Arguably, one of the most imperative aspects of adapting a comic book/novel into a big-screen outing is the element of accuracy because adhering to the source material ultimately results in an enriching experience for the viewer (yes, we hear you Henry Cavill fans). While a few tweaks here and there are inevitable, it’s always much more delightful to see a more coherent narration of the lore in question on the screen, which is exactly what Marvel did with Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye.
However, one major plot point that spooled a more comic-book-accurate version of the fan-favorite Clint Barton in the MCU show nearly didn’t materialize, and Elizabeth Olsen might have had a hand in that.
Jeremy Renner Wanted to Sway From the Source Material for Hawkeye
Jeremy Renner‘s rendition of the skilled and valorous marksman has come to become one of the most cherished performances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ironically enough (and much to the studio’s dismay), despite landing generally positive reviews, Disney+’s Hawkeye ended up becoming the least-watched MCU show before it was dethroned by Ms. Marvel last year.
For what it’s worth though, they managed to nail the more intricate details of the character and his past, including the superhero’s hearing aids. In the show, the archer undergoes a condition called noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), an ailment that in the comics, transpired as a result of some of his near-fatal encounters with villains. But as it turns out, Renner hadn’t always been sold on the idea of Clint suffering from a hearing impairment.
“It isn’t really kind of played out at this point, and not unless we say he’s got an amazing hearing aid or something. We were focused much more on the alternate sort version of not the big purple mask sort of guy. He’s much more of the utility sort of guy. So yeah, they talked about that, but I don’t think it’s going to play out anytime soon, it may be a little late.”
Adding to that, his fellow Marvel co-star, Elizabeth Olsen said –
“That’d be too funny. We would laugh too much at it. No one would take it seriously.”
But since they ultimately managed to assemble an authentic version of Hawkeye in the show, (one with hearing aids, of course), at the end of the day, it’s a win.
It All Ended Up Working Out for the Best
While The Avengers star had initially been reluctant about the prospect of his character being partially deaf, Renner, 52, later revealed how the depiction of the same in the live-action series turned out to be one of the best decisions that the studio has taken owing to Clint Barton.
For someone who has encountered the same ordeal in his life to a solid extent, Renner felt even more connected to Hawkeye owing to the same and especially marveled at the way he was letting himself be vulnerable in the grand scheme of things. Talking to Comicbook.com’s Brandon Davis [via The Illuminerdi], The Bourne Legacy star said –
“I grew up…a lot of that’s in my life. I’m only hard of hearing, so I’m not deaf. I thought it was just a really wonderful thing, cause it is, it’s always been a part of Clint’s character in the comics, and we found a way to make it a truthful entry point for his life and how it affects its life.”
Hawkeye is available for streaming on Disney+.
Source: Trippin’ With Tara
