The Marvel Cinematic Universe was never the same after Iron Man snapped his fingers and turned Thanos and his army into dust. Avengers: Endgame marked the final chapter of the Infinity Saga, and turning the page meant many things were going to change moving forward. Iconic heroes like Iron Man and Natasha Romanoff were out of the picture, while legends such as Hulk and Hawkeye took a step back and instead mentored new up-and-coming characters.
While Clint Barton's time in the MCU didn't exactly come to an end after Avengers: Endgame, his only appearance so far has been in his standalone Disney+ series. The character's absence was also influenced by the injuries Jeremy Renner sustained in real life after he was run over by his 14,000-pound snowplow. Naturally, his delicate recovery process meant he could not perform a role as physically demanding as Hawkeye for years. Fortunately, Renner is acting once again, prompting fans to ask the same question: Will he ever return to his iconic superhero role?
While Marvel has remained tight-lipped about what the future holds for Hawkeye, a new report may have revealed the project in which the character will make his long-awaited comeback.
Hawkeye will reportedly appear in Avengers: Secret Wars
According to industry insider Daniel Richtman, Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye will appear in Avengers: Secret Wars. The character wasn't part of the initial Avengers: Doomsday casting, sparking speculation that he could miss the end of the Multiverse Saga in its entirety. Instead, Marvel may be looking to "recreate" his arc at the end of the Infinity Saga, where he missed out on the first crossover project, Avengers: Infinity War, only to have a major role in the follow-up, Avengers: Endgame.
If this were to be true, the biggest question becomes: What role could he have moving forward? Well, before we break down a likely possibility, consider this an official warning: There might be spoilers ahead for the ending of Avengers: Doomsday and the overall premise of Avengers: Secret Wars, based on information revealed by scoopers.
Multiple reports indicate that we'll witness the creation of Battleworld before the credits roll on Marvel's upcoming crossover. This was to be expected, as it would mirror the events of the Secret Wars 2015 comic book series. However, this new world could present a horrifying scenario for Earth's Mightiest Heroes, as it has been rumored that most Marvel heroes will be "brainwashed" by the ruler of Latveria and will have no recollection of their past lives.
Only a handful of characters will retain their free will, and they will be divided into three groups: The newcomers (who are speculated to be the New Avengers/Champions), never-before-seen heroes (including Ghost Rider), and the veterans. It isn't far-fetched to assume that the likes of Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine will fall into the latter category. The only question remaining is: Who else will join them?
Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool is a very likely candidate to steal the spotlight in Avengers: Secret Wars, especially considering he isn't an official member of the Avengers: Doomsday cast yet (although many rumors suggest he will appear in the opening sequence). Likewise, Hawkeye could be yet another veteran character who could rise against Doom's reign and mentor the new generation of heroes along the way.
Interestingly, Jeremy Renner himself shared a cryptic image on his social media accounts that seemed to tease that he would suit up as Hawkeye once more. The timing of this post was particularly suspicious, as it coincided with reports that Avengers: Doomsday was undergoing reshoots to add more cameos. To add fuel to the fire, Elizabeth Olsen's stunt double, Jennifer White, also hinted that she was filming something as the Scarlet Witch around the same time.
There's a slight chance that Clint Barton's comeback will take place later this year in Avengers: Doomsday. Interestingly, it has been reported that Jon Bernthal's Punisher will also have a small scene in the upcoming crossover that will serve to show his point of view when Battleworld is suddenly created. With that in mind, Hawkeye's comeback sequence could be similar, putting us behind the eyes of the sharpshooter archer when the multiverse as a whole collapses.
Of course, nothing is set in stone unless Marvel states otherwise, so there's also a possibility Hawkeye won't be part of the final two movies of the Multiverse Saga. That being said, if Renner himself teased that he'll suit up once more, then it's very likely that he's just a few months away from returning to the big screen once more as Clint Barton.
Avengers: Doomsday will be released on Dec. 18, 2026.
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