Jeremy Renner has finally revealed why he never returned for a second season of Hawkeye. After recovering from a near-fatal accident, he was offered a shockingly low salary for the follow-up. Renner didn’t demand more — he simply asked for fairness. Disney’s accountants had a different idea.

Jeremy Renner played Clint Barton, also known as Hawkeye, in seven Marvel Cinematic Universe projects, with his most recent appearance in the 2021 Disney+ series Hawkeye. In early 2023, he survived a horrific snowplow accident that shattered 38 bones and nearly cost him his life. While he eventually returned to work, the actor has been notably absent from the MCU. Now, he’s explained why: the studio offered him only half of what he earned during the first season.

During an interview on the High Performance podcast, Renner said the offer was so low it bordered on offensive. “They asked me to do Season 2 and offered half the money. I told them, ‘It would take twice the effort, eight months of my time — and for what? Half the pay?’”

Jeremy Renner Suffered a Near-Fatal Accident in 2023

On January 1, 2023, Renner saved his nephew from being run over by a snowplow and was crushed in the process. He suffered blunt chest trauma and 38 fractures, requiring emergency surgery. His condition was critical. Yet by January 17, he was discharged from the hospital and began his long road to recovery at home. Within three months, he was walking again with a cane — a powerful testament to his resilience.

As for the lowball offer, Renner believes his accident may have influenced Disney’s decision. “I was like, ‘I’m sorry? Why? You think I’m only half of Jeremy now that I got run over? Maybe that’s why you want to pay me half.’” He added: “This wasn’t Marvel. This was Disney’s accountants — penny-pinchers. I told them to go fly a kite. I didn’t ask for more money. Just pay me what I earned the first time. But we couldn’t agree. I still love the character. I’d gladly do it again. But I had to stand up for myself. And maybe my body is secretly grateful I didn’t go through it again — at least for now.”

Hawkeye ran for six episodes and followed Clint Barton mentoring Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) while confronting adversaries from his past. The cast also included Tony Dalton, Fra Fee, Brian d’Arcy James, Aleks Paunovic, Piotr Adamczyk, Linda Cardellini, Simon Callow, Vera Farmiga, Alaqua Cox, Zahn McClarnon, Florence Pugh, and Vincent D’Onofrio.

Source: High Performance