Could Jeremy Renner Play Hawkeye?
Exclusive: Actor reveals Marvel talks
With just three short years to go before Marvel unveils the most ambitious superhero movie of all time,
The Avengers, we already know most of the line-up. Youve got Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, and wed be astonished if Scarlett Johansson didnt find a place in the team as Black Widow.
Which leaves, pretty much, Captain America and the supergroups cant miss/wont miss archer, Hawkeye. But, as exclusively revealed in this months issue of
Empire (now on sale in all good newsagents), Jeremy Renner may well be the man to fill the purple tights of the latter Avenger. Which is ironic, because when Empire asked him about The Avengers, we were enquiring about the blue tights of the former.
I dont know if Id be right for Captain America, said the 38 year old actor, whod previously been linked with the role of Cap on that there internet. I met with the Marvel guys, actually, but we didnt talk about Captain America. But one of the writers, Zak Penn, weve become friends over time and he was thinking maybe Hawkeye could be interesting. He sounds like an interesting character.
True enough. Not to be confused with Alan Aldas character from
MASH, or indeed the hi-tech camera system that comes part and parcel with Wimbledon coverage, Hawkeye aka Clint Barton is a master archer, more than making up for his lack of superpowers with a keen eye, a steady hand and a never-ending quiver of tricksy arrows.
An Avenger since 1965, hes long been an integral part of the team. So its pretty much a given that hed crop up in
The Avengers movie. But Marvel isnt going to just pitch him into the action the company is aiming to introduce him gently first, in a cameo.
But
Empires conversation with Renner took place after Iron Man 2 wrapped so, unless they go back and add him in reshoots, all sneaky like, it seems more likely that hell crop up in
Thor or
The First Avenger: Captain America. Does Renner have inside info? If I was a betting man, I would bet that Hawkeye would probably show up in Thor, and then be in The Avengers, he said. But do I know for sure? I cant say. But Id love for that to happen. Itd be fun.
Marvels interest in Renner is further proof that the Californian native has finally punched through, thanks to his wonderful turn in Kathryn Bigelows
The Hurt Locker. But lets sound a note of caution: its by no means confirmed that Renner will actually turn out to be Hawkeye. No offer has been made, he confirmed. I think theres a little ways from that.
For one thing, Marvel may well be talking to a whole raft of young, blond actors and decide to go in another direction (say, Bradley Cooper). And for another, Renners been here before, and recently, having spent three months testing and chatting with George Miller about the role of Mad Max in
Fury Road, only to lose out, seemingly, to Tom Hardy. But hes surprisingly stoic about the whole thing.
Im just happy to get considered for big franchise roles like that, he said. Im not [doing the] casting. If they see me that way, right on. If they dont, Im ok with it.
So, what do you think, readers? If Marvel bring Renner on board, is he the perfect Hawkeye? And if not, who else might be able to pick up Bartons big bow?
For more from Renner, and more on
Iron Man 2, pick up the new issue of
Empire, now on sale.