Hawkeye brings back Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton for a festive yet thrilling adventure during Christmas in New York, but he is not alone due to Kate Bishop's sudden arrival. The series has already kicked off its six-episode run on Disney+, and so far, the Barton and Bishop pairing has proven to be one of the show's strengths.
Before its debut on the House of Mouse's streaming service, Hawkeye had been the subject of rumors and leaks, a common trend among MCU projects. For starters, Hailee Steinfeld's involvement in the series was confirmed through a series of leaked set videos and photos.
Even though it was made clear that Steinfeld was included in the sharpshooter series, Marvel was tight-lipped about it, but it didn't stop the actress from sharing more details about her looming MCU debut. It wasn't until The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's virtual launch that Marvel Studios ultimately confirmed Steinfeld's casting by showing the actress in a promotional video.
Hawkeye's rumor mill didn't stop there as Daredevil's Wilson Fisk, who is played by Vincent D'Onofrio, was also reported to join the MCU series. This was further amplified by the actor's consistent teases on social media, leading many fans to theorize what this meant for his potential inclusion.
One of Hawkeye's producers has addressed the topic of fan theories in a new interview amidst the leaks and rumors.
Hawkeye Producer Responds to Leaks & Fan Theories
In the Winter 2021 issue of Disney's D23 Magazine obtained by The Direct, Hawkeye producer Trinh Tran talked about fan theories that emerged online during the show's production.
Tran admitted that "it is fun" to see how fans are "coming up" with their own theories, pointing out that some of them are "spot-on:"
"I try not to read too much into it, but it is fun at times seeing how fans are coming up with what they think is happening based on what they can piece together. Sometimes, they are spot on, while other times, I wonder how on Earth some of these conclusions came about."
Marvel Snipers, Assemble!
Warning - this section contains spoilers for Episode 3 of Hawkeye.
Marvel Studios is best known for its heavily-guarded secrets, but it has been apparent that significant story beats and character appearances in the studio's projects are part of the rumor mills online. Many would agree that almost every MCU project on the horizon is connected to at least one rumor or scoop from movie insiders and trade outlets.
Trinh Tran's comment is an indication that Marvel Studios executives are at least aware of the rumors and insights from fans.
While the producers can never really confirm or deny them, the fact that they are following what fans can piece together should motivate the dedicated audience to keep the speculation alive online.
Looking ahead, it seems like one of the popular Hawkeye rumors will likely be confirmed. Hawkeye's third installment highlights Echo's uncle as a powerful figure in the MCU, and many fans believe that he will ultimately be revealed as Wilson Fisk a.k.a. Kingpin.
From a brief glimpse of the character in the episode to Vincent D'Onofrio's timely and cryptic tweet, evidence suggests that Kingpin's proper MCU debut will soon arrive.
Whatever the case, it's reasonable to assume that Hawkeye still has secrets that have yet to be revealed despite the various rumors.
The first three episodes of Hawkeye are now streaming on Disney+.
