Now we know why Hawkeye season 2 never happened

Most of Marvel’s live-action series only last one season, but one that seemed primed for more adventures was Hawkeye. The 2021 Disney+ miniseries was not only a fun starring vehicle for Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton, but also introduced Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop to the MCU. Over three years later, there has still been no official word from Marvel about the show’s future, and now, thanks to Jeremy Renner, we finally know why.

In a recent interview with The High Performance Podcast (shared on TikTok), Renner explained that Disney and Marvel did plan to make Hawkeye season 2, but apparently wanted to offer the star half as much money to return to the role:

“They asked me to do a season 2, and they offered me half the money,” Renner said. “And I’m like, ‘Wow, it’s gonna take me twice the amount of work for half the amount of money and eight months of my time, essentially. And I have to do it for half the amount.’”

Renner then implied that his life-threatening 2023 incident, in which he was run over by a snow plow, might have contributed to the offer. “Did you think I’m only half the Jeremy, because I got ran over?” Renner told the podcast hosts.

The actor then clarified that he wasn’t blaming Marvel Studios or Disney as a whole, but rather “the penny pinchers” and “the accountants.” Renner then noted that he still loves Hawkeye and would love to do season 2, but he didn’t see eye to eye with the company.

What the future holds for OG Hawkeye in the MCU remains to be seen. The first season of the Disney+ series did introduce us to a new Hawkeye (played by Hailee Steinfeld) who could take Renner’s place among the Avengers in a future crossover. Renner’s name was conspicuously absent from the Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal stream, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be in the movie or its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars.