Jeremy Renner lends his voice to Hawkeye in the new ‘What If…?’ episode, titled ‘What If… Happy Hogan Saved Christmas?’
SUMMARY
Jeremy Renner experienced a life-threatening accident in January and has been in recovery ever since.
Renner returned to the MCU for the first time since the accident in the new season of ‘What If…?’
Renner’s voice role may have been recorded before the accident, but fans are delighted nonetheless.
Jeremy Renner was run over by a 14,330 lbs.-weighing snowplow, which left him with 30 broken bones and a collapsed lung. The accident happened on New Year’s Eve of 2022, and Renner spent the first few days of the year in the intensive care unit. The Hawkeye actor was back on his feet fairly quickly, but his recent return to the MCU might have gone unnoticed by some.
Jeremy Renner after the accident (credits: @jeremyrenner)
Renner’s character, Clint Barton / Hawkeye, appeared in the third episode of What If…? Season 2. The Mayor of Kingstown actor lent his voice to the animated role in episode 3, titled What If… Happy Hogan Saved Christmas?.
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Jeremy Renner’s MCU Return After The Accident (Spoiler Alert)
Jeremy Renner returns to his MCU role in What If…? Season 2
When Jeremy Renner appeared at the Phoenix Fan Fusion convention in June, just months after his accident, he was asked about his MCU future. Renner was quick to respond, stating, “If Marvel wants me back, I’ll do it in a heartbeat.” Renner is still progressing through his recovery, but he has already made his MCU comeback.
The third episode of What If…? Season 2 featured all six original Avengers returning in their animated versions. Only a few of the original actors reprised their roles, including Renner. Hawkeye had precisely two sequences in the episode, but fans were delighted to see the Mission: Impossible actor back in action.
In his first scene of the episode, Clint Barton is in a toy store arguing with Bruce Banner over an Iron Man action figure. Banner wants to get that last piece for a crying girl at the store, while Barton wants it for his daughter. His second appearance is shorter without any dialogue as he fights The Freak with the other Avengers.
However, it remains uncertain whether Jeremy Renner recorded the role after his accident. What If…? Season 2 was in production during 2022, with one episode being released at the San Diego Comic-Con. It is possible that Renner could have voiced the role way before his snowplow accident.
Also Read: Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye isn’t the Only Marvel Hero Who Won’t Let a Disability Stop Him from Saving the World
Jeremy Renner’s Voice Role Opens New Possibility For Him During Recovery
Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton in a still from Avengers: Endgame
While Jeremy Renner may or may not have recorded the role after the accident, the new episode opens up the possibility of more voice roles during his recovery. This would help him achieve his desired return to the MCU without compromising his physical health. Interestingly, What If…? is not the only animated series in the MCU’s slate.
Jeremy Renner could potentially voice the role of Hawkeye in the upcoming Marvel Zombies project. However, fans hope that Renner will soon return to the MCU in full physical capacity. In November, Renner shared his recovery progress on Instagram which showed him engaged in physical exercises. He noted that it has been 10 months since he started recovery and he “keeps pushing for many reasons.”
Also Read: 5 Movies Where Jeremy Renner Didn’t Have to Put on Hawkeye’s Suit to Showcase His Acting Brilliance
What If…? Season 2 will drop its ninth and final episode on Saturday. All the released episodes of this season are now available for streaming on Disney+.
