What If…? season 2 saw the debut of a purple Hulk, and the new color was supposed to be the fourth in the MCU if all had gone according to plan.

The new Hulk should have been the fourth different color for the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While there have been two actors as the face of the Hulk in the MCU, with Edward Norton originating Marvel Studios’ version of the hero in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk and Mark Ruffalo assuming the reins of the character from 2012’s The Avengers onward, the Hulk has only really been known as the Green Goliath in the MCU. However, things are finally changing for the MCU’s Hulk.

Marvel Studios’ final 2023 release, What If…? season 2, featured a purple hulk variant as Happy Hogan came into contact with the Hulk’s blood in the animated series, getting transformed into a version of the obscure Marvel Comics character known as the Freak. While a purple Hulk has finally made its way into the MCU, past live-action Marvel Hulk plans that were abandoned included other colors for the Hulk, which would have made the animated series’ purple Hulk the fourth different color for the Hulk in the MCU.

The MCU Had Plans For Four Different Hulk Colors

Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk Could Have Looked Different

The main color for Hulk in Marvel Comics, and his only in the MCU so far, is green. Hulk was green during Norton’s short tenure in the role and has continued so for Ruffalo’s more than ten years as Bruce Banner. Besides, She-Hulk and other Hulk-related characters are also green in the MCU. The Hulk’s color was never meant to only be green in the MCU until the purple Hulk variant’s 2023 debut, as Marvel had plans for both gray and red versions of the Hulk in the past, which would have made purple the Hulk’s fourth MCU color.

2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron was originally going to have Hulk switch from green to gray as he became “Berzerker Hulk.” Avengers: Age of Ultron‘s gray Hulk would have appeared when the Scarlet Witch meddled with Banner’s fight, which would have led to the Hulk becoming gray as he fought the Iron Man in his Hulkbuster armor. During an interview with Comicbook.com, The Incredible Hulk‘s scrapped sequel plans were revealed by director Louis Leterrier, who talked about ideas for other Hulk colors in the canceled movie, saying, “There was like Grey Hulk, Red Hulks – there was a lot of good stuff that we were planning.”

Will More Hulks Appear In The MCU?

A New Hulk Should Debut Soon

While Marvel’s original plans for a Red Hulk did not pan out, the character should be making his MCU debut in the near future. Harrison Ford is the new face of the MCU’s Thunderbolt Ross, who becomes Red Hulk in the comics, and a set photo from Captain America: Brave New World teased Ross becoming Red Hulk. In the photo, Ford wears damaged pants that look just like Banner’s after he transforms from Hulk to human. Ruffalo also recently commented that he can see Hulk “going back to ‘Berserker Hulk’ or ‘World War Hulk’” in the future, which could finally bring Gray Hulk to the MCU.