Mark Ruffalo, we love you. There’s a reason this guy just got his Hollywood Walk of Fame; he’s one of the most popular and likeable actors in the business right now. Of course, as much as his fans care for him, the Marvel execs that have kept him in gainful employment for the past decade plus change have no doubt earned themselves a few more gray hairs over that period due to his honest, unfiltered personality. Tom Holland is right — Mark Ruffalo really is the biggest walking Marvel spoiler of them all.
As of February 2024, he’s seemingly done it again, providing us with yet another instance where Ruffalo has inadvertently dropped a massive MCU secret and gone viral in the process. Marvel has tried pairing him up with other actors in press tours, they’ve tried giving him false scripts… Nothing has worked. Kevin Feige and company should no by now that nothing can stop the Hulk. If he wants to smash the rules of his NDA, he’s gonna smash ’em.
Spoiling Infinity War‘s ending 1 year too soon
This is the moment when Ruffalo transformed spoiling Marvel secrets into a true artform. While chatting all things Marvel with Good Morning America at D23 in July 2017, the Hulk star couldn’t resist his excitement for Infinity War and exclaimed: “Wait until you see this next one — half… everyone dies!” Don Cheadle’s wide-eyed, stuttering reaction to Ruffalo just casually giving away the Marvel twist of the century is a thing of pure beauty. Remarkably, most fans assumed this was simply a bit… Until a year later when we saw the film and realized he was telling the truth all along. We suspect there’s a reason Ruffalo and Cheadle haven’t been paired together on an MCU press tour since — Cheadle’s doctor probably recommended it.
Livestreaming the first 25 minutes of Thor: Ragnarok on Instagram
This has got to be Ruffalo’s most infamous goof, right? In October 2017, the star was allowed to livestream himself going into the world premiere of Thor: Ragnarok, for a cute bit of publicity that could be enjoyed by his millions of followers. Unfortunately, Ruffalo — a self-admitted novice to the livestream feature — forgot to end the stream before the film started. So, although he put the phone away in his pocket, everyone around the world was still able to hear the audio for the film’s first act… before he finally switched it off.
For his blunder, Ruffalo admitted on The Graham Norton Show that he was seriously worried he was going to get fired when Marvel prez Kevin Feige called him into his office the next day. Instead, things played out a little differently. As Ruffalo recalled: “I walk over to him to say sorry, and he grabs me in a bear hug and he’s like, “That was genius! We got more press from that than the entire premiere!”‘
Hyping us up for a Hulk/Rocket team-up
In the grand scheme of things this one doesn’t seem too bad, but the length of time that this spoiler was “live” for makes it one of Ruffalo’s most egregious slip-ups. In October 2017 — he was real busy that month — the actor spoke to USA TODAY about how Hulk gets to team up with Rocket Raccoon in Infinity War. “First of all, it’s the biggest superhero and the smallest. Just keeping them in a frame together is a feat and hilarious in itself,” he teased. As it turned out, Ruffalo had mixed up his movies and such a partnership never occurs in Infinity War, but it does in Endgame. So he accidentally dropped a big secret a full year and a half ahead of time.
Spoiling Endgame‘s ending before it was in theaters
Of course, by the time Endgame was releasing, Marvel had learned to take precautions in an effort to minimize Mark’s motor-mouth — to put a clamp on those loose lips of his, so to speak. Unfortunately, Ruffalo proved himself a true superhero of giving away spoilers when he accidentally dropped a big one… while talking about how Marvel didn’t tell him anything anymore! During an anecdote to E! about all the fake Endgame scripts and endings he received, Ruffalo pointed to co-star Chris Evans and announced “He gets married in this one!” Although he probably thought he was giving away a fake spoiler here, in actual fact Ruffalo was naming a real one, as Steve Rogers does indeed settle down with Peggy Carter in the film’s final scenes.
Telling us he’s in Captain America 4 (maybe)
Four years later, and Ruffalo is still at it. Well, maybe. We think. We’re almost certain, anyways. During a Q&A at Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Ruffalo was asked if he’s in Captain America: Brave New World. “Yeah,” he replied. The stunned interview then asked him if he’s allowed to admit that, to which he responded, “Yeah… It’s gonna be great!” Variety then quickly put out an article claiming that Marvel sources told them Ruffalo is mistaken and he simply meant that, yes, Cap 4 is an upcoming Marvel film not that he’s in it. In the immortal words of Marcia Brady; “Sure, Jan.”
Mark Ruffalo, please never change.