Marvel Studios capped off a stellar year with the final episode of festive series Hawkeye, which brought Clint Barton’s tumultuous trip to New York City to a close.
What began as a chance for some seasonal family bonding, complete with Christmas shopping and a Broadway show, soon descended into an all-out war against a gang known as the Tracksuit Mafia.
In a bid to settle the ghosts of his past for good, Jeremy Renner’s ace archer teamed up with his biggest fan, Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), but in doing so uncovered a plot involving the most feared crime boss in the underworld.
There are more details here on the surprise returning character, who looks set to be a big part of the MCU moving forward – but it remains unclear whether his sudden appearance is setting up Hawkeye season two or another upcoming project.
For now, read on for everything we know so far about Clint Barton and Kate Bishop’s future.
Will there be a second season of Hawkeye?
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There’s been no confirmation from Disney over whether Hawkeye has been renewed for a second season, but there’s a decent chance that the show will return.
Like the previous Marvel shows on Disney Plus, Hawkeye has seemingly attracted strong viewership to the streaming platform, with social media erupting in conversation with each new episode.
Meanwhile, Loki demonstrated earlier this year that not every blockbuster Marvel streaming series has to be a one-and-done, with a second season for the God of Mischief being announced at the end of the season finale.
Hawkeye director Rhys Thomas told RadioTimes.com that he hasn’t heard anything about whether the show is likely to return, but added that he would “merrily come back” if it did.
“It’s a lot of fun living in the Marvel Universe,” said Thomas. “Again, it’s this massive privilege to realise that you’re walking on this alternate reality… it’s a joy.”
Do we have a release date for Hawkeye season 2?
If Hawkeye were to be renewed for a second season, production could not reasonably get underway until next year, which would suggest a release date in 2023 (at the earliest).
It’s up for speculation whether showrunner Trinh Tran would drop Clint Barton into another festive story or instead move the plot to a different time of the year, but this could also be a factor in deciding the release date.
Hawkeye season 2 cast speculation
If Hawkeye returns for a second season, fans would hope to see Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld share the screen once again, as the MCU’s finest archers Clint Barton and Kate Bishop.
There has been some talk from fans that a second season could see Bishop fly solo, as she has done in the comic books recently, but it would be a shame to lose the comedic dynamic the two characters share.
Despite being a major breakout star from this first season, Alaqua Cox’s Echo may not be available to return for a potential Hawkeye season two, given that she is soon to get a spin-off series of her own.
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Likewise, Vincent D’Onofrio’s appearance in the season finale might well have been sowing the seeds for this follow-up project, given that Kingpin is the adoptive father of Echo in the comic books.
Instead, Vera Farmiga could be promoted to the status of main villain in the next season of Hawkeye, as her Eleanor Bishop seems to have been up to no good for quite some time.
Facing off against her own mother would be devastating for Kate, but she might find an unexpected ally in Tony Dalton’s Jack Duquesne (aka Swordsman), who may not be as nefarious as he was initially depicted.
Is there a trailer for Hawkeye season 2?
Slow down! We don’t even know if Hawkeye has been renewed yet! If it does get the green-light, we won’t be expecting footage for a good while yet.
What would the plot be for Hawkeye season 2?
Fans have speculated that Kate Bishop will go on to become a founding member of the Young Avengers in the MCU, just as she was in the comic books, so it’s possible that future Hawkeye episodes could set her on that path.
As for Clint Barton, his future is less certain as he continues to show a desire to get out of the superhero game and retire to a quieter life on his countryside estate with wife Laura and kids Cooper, Lila and Nathaniel.
Perhaps he’ll finally get his wish and fully pass the baton to Kate, but it seems like she still has much she wants to learn from the Avengers’ resident archer – so don’t rule out their partnership continuing.
Hawkeye is streaming exclusively on Disney Plus. Sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year.
If you’re looking for something else to watch, check out our guide to the best series on Disney Plus, or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.