Jeremy Renner rejected 'Hawkeye' Season 2 over shocking pay cut
What's the story
Jeremy Renner, the star who played Clint "Hawkeye" Barton in the Marvel series Hawkeye, revealed turning down an offer for the show's second season.
Speaking on the latest episode of the High Performance podcast, Renner said he was offered "half" of what he was paid for the previous season.
The actor expressed his disappointment over the pay cut: "I'm like, 'Well, it's going to take me twice the amount of work for half the amount of money.'"
Actor's response
'I told them to go fly a kite'
Renner also questioned why the reduced salary was even a thought, saying, "I'm like, 'I'm sorry? Why? Did you think I'm only half the Jeremy because I got run over? Maybe that's why you want to pay me half of what I made on the first season?"
The actor revealed it wasn't Marvel Studios but Disney's accountants behind it.
"I told them to go fly a kite. I mean, just the insult offer. So we didn't see eye-to-eye on it."
Actor's stance
Renner's future with 'Hawkeye' remains uncertain
Despite declining the offer for Season 2, Renner hasn't completely ruled out a return to the role in the future.
He said, "I still love the character. I'd still love to do it, but I had to defend myself. I didn't ask for any more money, mind you. Just pay me what I made the first season!"
Renner also admitted that his physical recovery post-accident was a huge factor in his decision.
Recovery process
Renner was in a snowplowing accident in 2023
Renner's decision comes after a long road to recovery following a near-fatal accident in January 2023.
The actor was in a horrific accident while assisting in clearing snow from his neighbors' driveways, getting crushed under a seven-ton snow plow.
He was airlifted to the hospital, where he was treated for critical injuries, including a collapsed lung and over 30 broken bones.
Meanwhile, Hawkeye Season 1 aired its last episode in December 2021.