"I’m like, ‘I’m sorry?: Jeremy Renner turns down Hawkeye season 2 after being offered only half his original salary

Marvel fans who love Hawkeye have been itching to hear about a second season, but Jeremy Renner, who plays the main character Clint Barton, says talks for his comeback haven't gone well. In a chat with High Performance, Renner opened up about what's happening behind the scenes that's stopping the Disney+ show from continuing.

The star said that talks for a second season hit a wall because of a big pay cut they offered for him to come back. While he wanted to play the role again, Renner made it clear that the deal didn't match the work and time needed.

“They asked me to do Season 2, and they offered me half the money. I’m like, ‘Well, it’s going to take me twice the amount of work for half the amount of money, and eight months of my time, essentially, to do it for half the amount,'” he said.

He hinted that the lower offer might have something to do with his bad accident in early 2023 when he got badly hurt after a snowplow ran over him while he was helping his nephew.

“I’m like, ‘I’m sorry? Why? Did you think I’m only half the Jeremy because I got ran over? Maybe that’s why you want to pay me half of what I made on the first season,'” he said.

https://twitter.com/CultureCrave/status/1918034565744214391

Jeremy Renner addresses pay dispute and uncertain future of Hawkeye season 2

Even though Renner's injuries were serious, he's bounced back well and still shows excitement for the role. He made it clear he wasn't asking for a bigger paycheck just the same pay as before. Renner pointed out that Marvel Studios didn't make the call. Instead, it came from the money people had invested in making the show.

While the prospect of a second season remains uncertain, Renner hasn’t closed the door entirely. He mentioned that although talks didn’t progress this time, he’s open to returning if fair terms can be agreed upon. For now, he seems content focusing on his recovery and other opportunities, while leaving the future of Hawkeye open-ended.

“This is not Marvel, mind you. This is like, just Disney, not even really Disney. It’s just the penny pinchers, the accountants. I told them to go fly a kite. I mean, just at the at the insult offer. So we didn’t see eye to eye on it,” Renner said. “Sadly, I still love the character. I’d still love to do it, but I I had to defend myself. I didn’t ask for any more money, mind you. Just pay me what I made made the first season. So it’s all disheartening that that didn’t happen, but that’s fine. I’m happy to let that go, because my body’s probably thanking me, time and time again, that I’m not doing it right now. But we’ll see.”

The first season, which aired in 2021, was well-received and also featured performances from Hailee Steinfeld and Florence Pugh. Whether or not Barton returns to the MCU in a second season, fans continue to show support for Renner and his journey.
 

Gomala Devi is a journalist at Primetimer. 

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering and has over three years of experience as a content writer.

Gomala was drawn to writing after reading the Harry Potter series, and she developed an interest in fashion and pop culture at the same time.
She loves exploring the newest developments in the lifestyle space and crafting interesting opinion pieces. She references official websites, interviews, and social media to ensure that her work is factually sound.

In her spare time, she loves to read books and play chess.