batch is no different.
What makes the new Monogram lineup particularly significant is the inclusion of Smart Hulk in casual attire alongside the more prominent Savage Hulk that prior merchandise has already established. The bag clips suggest that Banner will also become Smart Hulk, either before or after his rampage, implying a narrative arc in which he begins the film in his intelligent merged form before reverting to something far less controlled. The rest of the lineup on those clips includes Scorpion, Boomerang, Tarantula, Tombstone, and a figure identified as Red Ninja, alongside multiple Spider-Man variants.
This is not the first time merchandise has hinted at the Smart-to-Savage Hulk transition. The first trailer for ‘Brand New Day’ showed Banner back in human form, with Smart Hulk contained by the Hulk Inhibitor Device he wears on his wrist, a piece of technology previously introduced in the Disney series ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’. That device is widely expected to malfunction during the film, triggering the return of the original, enraged version of the Hulk.
Leaked plot details have already teased a fight scene between Spider-Man and the angrier, classic version of the character, and fan speculation about a brief trailer moment, in which Spidey appears to be launched skyward by his own webs, has suggested the sequence actually shows him attempting to hold back a jumping Hulk. The Monogram clips, which depict Smart Hulk in relaxed clothing rather than battle gear, seem to support a reading where Banner starts the film as a helpful presence before the inhibitor gives way.
Beyond the Hulk angle, the bag clip lineup also reinforces just how densely packed the villain roster is. According to the film’s official synopsis, four years have passed since the events of ‘No Way Home’, and Peter Parker is now living alone after erasing himself from the memories of those he loves. As the demands on him grow, he faces an unexpected physical change that threatens his existence alongside a strange wave of crime emerging across New York.
Michael Mando is confirmed to be reprising his role as Mac Gargan, also known as Scorpion, which was first teased in the mid-credits scene of ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’, while Marvin Jones III portrays Tombstone, marking the villain’s live-action MCU debut. The inclusion of Boomerang and Tarantula in the Monogram set, alongside Red Ninja, suggests the film is committing to a genuinely sprawling street-level threat landscape rather than a single central antagonist.
The film’s cast includes Tom Holland as Peter Parker, Zendaya as MJ, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds, Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle, and Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova in an expected cameo. Director Destin Daniel Cretton, speaking during CinemaCon, described the production as a daily exploration of “how to create an event, an emotional story, and a ride that we haven’t really seen before.”
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ opens in theaters on July 31, and based on the toy aisle alone, it already has a great deal to live up to.
What do you think of the Smart Hulk reveal in the Monogram bag clips, and are you excited for the Hulk vs. Spider-Man showdown? Let us know in the comments.
