Jeremy Renner Says Hawkeye Is Out of Avengers: Doomsday--and Predicts the Team Will Lose Without Him

Jeremy Renner has offered a blunt, playful update for Marvel fans hoping to see Clint Barton return in Avengers: Doomsday: Hawkeye is apparently not part of the movie. And in Renner's view, that absence may prove very costly for Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

During what appears to have been a Q&A appearance last month, Renner said that he is "not in" the upcoming Avengers film, which is currently set to arrive in theaters on December 18, 2026. He then leaned into one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's longest-running fan jokes, arguing that the Avengers are likely headed for a loss specifically because they failed to bring in the archer.

"Doomsday, I'm not in," Renner said. "So, the Avengers will probably lose, just so you know."

He added with a laugh that the team's expected misfortune would be its own fault: "They didn't call me, so it's their fault they're gonna lose."

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There is no indication that Renner's comments reveal story details from the film or confirm the outcome of the central conflict. The actor's remarks read as a humorous endorsement of Hawkeye's overlooked importance rather than a definitive spoiler. Still, they do present a straightforward update on his current involvement: as things stand, Renner says he will not appear in Avengers: Doomsday.

A familiar Hawkeye joke returns

The idea that Hawkeye is secretly the Avengers' decisive weapon has become an enduring part of MCU fandom. Clint has never had Hulk-level strength, armored flight, godlike powers, sorcery, or reality-altering abilities. He is a highly trained human operative armed with a bow, an extraordinary aim, and an array of specialized arrows. Yet the character has remained a distinctive and popular member of the team precisely because he brings a grounded perspective to a universe increasingly filled with cosmic threats.

That reputation has also fueled a very specific joke surrounding the two-part finale to the Infinity Saga. Renner did not appear in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War, the film in which Thanos successfully collected the Infinity Stones and erased half of all life with a snap of his fingers. Hawkeye's absence was explained by the character's circumstances following Captain America: Civil War, but fans have frequently imagined an alternate version of events where Clint's presence would somehow have prevented the catastrophe.

Renner's new quip revisits that premise. If Hawkeye missed the Avengers' most famous defeat, then perhaps leaving him out of a fight against Doctor Doom is tempting fate all over again.

Importantly, Clint did return for Avengers: Endgame. The 2019 film gave him a major role in the mission to retrieve the Infinity Stones, including the harrowing trip to Vormir with Natasha Romanoff. By the end of the story, the Avengers had reversed Thanos' destruction at a terrible cost and ultimately defeated him. The contrast is easy to understand: Hawkeye is absent when the heroes lose in Infinity War, then present when they achieve victory in Endgame. Renner is clearly happy to make the case that the pattern speaks for itself.

Renner's long MCU history as Clint Barton

Renner first appeared as Hawkeye in 2011's Thor, initially arriving as a brief but memorable tease of a larger Avengers initiative. From there, Clint became a core member of the original cinematic team in 2012's The Avengers. The character's role expanded in later ensemble stories, notably Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War.

One reason Hawkeye has endured is that the MCU gave him a notably different place in the roster from the franchise's more spectacular heroes. Clint is often positioned as a family man, a veteran field agent, and a practical counterpoint to the larger-than-life personalities around him. In Age of Ultron, his hidden family life helped establish that contrast. In Endgame, the loss of that family transformed him into the ruthless Ronin, before the time-heist plot brought him back into the Avengers' orbit.

That evolution eventually led to the 2021 Disney+ series Hawkeye, where Renner moved from ensemble player to the story's central figure. The series paired Clint with Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop, an enthusiastic young archer who had grown up inspired by Hawkeye's heroics during the Battle of New York. Their partnership created a natural path for the Hawkeye mantle to expand beyond a single character, while also giving Clint a more personal story about legacy, trauma, responsibility, and getting home to his family for Christmas.

For viewers who connected with that series, Renner's absence from the next Avengers event may be disappointing even if it is not entirely surprising. Modern MCU crossover films have enormous casts, and not every returning hero can be included in every world-ending conflict. Even so, Hawkeye's history with the original Avengers gives him emotional value that goes beyond his powerset.

What Doomsday could mean for the Avengers

Avengers: Doomsday is positioned as the next major Avengers crossover, with Doctor Doom's pursuit of multiversal conquest forming the central threat described around the project. A villain of Doom's stature naturally raises expectations for a conflict on a massive scale, one likely to involve heroes from across the MCU's different corners.

Renner's comments do not establish which Avengers will appear, how the team will form, or whether Hawkeye might be referenced in the story. They also do not rule out any future return by Clint Barton. An actor saying they are not in one film is not the same as closing the door on a character permanently--particularly in a franchise built around surprise appearances, legacy roles, and interconnected event stories.

For now, though, fans should take Renner at his word regarding Doomsday. If the actor is absent, it will mean another major Avengers battle without one of the founding MCU team members. That can carry a little extra weight after Endgame, which treated the original lineup as a defining chapter of the franchise and brought several of those long-running arcs to emotional conclusions.

Secret Wars remains a question mark

The larger uncertainty is what comes next. Avengers: Secret Wars is scheduled for 2027, and Renner has not confirmed whether Hawkeye will be involved in that film. Given the multiversal scope associated with the upcoming Avengers stories, there is plenty of room for speculation, but there is currently no firm answer about Clint's future.

Renner has previously indicated that he would be open to returning for a second season of Hawkeye. That possibility remains unresolved, and there has been no confirmed continuation of the Disney+ series. Kate Bishop's presence means the Hawkeye corner of the MCU still has obvious storytelling potential, whether it eventually comes through another season, a film appearance, or a different project entirely.

For the moment, Renner's latest message is less a farewell than a joking challenge to the Avengers. Hawkeye may not have magic, a super-soldier serum, or a suit of advanced armor, but he does have an impressive track record in the franchise's biggest victories. If Doctor Doom does manage to overwhelm the team in Avengers: Doomsday, Renner has already made clear where he thinks the blame belongs.

They should have called Hawkeye.