Disney wishes you a Marvel Christmas and a Hawkeye New Year; the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is back at it again, as the first two episodes of a new Marvel show, Hawkeye, were released on Nov. 24, now streaming on Disney+.
The show takes place one year after the events of the mega blockbuster movie Avengers: Endgame, with the family man Clint Barton—AKA Hawkeye (played by Jeremy Renner)—spending time with his family in New York City for the holidays, but it isn’t long before a dark memory from his past resurfaces and he has to rectify the mistake, and hopefully to make it back home in time for Christmas.
However, due to the impulsive nature of a hero-wannabe, Barton has to ally himself with a fellow archer and a huge fanatic of the arrowed Avenger: Kate Bishop, played by Academy Award nominated actress Hailee Steinfeld.
The show features not only the return of Barton’s family, like his wife Laura (Linda Cardellini) and his children Cooper, Lila and Nathaniel (played by Ben Sakamoto, Ava Russo, and Cade Woodward respectively it also introduces new members to the MCU family, such as Tony Dalton as Jack Duquesne, known as the Swordsman in the comics, and Native American newcomer Alaqua Cox, a deaf actress, who plays the also deaf Maya Lopez/Echo.
This new character coming to the MCU is said to bring a whole new element to Disney+ streaming, because a spin-off show centered on Echo was already reported to be in early development in March 2021, way before the show that first introduces her was available for streaming.
As a true fan of the MCU and anything Marvel, I can tell you right now that this show is said to take a closer look at the life of Clint Barton, especially his time during the five-year period mentioned in Endgame when half of the population of the universe, including Barton’s family, were decimated by the mad titan Thanos.
The events both in this show and previous movies included elements that comic readers would find if they read the Hawkeye comics, including how he adopts the identity of a masked vigilante—codenamed Ronin—and fights organized crime on a global scale, as well as introducing characters like Duquesne, who was his mentor in the comics, and his sometimes-sidekick, Lucky the Pizza Dog.
All in all, this show is one of the many programs that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has planned for the millions of fans yearning for more of the MCU, especially content similar to Hawkeye that helps bring to light unanswered questions about one of the lesser known Avengers.
An interesting take that this show brings to the stage is the actual fake stage production of an in-universe musical detailing the life of Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America, with a musical number including the first Avenger and his comrades as they battle Loki and the Chitauri—events that took place in the first Avengers film in 2012, a film that includes Jeremy Renner playing his arrowed counterpart.
The song this fake cast sings in the first episode, “Save the City,” brings the battle of New York to an ecstatic and upbeat group number, with the Avengers being played by Broadway stars such as Tom Feeney (Captain America), Aaron Nedrick (Iron Man), and Meghan Manning (Black Widow).
The whole number, though, is led by legendary actor, singer, and musician Adam Pascal; he is perhaps best known for playing the role of Roger Davis in the 1996 Broadway production and the 2005 movie version of Johnathan Larson’s musical Rent.
Hawkeye presents more than enough evidence that the creative minds at Marvel Studios are putting in the effort to show the world that there is no stopping the MCU.
This new show is a perfect stocking stuffer, because it gives viewers the action they could only get in the movies, as well as a little buddy cop banter between the titular character, and the one that idolizes the efforts he puts into the world.
With Hawkeye now streaming on Disney+, as well as Spiderman: No Way Home hitting theaters on Dec. 17, I’m under the impression that this will definitely be a season to remember.
I also bet old Saint Nick will be supporting our heroes with presents wrapped up in a big red “bow.”
