Hawkeye actor Jeremy Renner is officially coming back to Marvel for the first time since his Disney+ series. Renner has forever held a special place in the MCU as one of the OG Avengers, having debuted in 2011's Thor ahead of the 2012 ensemble. For the most part, the Avenging Archer has been absent in the Multiverse Saga, only appearing in Phase 4's Hawkeye on Disney+ and four episodes of What If...? Despite rumors, the studio has thus far failed to conjure up Hawkeye Season 2, and the future looks bleak for Clint Barton as he passed the mantle of Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop in his streaming series.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige joined the stage at D23 Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase to announce the upcoming MCU-themed attractions coming to Avengers Campus in California. The announcement unveiled that MCU veteran Jeremy Renner will officially return as Hawkeye for the Avengers: Infinity Defense ride, marking his first appearance since Disney+'s Hawkeye in 2021.
The King Thanos-focused ride is slated to open at Disney California Adventure in 2028, after Avengers: Secret Wars hits theaters in December 2027 to conclude Phase 7 and usher in a "reset" of the MCU with universe-altering changes. Renner is joined in Infinity Defense by Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, Anthony Mackie's Captain America, and Chris Hemsworth's Thor, but the real question is what this means for Hawkeye in the on-screen MCU going forward.
The MCU has seemingly toyed with bringing Renner back to the MCU in recent years, even making him an "insult" offer to return for Hawkeye Season 2. However, the sophomore outing never moved forward, and almost five years later, it seems doubtful that Marvel Studios will ever pick Hawkeye back up.
Renner is expected to skip his second MCU crossover this year, as he hasn't yet been confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday after sitting out Avengers: Infinity War. But is Marvel Studios planning a surprise return for Renner's Hawkeye in either Doomsday or Secret Wars? Well, that's the million-dollar question.
Is Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye Done at Marvel Studios?
As Marvel Studios is reportedly cutting back on live-action Disney+ shows, Hawkeye Season 2's chances of happening are heading ever-closer to zero. But that's not to say that there isn't a place for Jeremy Renner in the MCU, as there could still be room for him in the Avengers franchise or other crossovers.
Last year, Jeremy Renner raised speculation that he would return in Avengers: Doomsday after reposting the trailer on Instagram. Of course, the actor may simply have been showing some love to many of his close friends and his time with the franchise, or he may have been teasing that he will return this December.
Notably, Renner was on one rumored cast list for Doomsday, and the latest Avengers: Infinity Defense news may be a sign that he will feature. Not only does the ride reassociate the actor with the MCU for the first time in half a decade, but Kevin Feige stated that the scenes for Infinity Defense were captured "on the set of Avengers: Doomsday," hinting that he may be involved in the production.
Even if he doesn't show up this time around, there is a good chance that Marvel Studios can find room for him as one of the many brainwashed heroes and villains living under Doctor Doom's reign on Battleworld in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Avengers 5 may already have one Hawkeye in the mix, as Hailee Steinfeld is rumored to reprise Kate Bishop and team up with other young heroes, such as Ms. Marvel, Cassie Lang, Wiccan, and Speed. That team, supposedly the Champions, may be getting its own project in Phase 7 or beyond, and Clint Barton could be the perfect elder statesman figure to guide them into the future.
