REPORT: Total 'Hawkeye' Rewrite Confirmed for the Marvel Cinematic Universe

While the majority of his fellow Avengers (with the technical exception of Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk) received their own films, Hawkeye received his standalone project in the form of a Disney+ series. The show premiered in 2021 and followed Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) grappling with his Ronin past while mentoring Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), ultimately passing the torch to a new generation (aka the Young Avengers).

In recent years, there have been mixed reports about whether the series will remain a standalone project or receive another outing. In January, industry insider @JamesMackwl claimed that Marvel is working on a second season of Hawkeye with Kate Bishop as the lead. The season would reportedly serve as a “definitive send-off” for Clint Barton and Renner in the MCU.

Renner himself previously alleged that Disney offered him a low salary to return as Hawkeye. During an interview with High Performance, Renner – who underwent a life-changing accident in January 2023 after he was crushed by a snowplow weighing 14,330 pounds – claimed that he was offered “half” of the salary he received for the first season of Hawkeye. “I’m like, ‘Well, it’s going to take me twice the amount of work for half the amount of money, and eight months of my time, essentially, to do it for half the amount,’” he revealed.

Disney’s Rough Ride With Hawkeye, Revealed

While the jury’s still out on whether Hawkeye will return, a recent report has suggested that its first outing didn’t exactly go as planned – potentially impacting the way Disney views its potential renewal.

Speaking on The Watch podcast, writer Andrew Guest said Avengers: Doomsday co-director Joe Russo — a former collaborator from Community — personally called to ask if he could help shape the Clint Barton and Kate Bishop storyline.

Andrew Guest said his involvement in Hawkeye came at a critical moment. “[Trinh Tran] calls me three minutes later,” he recalled, explaining he was sent six completed episodes and told production would begin in New York in just over a week, with plans to “rewrite the whole thing.”

Guest made clear he was brought in late, after multiple rewrites and a full writers’ room cycle. He described himself as “literally the last call they could make,” noting a prevailing belief that the series could be “fix[ed] as we go,” which ultimately shaped how the show moved forward.

He pointed to several core issues. Kate Bishop was “written too young,” the chemistry between Hailee Steinfeld and Jeremy Renner “wasn’t there,” and the story had accumulated too many twists that were “gumming up the works.” Even so, Guest emphasized the process was collaborative, adding, “I needed their help as much as they needed mine. And we got through that process.”

Guest’s work on Hawkeye ultimately strengthened his standing at Marvel. He was later tapped to serve as head writer on Wonder Man, a project that briefly moved forward before being halted by the 2023 strikes.

Production paused amid the dual labor actions by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, which coincided with a broader internal reassessment of Marvel’s television pipeline.

That reckoning led the studio to abandon its previous “fix-it-in-post” approach to streaming series, most visibly reflected in the mid-production creative overhaul of Daredevil: Born Again.

Will Jeremy Renner Return to the MCU?

For now, it’s unclear whether Renner will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The actor was not included in the lengthy cast list for Avengers: Doomsday. However, it’s worth noting that Marvel is apparently staying silent on several character appearances, and that we also have its follow-up, Avengers: Secret Wars (and potentially a third film, if Secret Wars is split into two) to look forward to.

Clint Barton has been part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Thor (2011), appearing across multiple Avengers films as one of the franchise’s original members. Hawkeye revisited his Ronin period from Avengers: Endgame, exploring the violent path he took after losing his family in the Blip and the guilt he carries over Natasha Romanoff’s (Scarlett Johansson) death.

Off-screen, Renner has made headlines in recent months after being accused of misconduct by Chinese filmmaker Yi Zhou. Zhou alleges Renner sent “unwanted/unsolicited” explicit images of himself via social media and later threatened to call immigration authorities when she confronted him about his behavior, claims that Renner’s representatives have strongly denied.

Renner’s attorney has labeled the allegations “false, outrageous and highly defamatory,” and both sides have exchanged cease-and-desist letters as the dispute continues to draw media attention. The developments mark one of the more prominent controversies surrounding the star since his 2023 accident and recovery narrative resurfaced in public discussion.

Would you like to see a Season 2 of Hawkeye?