Marvel has finally offered an explanation for why Bruce Banner appears in the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings mid-credits scene instead of Professor Hulk.
Eternals co-writer Kaz Firpo spoke to Screen Rant about the new Marvel Studios movie and what it means for the MCU. During the discussion, he touched on the status of many of the main Avengers, providing insight into why Mark Ruffalo's cameo in Shang-Chi sees the good doctor back to his human form.
"I think in terms of the timeline, we just lost Tony, we just lost Cap, Natasha's gone, Hulk is currently working on himself, I think to make himself human rather than smart Hulk," Firpo said. "So I think that all the Avengers were just pretty busy."
This is the first time anyone from Marvel has commented on Banner's appearance in the scene, which sees him and Captain Marvel talk to Wong, Shang-Chi, and Katy via hologram. Noticeably, Banner's arm is in a sling, meaning the moment comes after Avengers: Endgame. It seems that despite his assertion that the version of the character in Endgame was the best of both worlds, he wanted to be human again. Of course, that doesn't mean Hulk is gone for good.
Ruffalo will reprise his role as Banner for She-Hulk, which is expected to arrive next year on Disney+. A recent batch of reported leaks claimed that the show will follow the comics, with Banner giving his cousin Jennifer Walters a blood transfusion, allowing her to become She-Hulk. Interestingly, the details in that leak stated Banner reverted to human form to give Jennifer the blood. It was also claimed that Banner will once again have trouble transforming back into Hulk. It's possible both this and Firpo's comments are true and Banner will change back for a variety of reasons, helping his cousin along the way, though it's worth noting that the writer admits he doesn't know the details for a fact.
As for the future of Shang-Chi, another recent set of rumors claimed the sequel to the hit film will go into production in 2023 alongside the long-rumored Nova and Thunderbolts movies. The latter could see the return of Abomination, who will also appear in She-Hulk after showing up in Shang-Chi.
Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings hits Disney+ on Nov. 12. Eternals is currently in theaters.
Source: Screen Rant