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Doomsday Is Repeating Infinity War With 1 Original Avenger (But Will Secret Wars Copy Endgame?)
Avengers: Doomsday is bringing a number of familiar faces back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The 2026 film will attempt to pay off the many storylines and characters introduced throughout the Multiverse Saga. It will also feature major players from the Infinity Saga, including original Avengers like Chris Evans’ Captain America and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor. The film will see Robert Downey Jr. returning to the franchise as well, just in a new role: that of the villainous Doctor Doom.
With all the MCU characters confirmed for Doomsday, it’s sure to be a huge event on par with Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. And there’s one original Avenger whose part in the upcoming film will repeat their role from Infinity War. This raises questions about whether Secret Wars will copy their Endgame story, too. If it does, that’s another reunion to look forward to — though it’s unlikely to be as impactful this time around.
Avengers: Doomsday Seems to Be Repeating Hawkeye’s Absence in Infinity War
The list of returning characters confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday might be long, but Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye is notably absent. This isn’t a huge surprise. Outside his own Disney+ series, which saw him passing the mantle to Kate Bishop, Renner’s hero hasn’t been very active in recent additions to the MCU. Following the Infinity Saga, it was largely assumed that most of the original Avengers would be phased out. That’s proven untrue, but Hawkeye’s narrative led him to retirement even before Infinity War and Endgame. It’s why he was missing from the former.
And Doomsday looks poised to repeat Infinity War in that regard, as Hawkeye’s unconfirmed status means he might not show up in the movie. Unless Marvel Studios is keeping his involvement under wraps — which seems unlikely, since it’s been open about other comebacks — Hawkeye won’t be involved in the initial fight against Doctor Doom. This does raise questions about whether his role in Secret Wars will mirror his Endgame arc. We know Clint wants a more peaceful life centered on his family, but surely something big enough to draw Cap back out would demand Hawkeye’s attention as well.
Could Secret Wars Copy Avengers: Endgame by Bringing Hawkeye Back In?
With Avengers: Doomsday set to bring another universe-altering threat to the MCU, it seems inevitable that Hawkeye will need to show up in Secret Wars, even if he’s absent from the two-part story’s opening. It’s the same logic that warrants his return in Endgame. If a villain is threatening life as humans know it, that’s bound to affect Clint and his family. And of course, his former teammates will be in danger while fighting it. It’s unlikely he’d willingly sit that out, so it’s possible that Renner’s character will show up in Secret Wars.
The circumstances of that would likely differ from his situation in Endgame, however, as directly putting his family’s fates in the balance would be too repetitive. That’s the one issue with a potential Hawkeye return in the upcoming Avengers movies: it feels like it needs to happen, but it won’t be able to top his appearance in Endgame.
A Hawkeye Return in Secret Wars Would Never Be Able to Top Avengers: Endgame
Clint comes out of retirement in Endgame, first to target those he feels didn’t deserve to survive the Blip, then to join the Avengers in bringing half of humanity back. His family’s disappearance at the beginning of the film gives him high personal stakes, making his journey more compelling — and his abandoned retirement more believable. His bond with Natasha also complements his return, and Endgame brings their on-screen friendship to a gutting but memorable close.
If Hawkeye returns in Avengers: Secret Wars, it’ll be nearly impossible to one-up his Endgame narrative for two reasons. First, it’s possible that Doctor Doom’s threat to the multiverse will put Hawkeye’s family on the line again. However, leaning too heavily into this motivation risks feeling repetitive, rehashing territory the MCU has already covered. Second, there’s no bond quite like Clint and Natasha’s for Secret Wars to capitalize on. Perhaps the film can do something with Kate Bishop, if she appears, but that won’t have the decade-long setup that allows Endgame‘s trip to Vormir to hit so hard. The 2019 film really works as a send-off for Renner’s hero. If Secret Wars does bring him back, it needs to make it worthwhile.
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