Jeremy Renner Says He Rejected ‘Hawkeye’ Season 2 Due to Pay Cut After Snowplow Accident
Marvel Star Turned Down Return After Being Offered Just Half His Original Salary
Jeremy Renner has revealed that he passed on reprising his role in a potential second season of Hawkeye due to pay cut. He was offered only half of what he made for the first season. Renner, who led the 2021 Disney+ series as Clint Barton, said the compensation didn’t match the demands of the role—or the recovery he was still working through.
Time Commitment Remained, But Salary Didn’t
Speaking on the High Performance podcast, Renner shared that Season 2 would have required around eight months of filming, just like the first, yet the pay offered was sharply reduced. Instead of asking for more, he had hoped to receive the same rate—but the deal on the table offered only 50%.
“I wasn’t trying to negotiate up,” he explained, “I just didn’t want to be undervalued.” He lightheartedly remarked that perhaps some studio execs assumed he was “only half as capable” after his injuries.
Disney’s Business Mindset Disappointed Him
While careful to separate Marvel’s creative team from the financial decisions, Renner didn’t hold back on his thoughts about the studio’s cost-cutting tactics. He described the decision-makers behind the offer as overly focused on the bottom line and less in tune with the human element of storytelling and performance. In his words, the environment felt more driven by spreadsheets than by respect for the people involved.
Recovery Was Still Ongoing
Renner’s reluctance was also tied to the long-term effects of the severe accident he endured on January 1, 2023. The incident, involving a massive snowplow weighing around 14,000 pounds, left him with dozens of fractures and significant damage to his chest and internal organs. While his recovery has been widely covered—including in his recent memoir My Next Breath—Renner emphasized how much daily effort it still takes to feel like himself again.
“There’s already so much effort going into just living normally right now,” he said, adding that diving back into an action-heavy role while still healing didn’t feel right.
Not About Walking Away—But About Fairness
Despite rejecting the offer, Renner made it clear he still cares deeply about the character and would gladly step into the role again—if the terms were fair. “I’ve always loved playing Hawkeye,” he said. “That hasn’t changed. But at this point, it’s also about self-respect and being treated like a professional.”
His decision isn’t just a personal one—it also highlights broader issues about how studios approach talent returning from serious health events. For Renner, this wasn’t a case of holding out for more, but of standing his ground when the math didn’t add up.
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