Jeremy Renner Reveals Why Hawkeye Season 2 Isn’t Happening — And What It Means for the MCU’s Future

 Welcome back to The Cosmic Wonder! I’m one of your hosts, Chris Rosser, and today we’re diving into some major updates from one of the original Avengers himself, Jeremy Renner. In a recent interview, Renner pulled back the curtain on why Hawkeye Season 2 is not moving forward, and the reasons point directly to something fans are all too familiar with: corporate greed.

The Real Reason Hawkeye Season 2 Was Scrapped

In the interview, Renner revealed that although he was approached to return for a second season of Hawkeye, the offer came with a significant pay cut. According to Renner:

“They asked me to do a season two, and they offered me half the money. I’m like, well, it’s going to take me twice the amount of work for half the amount of money—eight months of my time, essentially. I told them to go fly a kite because of the insulting offer.”

He emphasized that he wasn’t asking for a raise — he simply wanted the same compensation he received for Season 1. While Renner made it clear that the lowball offer didn’t come directly from Marvel, he pointed to Disney accountants and penny-pinchers as the culprits.

Despite his love for the character of Clint Barton and his desire to continue the story, Renner ultimately walked away. He noted that while it was disheartening, perhaps his body is thanking him for not taking on the physical demands of another season right now.

Why Fans Are Disappointed

Many fans were eagerly anticipating Hawkeye Season 2, especially with the introduction of Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), whose character is deeply tied to future MCU storylines such as the Young Avengers. The Hawkeye series also introduced key players connected to Daredevil: Born Again and the Kingpin storyline, hinting at even more interconnected storytelling.

With Renner stepping away, it leaves a huge question mark about whether Clint Barton will have a role in the evolving Young Avengers arc or even appear again in the MCU at all.

Bigger Implications for the MCU

Renner’s revelation comes at a time when several Marvel projects are either being canceled, delayed, or reworked. Titles like Blade, Eternals 2, and various Disney+ series have all been pushed back or shelved, with many insiders pointing to an impending MCU reboot that could reshape the entire cinematic universe after Avengers: Secret Wars.

With the introduction of the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and other major players on the horizon, the MCU is setting the stage for a fresh slate of heroes while paying homage to its original characters. However, there will inevitably be a line drawn between which characters survive into the new era and which ones do not.

Until recently, many assumed Renner’s Hawkeye would be a mentor figure for Kate Bishop and the Young Avengers — perhaps in a mentor-from-a-far role. Now, his future involvement is in doubt.

Could Hawkeye Still Return?

It’s still very possible we’ll see Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Given his status as one of the last remaining original Avengers from Earth-616 (alongside Thor and Hulk), it’s hard to imagine Marvel leaving him out of those massive crossover events.

But with the friction between Renner and the studio, some speculate that Hawkeye could become one of the major casualties in these upcoming movies, similar to the way Infinity War ended with devastating losses. Rumors suggest Avengers: Doomsday will feature a brutal war over the TVA, Loki’s power, and Doctor Doom’s ambitions to take control of the multiverse and form Battleworld — a scenario likely to produce high stakes and high casualties.

Final Thoughts

Personally, I’m a huge fan of Jeremy Renner and his portrayal of Hawkeye. I would love to see him continue in the MCU, but I completely understand his stance on fair compensation. As an OG Avenger, he deserves respect from the fans and the studio.

While I still expect him to make appearances in Doomsday and Secret Wars, it’s possible those appearances could mark the end of Clint Barton’s journey in the MCU. Whether his character gets recast in the eventual reboot remains to be seen.

What do you think of Renner’s comments and what this means for Hawkeye’s future? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below — and as always, stay tuned here for all things MCU!