Jeremy Renner, best known for his role as Clint Barton in Marvel’s Hawkeye, has shared why he turned down the opportunity for a second season of the Disney+ series. In an interview with High Performance, Renner revealed that Marvel offered him “half” of what he was paid for the first season of Hawkeye—a proposal he found unacceptable, especially considering the physical and emotional toll of the work involved.

Renner broke down his thoughts on the offer: “It’s going to take me twice the amount of work for half the amount of money, and eight months of my time, essentially, to do it for half the amount.” He clarified that he didn’t blame anyone at Marvel directly, attributing the decision to “the penny pinchers, the accountants.” However, he expressed his frustration with the situation, stating, “I’m sorry? Why? Did you think I’m only half the Jeremy because I got ran over? Maybe that’s why you want to pay me half of what I made on the first season.”

The actor, who sustained severe injuries from a snow plow accident in early 2023, explained that he wasn’t asking for more money—just to be paid what he earned for the first season. Despite his disappointment, Renner emphasized his love for the Hawkeye character, noting, “Sadly, I still love the character. I’d still love to do it, but I had to defend myself.”

Renner’s post-accident career has been primarily focused on Mayor of Kingstown and writing his memoir, My Next Breath, which is set for release this week. While Renner isn’t ruling out a return to Hawkeye in the future, the actor made it clear that he wouldn’t accept a deal that he felt undervalued his contributions.