Hailee Steinfeld's first comic book role was as Spider-Gwen in 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but she entered the MCU as Kate Bishop to widespread acclaim in Disney's Hawkeye in 2021.
The character has been on the shelf ever since, though she did briefly appear at the end of The Marvels when Ms. Marvel set out to assemble her own team of Young Avengers Champions. The expectation now is that both characters will return in Avengers: Doomsday.
Marvel Studios would be foolish to waste an actor as talented as Steinfeld. And, while Jeremy Renner intends to reprise his role as Clint Barton following his miraculous recovery from a snow plow accident, he's bound to pass the torch eventually.
Talking to Backstage about her role in Sinners, Steinfeld confirmed her intention to return as Kate in the MCU.
"I’m excited about the idea of continuing to grow with a character like Kate, especially in something as huge as the Marvel Cinematic Universe," she said. "You get to go back to your family; you get to go back to that little home that then becomes part of this grander picture. I love that character, and I totally understand why she is so loved."
Beyond the next Avengers movies, it's been widely reported that Hawkeye will get a second season. The expectation is that Clint's brother, Barney/Trickshot, will play a major role and that the season will be inspired by The Raid, with Kate and Clint stuck in one location.
It sounds like an ideal way to make Hawkeye season 2 on a budget but also to tell a fun story about these characters with badass action inspired by one of the greatest action movies ever made.
Dredd is a good example of a comic book adaptation taking place in one location. Now, with Disney+ looking to cut costs, this approach to Hawkeye feels like a perfect match for the streamer and its scaled-down MCU plans.
Last February, Renner addressed his own MCU future when he said, "I'm always game. I'm gonna be strong enough, that's for sure. I'll be ready."
The actor would later reveal that his MCU co-stars were one of his biggest sources of support as they were with him throughout the "harrowing" recovery process. "All those guys come to my bedside. They've been with me all along through this recovery, so...if they want me, they could have me. It would be something."
Are you excited to see more of the two Hawkeyes in the MCU?