Hawkeye Trailer Reveals That Marvel is Back in Business

For those of us who aren’t in the know about what’s happening in the Marvel Cinematic Universe right now, it can feel like the superheroes have gone on a hiatus. But the first trailer for Disney Plus series Hawkeye is here, and it seems to confirm that Marvel is back in business. The new trailer focuses on ace archer Clint Barton and his protege Kate Bishop. The pair team up to take down a villainous cast.

The teaser opens with a scene of Barton’s family gathering for the holidays, and he declares that it will be “the best Christmas ever.” But his plans of spending time with his wife and daughter are quickly derailed as he is drawn into another action-packed adventure. He reluctantly teams up with Kate, a young ace archer and huge fan of his, to take on an Avengers-level threat.

This is the first time that Marvel has teamed up with director Matt Fraction and artist David Aja for a live-action TV show, and it appears to be based on the acclaimed Hawkeye miniseries from 2013. The basic building blocks of this series are clearly taken from that run – key characters, set pieces, even the credits and art design – but the television adaptation doesn’t quite have the same wit or style as the Fraction/Aja comics did.

As for the series itself, Hailee Steinfeld makes a strong impression as Kate, a sharp-shooting prodigy who is tasked with taking up the mantle of her idol Hawkeye. Jeremy Renner is also on top form as the world-weary Barton, who seems to be ready to settle down with his family, but can’t shake the fact that he has unfinished business.

We get to see some of the action scenes that will make this a compelling watch, with clips showing Barton larping in Central Park, dodging bullets in a Midtown highrise, ziplining off buildings, navigating a high-speed car chase and duking it out on an ice rink. The trailer is short but packs a punch, and the only thing more exciting would be to finally see the entire series premiere on November 24, which is when it will debut on Disney+ along with other Marvel originals.

In addition to Renner and Steinfeld, the cast includes Vera Farmiga, Fra Fee, Tony Dalton, Zahn McClarnon, Bryan d’Arcy James and Alaqua Cox. The first two episodes of Hawkeye will release on Thanksgiving Day, with subsequent installments arriving every Wednesday. It will be the first series to launch on the streaming service and introduce a new character to the MCU. Click through for the trailer, which is well worth a look.