With the release of Black Widow, the first feature film in Phase 4, the Marvel Cinematic Universe confirmed what fans had been hoping since the debut of WandaVision — the series on Disney+ and the big-screen Phase 4 installments represented co-equal branches of storytelling. The small-screen series would feed the large-screen plots, but the big-screen adventures would also set up future streaming series, with Black Widow’s mid-credits scene directly leading into the upcoming TV show, Hawkeye. From potential cast to plot reveals and updates, here’s everything fans should know about the forthcoming Disney+ show.
Hawkeye was part of the original MCU titles rolled out for Phase 4 at San Diego Comic-Con back in 2019. Like The Falcon & The Winter Soldier, WandaVision, and Loki, before it, it’s part of the group of series featuring the MCU’s big-screen characters who never got standalone films. But unlike the others, which focused on sidekicks becoming the hero of their own story, in this case, it’s the last of the six original Avengers. Clint Barton (played by Jeremy Renner), aka Hawkeye, is already a superhero.
For his story, fans will see something the MCU has not yet put on screen: Passing the role of Hawkeye to a new, younger hero, ready to take up the persona for a new generation.
Kate Bishop’s story is out of the Hawkeye comics, so fans assume the show will follow the broad outlines of Matt Fraction and David Aja’s series. In it, Barton finds himself taking Bishop under his wing, training her to be the next Hawkeye. Moreover, Black Widow suggests Yelena’s role will be that of the villain, attempting to take out at least one Hawkeye, if not two.
But the teaser trailer revealed a much different flavor than fans initially expected. Instead of an action-adventure, dark-and-gritty Hawkeye series in the flavor of Ronin, the series is a holiday-themed action-comedy. Kate Bishop is a Hawkeye wannabe, but she’s not there yet, and her antics (and failures) are played for laughs as she learns the ropes of being the World’s Greatest Archer. Hopefully, this means the entire cast will get to stretch their comedy chops, including Florence Pugh, who was Black Widow’s secret comedy weapon.
Here’s the show’s official synopsis: “Former Avenger Clint Barton has a seemingly simple mission: get back to his family for Christmas. Possible? Maybe with the help of Kate Bishop, a 22-year-old archer with dreams of becoming a Super Hero. The two are forced to work together when a presence from Barton’s past threatens to derail far more than the festive spirit.”
Hawkeye Release Date
Marvel Studios
Marvel confirmed Hawkeye is slated to arrive just in time for the holiday season, beginning the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Nov. 24, 2021, on Disney+.
The first three Marvel series, WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki, are all streaming on Disney+. Black Widow is also streaming on Disney+ as a Premier Access title.
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