These days, Jeremy Renner is flying high with his career following his stint with Marvel Studios. Cast as Clint Barton/Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the actor is surely grateful for being cast in one of Hollywood’s most lucrative film franchise. But, shockingly, Renner hasn’t always been so jolly about the work.
No, really. He apparently wanted to kill the archer not all that long ago.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Speaking at a Q&A in London, Renner revealed he wasn’t all that pleased with Hawkeye during The Avengers. “[I]n the first Avengers…I was just getting to know who Hawkeye was, and then zap, I go round like a zombie, I’m like Loki’s minion,” he said. “And I’m still not even sure who Hawkeye was at that point. So I’m a little frustrated, because I was so excited to figure out who Hawkeye was.”
Of course, fans will remember Hawkeye made his first big-screen appearance in Thor where the archer observed the Norse god manhandle his way back to Mjolnir before being subdued. However, his screen time was short then, and Hawkeye only got marginally more time in The Avengers when he was in his right mind. So, feeling fed-up, Renner decided he’d tell filmmakers it was okay to kill of his character should they want to free him from the project.
Jokingly, Renner explained, ” just had a heart attack in every scene – I’d just be walking with…Scarlett Johansson, and just like be ‘ugh.’ And they said, ‘What are you doing man?’” Renner finished the anecdote, recalling that he told them, ‘I’m giving you an option, if you just want to kick me out of this movie. Just you know, at any given moment, if you wanna kill me off, daddy’s gonna be having a heart attack.’”
However, those days have now passed as Hawkeye has gotten more on-screen loving in The Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War. “I don’t really want him to die now,” Renner said, reassuring fans. “I really got to explore him a lot, and I can’t wait to explore him more, and there’s some really cool ideas coming up. Really cool ideas. Great deaths! Amazing ways to die.”
Just, hopefully, Hawkeye won’t be one of those characters kicking it anytime soon. That would be all sorts of bad timing, don’t you think?
