Jeremy Renner Reveals the Wild Mom Moment That Left His Mayor of Kingstown Co-Star Stunned

Jeremy Renner is back stomping through Kingstown, and this time he brought a secret weapon: his mom. After surviving that horrifying 2023 snowplow accident, the 54-year-old Avengers alum returned to set with titanium hardware, a careful plan, and a cast and crew who basically formed a human crash pad around him. Season 4 lands this month, and yes, it sounds gnarlier and tighter than ever.

Renner came back under one house rule: do not break Jeremy

Renner says his return to Mayor of Kingstown only worked because everyone agreed to keep him safe, physically and mentally. He joked that his mom made the terms crystal clear to co-creator and co-star Hugh Dillon (who also plays Ian).

'My mom would kill Hugh if he did anything wrong.'

Context, in case you somehow missed it: in January 2023, Renner was run over by a 14,300-pound snowplow while trying to save his nephew. He lived, rebuilt, and eventually went back to work with metal in his body and a lot of caution. Early on, he literally leaned on his castmates to get through scenes, and he says the entire crew watched his back while he rebuilt his confidence. Or as he put it on CBS Mornings:

'Everybody is very good about taking care of me.'

Dillon and Sheridan had to promise mom they would

Dillon remembers the moment Renner came back: he promised Renner's mother they would take care of him. Taylor Sheridan was on the same page, telling the team to do whatever Renner needed to work safely and feel human again, not just grind out pages.

'Taylor always said, "Whatever it takes." ... With the titanium in his body, I want him to be happy. This is his life — it is not just work.'

Quick reality check: the show's on an upswing

If you bailed early, the numbers have actually trended in the show's favor. Season 1 hit Rotten Tomatoes at 33% (launched November 14, 2021). Season 2 ticked up to 50% (January 15, 2023). Season 3 jumped to 78% (June 2, 2024). That is a nice climb.

Season 4 vibe: fewer detours, more pressure

Renner says the new season keeps the focus tight: most of the storylines lock in on the core players, which means less wandering and more sustained tension. And then there is the big new piece on the board: Edie Falco joins as Nina Hobbs, the no-nonsense new warden of Anchor Bay Prison. She is a brick wall for Mike McLusky from day one, and Renner says she causes him trouble all season, especially as he tries to protect his brother — a cop who ends up in prison.

Falco, who made an art form out of formidable on The Sopranos, is all-in on another power role. She says she has often been offered parts originally written for men and learned to enjoy playing women who operate from real authority, with real confidence.

Hugh Dillon on Season 4: 'It is a detonation, not an escalation. The blade's sharper. The cuts go deeper... It is an incendiary season 4.'

When and where to watch

Mayor of Kingstown Season 4 hits Paramount+ on October 26, 2025, with a two-episode premiere. The season runs 10 episodes, then drops weekly through December 21.

• Oct. 26: Episodes 1 & 2
• Nov. 2: Episode 3
• Nov. 9: Episode 4
• Nov. 16: Episode 5
• Nov. 23: Episode 6
• Nov. 30: Episode 7
• Dec. 7: Episode 8
• Dec. 14: Episode 9
• Dec. 21: Episode 10

New episode drop times: United States at 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET; United Kingdom at 8:00 a.m. BST; France at 9:00 a.m. CEST; India at 12:30 p.m. IST; Japan at 4:00 p.m. JST; Australia at 5:00 p.m. AEST; United Arab Emirates at 11:00 a.m. GST; Mexico at 2:00 a.m. CST; Canada at 3:00 a.m. ET; Brazil at 4:00 a.m. BRT.

The bottom line

Renner is playing Mike McLusky with the same grit he used to get back on set in the first place, and the show is tightening the screws around him. Edie Falco as a hardline warden feels like exactly the kind of problem this series knows how to weaponize.

All previous seasons of Mayor of Kingstown are streaming exclusively on Paramount+. You in for the new run?