Already an action hero, Jeremy Renner is about to become a super hero.
The star of 'Hurt Locker' and the upcoming 'Mission Impossible' installment is rumored (according to The Wrap) to be making a much buzzed about cameo in the upcoming Marvel/Paramount movie 'Thor,' as a kind of stepping stone to his role in the 2012-schedule 'Avengers.'
Late last year, Renner said that he expected to be in 'Thor,' though he soon walked those comments back.
"That was just one of those things that got blown way out of proportion," Renner explained to Movieline. "The only reason it came out this early, because 'Avengers' is two years away, is that they're thinking OK, we may throw him in 'Thor,' we may not, as a cameo. You know what I mean? So there's truth that we talked about it, but there's no truth to me doing it."
But The Wrap's source claims to have seen an early screening of the movie, and confirms that Renner is involved.
The reason this is so important is the complicated web of story and continuity concerns within the sprawling Marvel Universe. Hawkeye as a character was first associated with Iron Man; inspired by his actions, he became a hero himself, though he was tricked into spying on him for the Soviet Union.
Eventually, after defeats from Iron Man and realizing the errors of his ways, Hawkeye joins the Avengers, the famed hero team led by Captain America, Iron Man and Thor, among others. With the Avengers movie coming out in 2012, there is a desire to create continuity in the films (entirely leaving out Spiderman, which, previously made and now getting a reboot, seems to be treated in its own universe).
And with the rumor stating that Renner's Hawkeye will appear near the end of 'Thor,' the thought is that 'The Avengers' will pick up with the story -- though one film is made by Paramount, the other Disney.
Here's a trailer for 'Thor,' set to open May 6th, 2011.