Jeremy Renner's time in the MCU appears to be far from over. The Hawkeye actor recently posted a photo of his character's costume on social media, accompanied by the "Hawkeye Theme" from the Disney+ series. With Avengers: Doomsday putting on its finishing touches and Avengers: Secret Wars production in full swing, one of the original members of the titular team is seemingly back in the fold. All that remains is figuring out how Clint Barton fits into the two-part event.
In Renner's last appearance in a Marvel Studios production, he crossed paths with Kate Bishop and realized she was worthy of taking on the Hawkeye mantle. Clint was happy to leave the hero game behind and head home to be with his family, as he had done many times before. But the MCU is the franchise that never sleeps, meaning there's always another Avengers-level threat around the corner.
If Hawkeye is really back, he's going to need all the help he can get. After all, while he's as quick-witted as any hero, he's still just a guy with a bow and arrow. Most of his friends are scattered, though, so it might be time for him to bring them together. In Marvel Comics, Hawkeye founded a team known as the West Coast Avengers, which, as its name explained, fought crime near the Pacific Ocean.
Notable members of the West Coast Avengers included War Machine, Vision, and Scarlet Witch, all heroes without a home in the MCU. Of course, Scarlet Witch seemingly died at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. However, there's too much smoke around the fire of her return to rule her out. Meanwhile, Vision and War Machine are on journeys of self-discovery after taking significant blows, making them strong candidates for the new team.
And to round out the roster, Hawkeye should reach out to none other than Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man. The character's Disney+ series met an untimely end after initially securing a Season 2 renewal. Kevin Feige and Co. have assured the public that Simon isn't gone for good. To be true to their word, they must put Simon on a bigger stage, one that has the potential to make well over a billion dollars at the box office.
Introducing another Avengers team at this point might seem like overkill. The New Avengers only just formed, and Sam Wilson's team is likely to stick around for the long haul because Captain America is leading it. But the MCU can never have enough superhero teams, especially at a time when they might start dropping like flies.
The West Coast Avengers Could Be the Key to the Multiverse's Survival in Avengers: Secret Wars
The stage is already set for Avengers: Doomsday. The two Avengers teams, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men will contend with a threat that is hell-bent on destroying realities. As Thor so eloquently put it in the movie's first trailer, Earth's Mightiest Heroes are going to need a "miracle" to come out of the movie victorious. Avengers: Secret Wars' existence more or less confirms that one isn't coming, at least not initially, because there would be no need for a follow-up if the forces of good prevailed.
In Jonathan Hickman's Secret Wars comic, Doctor Doom gained ultimate power and created Battleworld, where he served as ruler. The villain found new jobs for all of his enemies, wiping their memories and making them forget who they are. If Doomsday follows the source material's lead, it could very well end with the creation of the MCU's version of Battleworld.
Thor and Co. becoming Doom's playthings would be a tough pill for fans to swallow. Fortunately, the pieces are in place for the West Coast Avengers to be the miracle that the God of Thunder was hoping for.
Jeremy Renner's archer has enough experience with the magical and wacky to lead an assault on Battleworld. Hawkeye will need his own magic user to combat Doom, and no one is better than Scarlet Witch. Doomsday's marketing has already drawn a line between Wanda Maximoff and Robert Downey Jr.'s new villain, making a future fight between the two feel like a foregone conclusion.
Vision can also hold his own in a fight, even without the Mind Stone. Toss in a motivated War Machine, who will want to make up for lost time after the events of Secret Invasion, and Wonder Man, a character who's only scratching the surface of his potential, and Hawkeye's squad is set up to make plenty of noise.
Whether the West Coast Avengers would have a future beyond Secret Wars is unclear. However, Renner clearly isn't ready to hang up his bow just yet. The powers that be at Marvel Studios should take full advantage of that and put his character in a leadership position that allows him to do more than play second fiddle to all of his teammates.
