Ever since it was rumored that Mark Ruffalo would be appearing in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and would potentially become an antagonist in the film, there has been plenty of speculation about how all this would come about. Now, a new rumor has suggested that Bruce Banner’s connection with the Spider-Man story could be about to get very personal for Peter Parker.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is coming in hot with several interesting casting choices, including appearances of Ruffalo’s Hulk (although the actor continues to claim ignorance), Jon Bernthal’s Punisher, and several villains such as Scorpion and Tombstone. Now, there has been a new rumor – which should be treat as such for now – that the film will reveal that Peter Parker’s parents were killed by Hulk during the Battle of New York in 2012’s The Avengers.
This would set up a strong reason for Parker to take issue with Hulk, and could lead to the two coming to blows and Hulk going off the rails again after several years as Smart Hulk. Other rumors have already claimed that all those wishing to see Ruffalo really hulking out again will finally get to see it in the upcoming movies with the “most savage Hulk” the MCU has seen being unleashed.
Did Hulk Kill Peter Parker’s Parents?
There are many people who believe that Marvel Studios come up with random storylines on a whim to make connections in the MCU. Others will call them out for making up controversial stories just to try and boost dipping cinema audience volumes. However, while many have shared their view that they hope this latest rumor is not true, there has already been a version of this story told in Marvel Comics.
While the MCU’s Spider-Man storylines have not touched on how Peter Parker’s parents died, there have been several versions in other movie outings. Some iterations of the webslinger have revealed they died as government agents on a mission when their plane crashed, others have suggested a car accident. However, in the Ultimate Marvel universe, Richard and Mary Parker were killed after being involved in the experiments that turned Bruce Banner into the Hulk (this being different to his Gamma radiation origin). During Banner’s first “Hulk out” he destroys the building, killing both of Peter’s parents in the process.
This could be the basis for Brand New Day’s revelation, albeit switching the event to the Battle of New York, the climactic third act of 2012’s The Avengers, where Hulk was responsible for some of the devastation brought to the city while fighting to save it. The rumors have stated that the death of Richard and Mary Parker would be seen as an accident, but it would certainly add an extra dimension to the story, and the grief of the revelation could trigger something dark to take over Banner in the coming Marvel movies.
Other than in The Incredible Hulk, Marvel Studios have been restricted from using the Hulk character in all but ensemble pieces thanks to the wonderfully convoluted world of rights issues. There have been several reports that the constraints of the deals surrounding Hulk may have been lifted, and that has led to speculation of a World War Hulk adaptation coming in the future. Whether that happens is uncertain, but these new rumors are certainly not the most elaborate that we have seen.
- Release Date
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July 31, 2026
- Director
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Destin Daniel Cretton
- Prequel(s)
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Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spider-Man: No Way Home
- Franchise(s)
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Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man
