PETALING JAYA , Nov 17 — The most hardcore fan of Marvel’s superhero collective in the Avengers, wouldn’t bat an eyelid picking out the ‘weak link’ in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s original six core members in Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye.
After all, how do you compare to a genius billionaire playboy philanthropist, America’s sweetheart juiced up on Super Soldier Serum, a rather adorable green giant with a tantrum (blame it on gamma ray exposure), a God or a hot and very highly trained former KGB assassin.
As Hawkeye himself says in 2015’s Avengers : Age of Ultron to Wanda Maximoff, “Ok, look, the city is flying, we’re fighting an army of robots, and I have a bow and arrow. None of this makes sense.”
Jeremy Renner who plays the archer extraordinaire even took a self-deprecating stab at himself in a parody of Avengers on SNL.
So when Hawkeye was announced to have earned his own series on Disney+ as part of the MCUs Phase Four plans, some were left wondering why.
In an hour-long online press conference yesterday morning with the global press, Malay Mail found out as actors Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton/Hawkeye), Hailee Steinfeld (Kate Bishop), Tony Dalton (Jack Duquesne), Vera Farmiga (Eleanor Bishop) were joined by Marvel Studios head honcho and executive producer Kevin Feige and Hawkeye executive producer and director Rhys Thomas.
Renner is Hawkeye
So why Hawkeye the series?
Simply put, Feige said that he really just wanted more Jeremy Renner.
‘Well, primarily, it’s, uh, Jeremy Renner. We wanna see more Jeremy Renner,” says Feige,
“This reluctant mentor under the surface. One of my-under-under the surface.
“One of my favorite scenes in all of our films is the scene with Clint and Wanda in Sokovia, when he basically says, you go out that door, you’re an Avenger and motivates to join the fight.
“And that was the kernel of what of-of how we could connect our MCU incarnation of Clint Barton into the Matt Fraction storyline and the relationship with Kate Bishop.”
The inspiration
The ‘ Matt Fraction storyline’ Feige refers to is the series’s inspiration based on Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye 22-issue comic book run between 2012 to 2015.
“The Matt Fraction comics, which I’m sure people have been spending a lot of time talking about over these last few press days, was a big tonal inspiration for us.’
Thomas called it “such amazing source material.”
“I think early on, talk was about that specific tone that Fraction run has as a real lynchpin.
“I mean ultimately, it’s funny but again, as we’re saying about the show it’s also intimate and this amazing character study.”
Hawkeye the series takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame where Barton runs into Bishop and more trouble, which he aims to resolve ASAP to get home in time to his family for Christmas.
While a six-part series may pale in comparison to a feature length movie for some, Hawkeye director Rhys Thomas believes that the expanded runtime as a six-part series allows viewers to develop a better connection with the characters.
“I mean, you know, it’s getting to spend time with these characters and let them grow.
“And so yeah, getting to really have the runway to do that is, you’re always gonna take it.”
A real marvel Christmas
The trailers tease the theme of Christmas in New York.
“This is fun because it is a Christmas story that is taking place during the holidays and it also is based on early discussions about a limited time period, about setting a series in, you know not quite real time but essentially in a six-day period,” Feige said.
“Six episodes. Six days. Will Clint make it home for Christmas?”
For fans however, Christmas definitely came early with the inclusion of a favourite furry sidekick in Lucky The Pizza Dog.
“Well if you’re going to do Clint and Kate, you have to do Lucky. That was pretty much a given.”
The chemistry
While the focus is of course on Barton post Avengers : Endgame, he’s teaming up with another archer this time as Kate Bishop (Steinfeld) joins the MCU.
“It’s a wonderfully complicated relationship or friendship or partnership, all these types of things,” said Renner.
“I think it’s a really dynamic, dynamic relationship. I’m excited to see it all.”
Steinfeld said, “There’s a really true friendship there and an understanding (between Barton and Bishop).
“Kate sees Clint as someone, despite his past, as someone who wants to do good and wants to help people and that’s all she wants to do in life.
“And she’s inspired by him and motivated by him and wants to be on his level and is very over eager and he puts up with a lot. But she really delivers at the end of the day.”
“There are moments within all of Jeremy’s appearances where you see this reluctant mentor under the surface,” Feige said.
“She is a younger character with that younger energy, which is a nice counterpoint to Clint who is so battle-worn and been through it,” said director Rhys Thomas.
“But it’s also showing that she has what it takes. Clint has chosen to do this. Kate is someone who is feeling herself called to it.”
Young Avengers?
The introduction of Kate Bishop, amongst several other new characters, has been one of the many speculations on the possibility of a Young Avengers project not too far down the road.
Steinfeld isn’t overthinking it however, and is just set on enjoying the moment.
“This feels so crazy to me right now just sitting here with this group of people.
“I’m so grateful to be a part of this show and this universe and it’s only the beginning, the show’s not even out so I’m looking forward to that day.
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself. I try and take everything one step at a time. And like I said, I mean this thing isn’t even out yet, I can’t believe it.”
Guarded throughout the hour-long press conference, Feige, as well as the cast and crew who joined him kept mum on questions revolving around the future direction and the connections to the MCU’s future direction courtesy of Hawkeye.
One thing that is confirmed that will emerge from Hawkeye as fans have been buzzing will be the introduction of Echo, the adoptive daughter of the Kingpin and a supporting character of Daredevil.
‘’As announced on Disney+ Day last week, the Echo series, as we see Maya Lopez go from the end of this series into that series, will be the next direct link.”
The swordsman
Apart from Bishop and Echo, the Hawkeye series introduces what appears to be a renamed Jack Duquesne (Dalton).
In the comics, Jacques Duquesne is an Avenger known as Swordsman, but Dalton dodged questions about the role.
“He’s sort of a family friend and then he becomes in love with Eleanor Bishop and they have sort of a little bit of a relationship and you don’t really know where he’s coming from.
Survivor's guilt
Fans of Hawkeye however need not worry about too little of Barton and Hawkeye with the excitement of the introduction of new characters and possible future plotlines in the MCU.
With nods to Barton’s deafness as introduced in the Fraction run, there’s also settling unfinished business after he is forced to confront his past of Ronin’s murderous vigilante appearance that fans got a taste of in Avengers : Endgame and his own seemingly readiness to hang up his bow and devote his time to his family.
“I suppose it’s survivor guilt outside of just dealing with the loss.
“You know, there’s a lot of things that are lost. It’s addressed in this show which I think is beautifully intimate. It brings our characters closer together as well as the audience.
“There’s a lot of weight that’s carried. There might be a veneer of grumpiness in this resting face, right?” mused Renner.
“But ultimately it comes from just the weight and the horrors and the tragedies and loss that come with the game.”
“Managing losses is the superhero game.”
HAWKEYE debuts exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar on Nov. 24, 2021
