Reason Hawkeye & Ant-Man Were Missing From Infinity War's Marketing

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Why Hawkeye & Ant-Man Are Missing From Infinity War Marketing

By Nicole Sobon

Published Apr 27, 2018

Ant-Man and Hawkeye were notably absent from the marketing for Avengers: Infinity War, and it turns out it was for good reason.

WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Avengers: Infinity War, in theaters now.

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After you see Avengers: Infinity War, you're sure to walk away with quite a few questions, but one thing you'll certainly be asking is, where the heck were Hawkeye and Ant-Man?

Ever since Marvel Studios launched its marketing campaign for Avengers: Infinity War, fans have understandably questioned where Jeremy Renner andPaul Rudd's heroes were, as neither character appeared on a single poster or in a single piece of video promoting the movie. And while Joe and Anthony Russo teased Hawkeye having a "special" role in the film after fans launched a #WheresHawkeye campaign on social media, it turns out that wasn't entirely true. In the end, neither Hawkeye or Ant-Man actually appear in the film! With that in mind, we break down just why both men were absent and what they were doing while Thanos was wreaking havoc on the world.

At the end of Captain America: Civil War, we saw Cap (Chris Evans) return to the Raft to rescue the rest of his team, including Falcon, Scarlet Witch, Ant-Man and Hawkeye. While Falcon and Scarlet Witch are in Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and Hawkeye are nowhere to be seen. So, where are they? Well, like Joe Russo previously teased, Hawkeye does, in fact, go on a special journey. Unfortunately, both his and Ant-Man's journey takes places off screen.

The director duo previously stated that the events of Civil War will impact the decisions of certain characters going forward, and while Cap and some of his fellow teammates opted to operate under the radar, both Clint and Scott made decisions that they felt were right for them; they returned home to their families. As noted by Black Widow in the film, the duo cut a deal with the government following Captain America: Civil War allowing them to do just that.

We've seen teases of how Civil War will impact Scott's story in Ant-Man and the Wasp, which is set to release this July, as the hero looks to be under house arrest. Of course, judging by the trailer, that doesn't necessarily keep him down as he's seen fighting alongside Evangeline Lilly's The Wasp to try and take down Ghost. It's also worth noting that Ant-Man and the Wasp takes place shortly after Civil War, placing it before Thanos arrives, which could also explain the decision not to include Ant-Man in the film.

Unlike Ant-Man, though, Hawkeye was repeatedly teased for the film, which is why so many are confused by his absence. We knew Jeremy Renner had filmed for Avengers, as the actor famously took to Instagram to celebrate wrapping on Avengers 4 earlier this year. This came after set photos leaked of the actor sporting a brand new costume on set, indicating he'll be taking on the Ronin mantle for Avengers 4. What many fans missed, though, is that Clint stated he "officially retired" following the events of Civil War in the first issue of the Avengers: Infinity War Prelude comic.

While it's understandable that both men chose to remain with their families, especially after being imprisoned on the Raft, there's no doubt that Thanos' actions will pull them into action in the still untitled Avengers 4 -- a film they're both confirmed to appear in.

In theaters now, director Anthony and Joe Russo’ Avengers: Infinity War stars Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Olsen, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Bettany, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Benedict Wong, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Holland and Anthony Mackie.