Mark Ruffalo has offered a lighthearted explanation for why his name wasn’t part of Marvel’s highly publicized Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal, leaning into a running joke about his reputation for letting spoilers slip.
During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Fallon teased Ruffalo about his absence from the Doomsday rollout and reminded him that he has a history of accidentally revealing too much. Ruffalo played along, saying Marvel likely thought it was “better to get rid of” him than risk him revealing the ending of the next movie.
What Ruffalo said about missing the cast reveal
The exchange was framed as a joke, not a confirmation that Ruffalo has been written out of the film. Fallon asked why Ruffalo wasn’t included in the cast announcement and referenced how Ruffalo has been “in trouble” before for spoilers. Ruffalo responded with the punchline that Marvel made the safer choice by not including him.
Entertainment Weekly also noted that it remains unclear whether Ruffalo will appear in Avengers: Doomsday, since Marvel has not formally confirmed his involvement either way.
The real context: Ruffalo’s long-running spoiler reputation
The joke works because Ruffalo genuinely has a track record of revealing Marvel details too early.
Entertainment Weekly points to several moments fans still bring up, including an accidental live-stream that captured part of Thor: Ragnarok in 2017 and a separate incident where he blurted out major Infinity War implications months before release (followed by an immediate attempt to walk it back).
That history has become part of his public Marvel persona, so his “they benched me for safety” line reads as self-aware humor rather than a serious leak about his status.
What Marvel actually announced for Avengers: Doomsday
Marvel’s cast reveal was intentionally theatrical: a long livestream unveiling names one at a time. In Marvel’s own recap, the studio confirmed 27 cast members and ended with a teasing message that suggests the list might not be complete.
The announced roster includes major MCU faces such as Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, Florence Pugh, and Simu Liu, plus multiple actors associated with the X-Men films, including Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen. Robert Downey Jr. was also listed, with Marvel positioning his return as Doctor Doom.
Notably, Mark Ruffalo was not among the names in Marvel’s published cast list.
Why an absence from the announcement doesn’t automatically mean “not in the movie”
Marvel regularly manages cast information in stages, especially on projects meant to generate ongoing speculation. In this case, Marvel’s own recap explicitly leaves the door open by implying there’s “always room for more.”
So Ruffalo’s missing name can mean a few different things:
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He genuinely isn’t in the film.
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He appears in a smaller capacity Marvel wants to keep quiet.
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He may be involved in material being held back for marketing or story reasons.
Right now, there’s no official confirmation from Marvel that settles which of those is true.
Where Avengers: Doomsday stands right now
Marvel’s official movie page lists Avengers: Doomsday for a U.S. theatrical release on December 18, 2026. Industry reporting has also described the date as a shift from the earlier May 2026 slot.
Until Marvel finalizes and publicizes a complete cast (if it ever does), Ruffalo’s Tonight Show comment is best treated as what it clearly was in context: a clean, funny answer that avoids confirming anything while nodding to a reputation fans already know.
