While the harshest critics will claim the Marvel Cinematic Universe 'fell off' after Avengers: Endgame, let's remember we've had certified TV hits like WandaVision and Loki, as well as box office goliaths like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Still, as the MCU has been accused of relying on nostalgia to keep it alive, that's only set to get worse as Avengers: Doomsday brings back even more familiar faces from the ghost of Marvel movies past.
We've come a long way from Joss Whedon's The Avengers, with a trifecta of these stars due to return in some capacity in Doomsday. While Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans are confirmed to reprise their roles as Thor and Steve Rogers/Captain America, Robert Downey Jr.'s much-hyped return sees him step up to the plate as Doctor Doom.
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There are question marks about whether the rest of the old guard will return, but while Jeremy Renner and Scarlett Johansson have categorically said they won't be back as Hawkeye and Black Widow, Mark Ruffalo's upcoming appearance in Spider-Man: Brand New Day makes a Doomsday reprieve even more likely.
Recent rumors claimed that Ruffalo had been 'fired' from the MCU after he used his platform to speak out against the USA's Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
At January 2026's Golden Globes, Ruffalo was seen wearing a 'BE GOOD' pin on the red carpet and told USA Today: "This is for Renee Nicole Goode, who was murdered."
He then referred to President Donald Trump as 'the worst human being' and added: "If we’re relying on this guy’s morality for the most powerful country in the world, then we’re all in a lot of trouble.
"So this is for her. This is for the people in the United States who are terrorized and scared today. I know I’m one of them. I love this country. And what I’m seeing here happening is not America.”
Ruffalo isn't alone in his opinions on ice, with fellow MCU star and Breaking Bad legend Giancarlo Esposito saying it's time for a 'revolution'.
In the aftermath of people calling for Chris Pratt to be fired after he offered condolences to Charlie Kirk's family, the idea that Ruffalo had been let go from the MCU for condemning ICE and the POTUS quickly caught on.
For fans of the fan-favorite actor behind Bruce Banner/the Hulk, Ruffalo has assured them he isn't going anywhere.
The News Movement asked Ruffalo whether he was fired, with the star reiterating: "Not that I know of. People keep going, ‘Did you get fired?’ I’m like, ‘Not that I know of'."
This was while promoting Crime 101, as co-stars Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry referred to it as 'nonsense' while saying they'd 'protest' in support of him. Given that Hemsworth is another of the MCU's biggest names, it's likely reassuring that he's got Ruffalo's back.
As for his future in the MCU, Ruffalo concluded, "I’ll be there as long as they have me. I have a good relationship with them. You know, who knows, there might be things I’m already doing that are…I’m around. Let me just say that.”
It's unclear whether these 'things' are simply Brand New Day, a possible Doomsday appearance, or the long-rumored World War Hulk movie, but either way, Ruffalo looks like he's here to stay.