How 'Hawkeye' Finally Gives an Avenger His Due – The Hollywood Reporter

[This story contains spoilers for Hawkeye episodes one and two.] Hawkeye has always made for something of a hard target in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From his brief introduction in Thor (2011), to his recent stab at redemption as Ronin in Avengers: Endgame (2019), Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) has always been the most underexplored of the original Avengers. Chalk it up to Avengers filmmaker Joss Whedon’s decision to keep him brainwashed for the majority of The Avengers (2012), a nod to his comic counterpart’s villainous origin, or the fact that a guy who shoots arrows is always going to have a more difficult time standing out amidst monsters, gods and super-soldiers, Hawkeye has never been anyone’s favorite Avenger. Despite the character’s long comic book history as the one-time leader of the West Coast Avengers, and a former carnie forever trying to live up to Steve Rogers, even if that meant butting heads with him, much of that history never made it to the screen. Renner, who imbued the character with a sense of warmth, and weary doggedness against ever-escalating threats, has been given a handful of memorable moments in the MCU, but rarely a chance to dig his heels into…
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