Hawkeye Directors Reveal A Key Kevin Feige Note: 'More Christmas' [Exclusive]
The latest addition to Marvel's growing collection of Disney+ series asks a question we never realized we needed answered: how do the Avengers celebrate Christmas? Turns out their holiday season is just as chaotic as the average person, except instead of rushing to get last-minute presents, Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) is sprinting to avoid the chokehold of enemies.
"Hawkeye" sees our hero confronting his past, taking on street-level goons, and teaming up with young archer, Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). And in the midst of all the typical Marvel super-heroics, you'll probably notice a Christmas sweater or two because "Hawkeye" fully embraces the holiday season. And twinkle lights and tinsel as far as the eye can see were not mere coincidence, but a very conscious decision from the series creators.
/Film's Jack Giroux caught up with "Hawkeye" directors Amber Templemore-Finlayson and Katie Ellwood (best known as Bert and Bertie) to chat about the decision-making that went into crafting this story and learned a very interesting detail about the emphasis on Christmas. Marvel master Kevin Feige, aka the world's leading expert on non-answers and cryptic statements, didn't mince words when it came to his notes on "Hawkeye." The duo reported that he asked for "More Christmas," adding:
I'd love to see Kevin's Christmas because he's clearly a fan. I can imagine walking into his house and it's transformed into Santa's grotto or something. He loves Christmas.
This isn't the first time Feige's holiday cheer has slipped into the MCU, and certainly won't be the last. The Marvel Studios president previously made the case for "Iron Man 3" being a Christmas movie and also admitted:
"I've always loved films or shows or specials that take place over the holiday season. There's a heightened amount of emotion and a heightened amount of conflict and tension that can occur in this glorious season. I have always, honestly, been looking for opportunities."
And just as promised, 2022 has another Christmas story waiting for fans of the MCU.
Is Hawkeye a Christmas Story?
If you've existed on the internet during the month of December, then you probably already know this: action-packed stories set over the holiday season are a very touchy subject. We will forever be debating the question of what constitutes a Christmas movie and what doesn't, so we might as well accept reality and delve into the specifics. I can't speak to the broad scope of all holiday-set stories, but I'm pretty confident about this — "Hawkeye" is a Christmas show.
When the series arrives in the present day, snow is gracefully falling, lights are brightly twinkling, and tinsel-decorated trees are abundant. Christmas in New York is the backdrop of "Hawkeye," but beyond being set in December, the story is also framed by the pressures of the holiday season. Clint Barton is no stranger to duty taking over his life and stealing him away from his family, but it's most meaningful over the course of these six days because he's on the verge of missing Christmas. His past is resurfacing, a chatty young woman is glued to his side, and tracksuit-clad goons are hunting him down, but the real stakes come from the voice of his eight-year old son, wondering if he'll make it home in time for their holiday movie marathon.
"Hawkeye" grapples with the pressure of Christmas — the desire to be with family and the tension of everything standing in the way. Clint's journey has an emotional deadline, so removing the holiday from the equation would drastically alter the story and even sap some of its power. As it stands, this setting is used to great effect, even winning Clint some new fans. The show uses the holiday to both humanize the character and illustrate his relationship with Kate, his new protégée, who's been doing her best to loosen him up over time. Watching them trim a tree and sip festive cocktails warms our hearts in that special way that Christmas specials always do. Whatever Christmas movie parameters guide your life, you have to admit that any story this thoroughly enhanced by the holiday definitely earns a spot at the table.
"Hawkeye" is now streaming on Disney+.