Jeremy Renner’s Future as Hawkeye in Doubt After Disappointing MCU Offer

Well, Hawkeye fans, it looks like we may be saying goodbye to Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton sooner than expected—and for real this time. There’s a lot of smoke online about Marvel moving forward with a second season of Hawkeye, but here’s the twist: Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop is apparently taking the lead, and Renner might not even be back for a last bow.

Season 2: Kate Out Front, Clint Probably Bowing Out

So, what’s actually happening? According to some Marvel scoopers (primarily James Mack, if you want names), the plan is for Hawkeye season two to be all about Kate Bishop—with Clint Barton getting what’s being described as a “definitive send-off.” To translate: it sounds like they’re killing him off, or at least retiring the character for good.

Mack said it pretty plainly in a response to a fan asking about the new season and rumors it was canceled: “The idea is to have Kate Bishop as the protagonist, without Clint this time. This would be Clint Barton’s definitive send-off (possibly a death, I honestly don’t know).”

Not that anyone’s too shocked, but if you were hoping for more of that mentor-mentee dynamic from the first season (which, by the way, scored a tidy 92% on Rotten Tomatoes), you’re probably out of luck.

The Money Drama: Renner V. Marvel

Here’s where it gets messier. Back in 2025, Renner opened up about Marvel/Disney offering him literally half his pay for season two compared to what he got for the first season. His response? Pretty blunt. “Did you think I’m only half the Jeremy because I got ran over?” he said. (This was after his infamous snow plow accident, if you’re wondering what he’s referencing.)

He made it clear he’s still got love for the character, but according to him, the cash just didn’t match the value. No shock that he’s not racing to sign on again.

Is Renner Even in Avengers: Doomsday?

If you’re holding out hope for a Clint Barton cameo in Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars, you’re about to be disappointed. Renner told The Breakfast Club, “No, damn no,” when asked if he’d be in those movies. When the host joked about Marvel maybe hiring a cheaper, alternate universe Hawkeye, Renner’s answer was pretty much “go for it.”

He even dropped into RDJ’s Instagram comments on the Doomsday poster reveal to cheer him on—“I’m sure you will crush it!!!”—which, yeah, doesn’t sound like a guy who’s in the movie.

And Then There’s the PR Nightmare

Just to add more fuel to the fire, Renner’s name has come up in some not-great headlines recently. His filmmaking partner, Yi Zhou, accused him of “unsolicited behavior” and even threats—her post basically called out Hollywood for sweeping “bad behavior” under the rug. Renner, for his part, has denied all the accusations. But we all know this sort of controversy is catnip for studios to back away from talent, at least temporarily.

Renner’s Marvel Payday: Not Exactly Pennies

If you’re wondering how hard Marvel’s “insulting” offer really hit, here’s a quick rundown of what Renner’s earned from Marvel so far:

• Thor (cameo): Likely a six-figure check, in line with what other new MCU faces got.
• The Avengers: $3 million.
• Avengers: Age of Ultron: $6 million, thanks to Robert Downey Jr. vouching for pay raises.
• Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Endgame: The numbers kept climbing—by Endgame, it was reportedly $15 million.
• Hawkeye series: The guess is he pocketed an upfront check around his Endgame rate, though nobody’s put out a specific dollar amount.

When you tally it all up, Renner’s MCU run probably banked him around $45 million. Fun fact: One study claims he was Marvel’s highest-paid actor per second of screen time—$14,748 every second he was on, totaling about 50 minutes across the franchise.

For those keeping score, Renner’s not exactly hurting for work: he’s the lead on Mayor of Kingstown these days, with a reported $1 million per episode salary. So if Marvel wants to lowball him, he’s got other places to be.

Anyway, if Marvel really does pull the trigger on Hawkeye season two without Renner, it’ll be interesting to see if fans stick around for just Kate. (I’ll miss the archery jokes, at least.)

Hawkeye season one is streaming on Disney+, if you need to revisit before the baton officially passes.