Much like Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne, Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye didn’t feature in Avengers: Infinity War whatsoever, and it turns out the Russo Brothers never had any intention of including Marvel’s wayward archer to begin with.
There’s a good reason for that, of course, as screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely have seemingly carved out a much bigger role for Hawkeye in Avengers 4 – word is it’ll involve that long-rumored transformation into Ronin, as previous set photos teased Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and their run-in with the Yakuza.
Circling back to Infinity War, though, and it’s fair to say that Hawkeye was sorely missed from the sequel’s marketing campaign, resulting in a series of rather brilliant mock-up posters, as impassioned fans took it upon themselves to include Jeremy Renner’s sharpshooter in the proceedings. And it’s this support that tickled Renner prior to the film’s arrival, with the actor saying:
It’s a nice feeling, I suppose. I think the Russo brothers got way too many death threats. I’m like, ‘Wow, dude, that’s intense. I’m sorry!’
Death threats? Because a fictional character was shelved from one movie so that he can enjoy a bigger role in the next? Have a word with yourself, Internet…
Be that as it may, we know Avengers 4 is gearing up for a summer of reshoots, which ought to ensure that Joe and Anthony Russo’s conclusive blockbuster is in tip-top shape by the time 2019 (and Captain Marvel!) rolls around. And after that? Studio chief Kevin Feige recently teased the possibility of a Ms. Marvel movie taking flight soon after Carol Danvers’ origin story, though at least for now, Phase 4 remains draped in a thick veil of secrecy.
Expect Avengers 4 to light up theaters on May 3rd, 2019.