We’ve been hearing about HAWKEYE for what seems like forever, but it’s finally here – officially debuting tomorrow exclusively on Disney+. MouseInfo got an advanced preview and was able to hear directly from the creative team behind the holiday action series.
What is it?
Marvel Studios’ HAWKEYE is an original new series set in post-blip New York City where former Avenger Clint Barton aka Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) has a seemingly simple mission: get back to his family for Christmas. But when a threat from his past shows up, Hawkeye reluctantly teams up with Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), a 22-year-old skilled archer and his biggest fan, to unravel a criminal conspiracy. The series also features Vera Farmiga, Fra Fee, Tony Dalton, Zahn McClarnon, Brian d’Arcy James, and newcomer Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez. Helmed by Rhys Thomas and directing duo Bert and Bertie, HAWKEYE debuts exclusively on Disney+ on Nov. 24, 2021.
It’s about time
HAWKEYE is the final of the six original Avengers to receive his own stand-alone story. “It was always the intention to explore much more,” Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios shares. “The character’s history is vast.” Hawkeye made his MCU debut with a cameo appearance in 2011 in THOR, followed by 2012’s THE AVENGERS. But it wasn’t until AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON in 2015 that Hawkeye truly emerged.
“There are moments within all of Jeremy’s appearances [as Hawkeye] where you see this mentor under the surface.” Kevin continues. “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 this door you’re an Avenger’ and motivates her to join the fight.”
In addition to Clint’s mentorship, ULTRON also established Clint’s family life. “I think that was a huge thing for the original six Avengers,” Jeremy explains “It answered, ‘What are we doing all of this for?’ Having that secret family and grounding it in his values.”
And did Clint’s mentorship with Wanda translate to Jeremy being a mentor for Hailee? “I was never going to shoot an actual arrow,” Hailee laughs. “That was the first thing he told me.” Jeremy adds “I just wanted to let her know that she wasn’t alone, I had her back, and I’ll
give her the answers if she needed them.”
The most wonderful time of the year
Kevin Feige told our panel he loves series and specials set during the holiday season. “There’s a heightened amount of emotion, heightened amount of conflict that can occur in this glorious season.” While one can argue IRON MAN 3 was the MCU’s first Christmas Movie, it was released on May 3, 2013, and was more or less a summer blockbuster. Not quite set in real-time, the 6 episodes tracking the 6 days leading up to Christmas give HAWKEYE a 24-meets-Die Hard-meets-MCU kind of vibe.
Kevin continues to explain this decision “was fun and a breath of fresh air after world-ending stakes, celestials bursting out of planets, and multiverse shenanigans. This is, like Hawkeye himself, a grounded family-based show.” (Speaking of Holidays, Marvel also recently announced an upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas special).
Reflecting on Year 1
HAWKEYE wraps up the first year of Marvel Studios Television series on Disney+, with each series being unique in its own right. WANDAVISION examined grief in an ode to sitcoms, THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER was geopolitical, LOKI was otherworldly, WHAT IF…? explored the multiverse, and HAWKEYE is a Christmas action series. How was Marvel able to pull off so many genres so seamlessly?
“MCU is an all-encompassing genre,” Kevin says. He goes on to explain that he sees the diversity in storytelling as an opportunity as opposed to a challenge, while noting the audience has responded to each series the way he wanted them to. “Nobody will get bored before we at Marvel Studios will,” Kevin laughs. “I’m not anywhere near bored yet.”
Neither are we, Kevin. Neither are we.
See it for Yourself
HAWKEYE streams its first two episodes exclusively on Disney+ on November 24, 2021. The subsequent four episodes will release once a week each Wednesday.
