Rhys Thomas, who directed multiple episodes of Marvel's Hawkeye series (including the first two), has clarified when, exactly, the Disney+ show fits into the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline.Despite fan speculation that Hawkeye takes place in 2025 (two years after the present-day in Avengers: Endgame), Thomas has confirmed the show unfolds in the MCU's version of 2024. "For a period of time, we were going to set it two years out - which would make it 2025 - hence me messing with your minds about the timeline. But it’s [one] year out [from Endgame]," tweeted Thomas.
Hawkeye set photos leaked well ahead of the series' debut showed Clint Barton, Kate Bishop, and Lucky/Pizza Dog in New York City's Chinatown district outside a store with a sign in its window reading "Happy New Year 2025," as well as text referring to it as a Snake Year on the Chinese Zodiac. (The next Snake Year is, indeed, 2025.) However, it wasn't until Hawkeye's marketing campaign confirmed the show takes place right before Christmas that fans had all the pieces they needed to conclude the show picks up in December 2024 and not the early part of 2025.
While the series' main storyline plays out in the post-Blip MCU, Hawkeye's first episode opened with a flashback to a key moment from The Avengers (2012) -- which, in terms of the MCU's timeline, takes place over a decade before the show's present-day. "We wanted to figure out a pivotal moment that made sense for Kate to enter the MCU, especially through her eyes," said producer Trinh Tran when asked why the series' creatives decided to link Kate's backstory with Earth's Mightiest Heroes (Clint included) this way.
Between Clint trying to retire as Hawkeye and Kate aspiring to fight crime herself, the first two episodes of Hawkeye suggest the show may well serve as the swan song for Jeremy Renner's run playing the former in the MCU. Renner, who has jokingly referred to himself as being a "grandpa" of the franchise, is understandably keeping his cards close to the chest for the time being and simply claiming he has "no idea" what the future holds for Clint in the MCU beyond the series' final episode.
New episodes of Hawkeye premiere Wednesdays on Disney+.
Source: Twitter