Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has largely been driven by the idea of legacy so far, but it’s also given some background characters the chance to step into the spotlight and take top billing in a project for the very first time.
It worked wonders for Elizabeth Olsen in WandaVision, Anthony Mackie in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Tom Hiddleston in Loki, so it stands to reason that Jeremy Renner will make the most of his opportunity when Hawkeye starts rolling out on Disney Plus from November 24th.
The actor has been part of the franchise for over a decade at this point, but he’s largely operated on the fringes of the mythology as either a hard-nosed badass or dedicated family man, although he briefly segued into revenge-fueled vigilantism in Avengers: Endgame. However, the introduction of Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop is set to add a brand new layer to both Hawkeye the character and Renner’s performance.
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, producer Trinh Tran teased that Kate’s youthful exuberance is going to have a major effect on the world-weary expert archer.
“There’s the family man that we’ve portrayed, a more serious character who is no-nonsense and gets through what he needs to do to accomplish the mission. But here he’s pit against Kate, who is super energetic and at times annoying. It’s putting the two of them together and seeing what comes out of that.”
Bickering odd couples and mentor figures passing down their knowledge to the next generation are staples of both the action and superhero genres, and with two hugely talented stars in the lead roles, a stacked supporting cast and a spinoff to set up, Hawkeye has plenty going on outside of a central duo that’ll no doubt forge a mutual respect that blossoms into full-blown friendship.
