Jeremy Renner’s Surprise Over Robert Downey Jr’s MCU Return & Possible Hawkeye Return

It turns out, it wasn’t just the Comic-Con crowd gathered in Hall H—and subsequently, the rest of the world—that were shocked by the news that Robert Downey Jr. was returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Downey’s fellow Avenger, Jeremy Renner, told US Weekly that he was floored by the announcement that Downey was headed back to the MCU, but not to play Tony Stark, but rather, the most iconic Marvel villain of all time (with apologies to Thanos), Dr. Doom. Renner was one of Downey’s longtime Avenger teammates, dating back to the very first film, 2012’s The Avengers, yet Downey kept his return a secret from his old buddy. In fact, none of the original Avengers cast were aware—Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth—that Downey was donning a new mask (but the same task, as he put it) in the Russo Brothers (also returning!) upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

“No! I had no idea. The son of a b***h didn’t say anything to me,” Renner told US Weekly. “We’re good friends. There’s the Avengers family chat. The original six. He said not a peep. I got online and started blowing up his phone like, ‘What’s going on? You’ve been hiding this from us the whole time?’ It’s exciting news. I’m really, really excited about it.”

Renner then revealed that he might be joining Downey in the upcoming Avengers films—the major difference is that Renner would continue portraying Clint Barton/Hawkeye, while Downey’s Dr. Doom would be his adversary. (Not for nothing, Hawkeye and Iron Man fought, too, in the original The Avengers when Loki turned Hawkeye into a mindless minion.) Renner last played the sharpshooter on the Disney+ series Hawkeye.

“You got Downey back in the mix, you got the Russo Brothers back in the mix. This is a direction where Marvel is going to do well,” Renner said. “The Avengers movies have always been fan favorites and there’s so many wonderful characters in them. It’s going to be challenging to get everyone together. But I am excited about it. We’ll see. I think we’ll probably be doing it. It’s all brand new. They just made the announcement. They got to start figuring it out.”

Renner was hospitalized after his snow plow accident in 2023, a horrific scare in which he suffered orthopedic injuries, including eight ribs broken in 14 places, blunt chest trauma, a broken right shoulder, left tibia, left ankle, and more. He’s been in physical therapy and feels that he’s getting back to a place where he can return as Hawkeye, a remarkable achievement.

Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Renner reflected on his progress.

“I’m always game. I’m gonna be strong enough, that’s for sure. I’ll be ready,” Renner told ET. “All those [Marvel] guys come to my bedside and they’ve been with me all along through this recovery, so … if they want me, they could have me. It would be something.”

For more on all things Marvel Studios, check out these stories:

Let’s Talk About Those Insane “Deadpool & Wolverine” Cameos

“The Fantastic Four” Gets a New Title, Will Appear in Next Two “Avengers” Films

Channing Tatum on His Long-Awaited Marvel Debut in “Deadpool & Wolverine”

How “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” Team Aimed to Get The Thing’s Look Just Right

Featured image: Marvel Studios’ AVENGERS: ENDGAME. L to R: Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.). Photo: Film Frame. ©Marvel Studios 2019