New ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Art Gives Fans Their First Look at Gray Hulk
Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures came close to bringing a new version of Hulk to the big screen in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. New details from the official art book The Art of Spider-Man: Brand New Day reveal that Marvel’s creative team explored a Gray Hulk design for Bruce Banner’s transformation, but the idea was ultimately removed from the final movie.
For months, fans had speculated that Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner could appear as Gray Hulk in the upcoming Spider-Man film. Those rumors grew stronger after Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jacob Batalon teased the possibility during interviews, leading many viewers to believe Marvel was preparing to introduce the classic comic book version of Hulk.
However, those theories appeared to be shut down when the second trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day showed the familiar green Savage Hulk instead.
According to The Art of Spider-Man: Brand New Day (via AIPT), Marvel’s concept artists created several versions of Gray Hulk while developing Banner’s transformation sequence. The early designs gave the character a much darker and more intimidating appearance, taking inspiration from Hulk’s original comic book look.
The concept art showed a version of Hulk that looked less like Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner and more like a dangerous creature. The creative team reportedly wanted to make Hulk feel more monstrous and separate from the hero audiences had become familiar with.
In the end, filmmakers decided to keep the classic green Savage Hulk for the movie. The choice allowed the character to remain instantly recognizable while giving audiences the powerful version they already associate with major Marvel battles.
The art book also explained that the version of Savage Hulk appearing in Spider-Man: Brand New Day was designed specifically to look less like Ruffalo. The goal was to highlight Hulk’s more frightening side and show a character that feels closer to a true monster.
While Gray Hulk did not make it into the finished film, Marvel’s decision to explore the idea shows that the studio is interested in diving deeper into Hulk’s comic history. Gray Hulk has been a popular version of the character for decades, especially because of his different personality and connection to Bruce Banner’s complicated mind.
This would not have been the first time Marvel considered using a gray version of Hulk. Similar ideas were explored during the development of Avengers: Age of Ultron, where early concepts reportedly featured a grayish Savage Hulk. However, Marvel again chose to stick with the traditional green appearance.
Keeping the green Hulk may also help Spider-Man: Brand New Day avoid adding too many complicated ideas. The movie already has to balance Spider-Man’s story with major characters and events, so introducing another Hulk identity could have required additional explanation.
A Gray Hulk storyline could have taken attention away from Peter Parker’s journey, especially if the movie focused too much on Banner’s different personalities. The classic Savage Hulk allows the film to deliver a simple and powerful conflict between Spider-Man and one of Marvel’s strongest characters.
Which Hulk version would you rather see in the MCU next?
Still, the fact that Marvel created Gray Hulk designs suggests the idea is not completely off the table. As the MCU continues expanding Hulk’s story, the character could eventually appear in another project, possibly during a larger crossover event like Avengers: Secret Wars.
For now, fans will have to wait until Spider-Man: Brand New Day arrives in theaters on July 31 to see how Marvel uses Hulk’s latest version.
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