With Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, fans are searching for clues on which heroes will return. Now, Jeremy Renner has offered a telling hint about the future of his archer, Hawkeye, suggesting whether retirement is going to stick for Clint Barton or not.
Jeremy Renner says Hawkeye ‘started retired’ in MCU
Jeremy Renner was recently asked if Hawkeye has hung up his arrows for good ahead of the upcoming Avengers film. “I think he started retired… but he’s always pulled out of retirement, you know,” Renner told ComicBook. “I think he’s a family man; you always know where his allegiance lies, and he’s always come out of retirement, man. Until he’s killed, he’s always gonna be working,” the MCU star added.
Renner’s comment sums up Hawkeye’s MCU journey so far. Barton has tried to leave the superhero life behind multiple times, like first stepping away after Avengers: Age of Ultron, then being placed under house arrest following Captain America: Civil War. Even his Disney+ solo series Hawkeye began with him living quietly before his past as Ronin pulled him back into danger. Each time, he’s drawn back into the fight, proving Renner’s point: Hawkeye never stays retired for long.
Interestingly, Renner’s sentiment mirrors that of Avengers: Endgame co-director Joe Russo, who once said, “When you’re a hero, your job is to die… To sacrifice yourself for the greater good.” That philosophy makes his potential return in Avengers: Doomsday highly likely, but it could even hint at a darker fate awaiting him in the upcoming crossover.
While Marvel has yet to confirm if Jeremy Renner is part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast, speculation has only intensified as the 2026 release draws closer. Of the original Avengers, only Chris Hemsworth’s Thor is officially confirmed to appear, leaving fans to wonder whether Barton, Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), and even Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) might rejoin the team.
