As fans wait to find out what the next iteration of the Avengers will be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jeremy Renner believes his Hawkeye character should lead his own version of the West Coast Avengers. Next week marks the long-awaited debut of Hawkeye on Disney+, which follows Jeremy Renner’s titular character as he meets a young protege in Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop. While Marvel Studios continues to quietly introduce the roster of a potential Young Avengers team, Renner explains why Hawkeye would be perfect in a West Coast Avengers project.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Ali Plumb of BBC Radio 1 interviewed Jeremy Renner, where the actor was asked his opinion on Hawkeye being “under utilized.” Renner responded that he’d his wish would be to see Hawkeye step up in a leadership role similar to Captain America. “I think where you mentioned the word ‘under utilized,’ well look, he was the leader of the West Coast Avengers,” Renner said. “I would personally love to see him be in that sort of Captain America leader role. Actually, which, I think he would succeed in. Calling the shots and doing these types of things, right? As a quarterback, instead of being more like a wide receiver, these types of things, right? That would be really interesting, I think, to see him do.”
The video from Renner’s interview quickly shared the cover to 1984’s West Coast Avengers #1 by writer Roger Stern and artist Bob Hall. “Who will answer Hawkeye’s call to join the new team?” the cover asks. Hawkeye is front and center in his classic purple superhero costume, with headshots of heroes such as Iron Man, Namor, Tigra, Wonder Man, Hercules, Black Widow, Quicksilver, Puck, Mockingbird, and Cyclops look on. The issue’s story plays off of the cover’s recruitment as Hawkeye and Mockingbird travel to the Avengers West Coast compound to meet their new teammates.
Other comics have also put Hawkeye in a leadership role, with Secret Avengers being a more recent example. Coincidentally, Captain America is the one who suggests Hawkeye take over for him as the leader of the team. Clint Barton and Kate Bishop also co-starred in the latest volume of West Coast Avengers in 2018.
Hawkeye has played a complementary role in the MCU, but his self-titled Disney+ series will allow fans to get to know more about the archer. It’s assumed that Clint Barton will pass the Hawkeye mantle over to Kate Bishop by the end of the series, though that has yet to be confirmed.
What do you think of a potential Hawkeye-lead West Coast Avengers project? Let us know down in the comments!