Leaked photos from the New York City set of Disney+’s Phase 4 Marvel Cinematic Universe series Hawkeye gave fans a first glimpse at Hailee Steinfeld (Edge of Seventeen, Bumblebee) donning a version of Kate Bishop’s iconic purple costume from the comics, via Instagram. The news of Steinfeld’s casting was first substantiated through leaked photos of herself and Jeremy Renner (The Avengers, The Hurt Locker) as production of the series got underway in December.
As with upcoming Disney+ series WandaVision, Hawkeye will combine storylines from the greater MCU with visual language and inspiration from its character’s comic book origins. Though Kate Bishop was introduced to Marvel comic readers in 2005, most fans grew to know her best through Matt Fraction (Sex Criminals, Hawkeye) and David Aja’s (The Immortal Iron Fist, Hawkeye) Hawkeye series, launched in 2012. According to Nerdist, the adorable presence of Lucky the Pizza Dog in behind-the-scenes photos for Hawkeye indicates a close connection between the show and Fraction’s beloved comic title of the same name, since Lucky was introduced in that comic run.
These first glimpses of Steinfeld in Kate Bishop’s costume further imply a “comic-accurate” depiction of the character can be expected in the series, via Screen Rant. Kate Bishop is the third character to take on the mantel of Hawkeye in the superhero’s comic book history, and the photos of Steinfeld suited up alongside casually dressed Renner indicate that a transition of the vigilante moniker has already begun. Comic Book Resources notes that the photos of Steinfeld feature a recursive bow, which already separates her character from Clint Barton’s version of Hawkeye, who favored a compound bow.
Comic Book Resources also points out that, while similar to the Kate Bishop of comics, Steinfeld’s costume “looks more homemade, including [a] buckle and its various hanging arrowheads.” Screen Rant speculates that these leaked photos may be from point in the series where Kate Bishop is still developing a working prototype of her costume as “it isn’t the full purple suit like what was featured in the concept art or has been in comics before.” According to Screen Rant, a similar costume evolution can be expected from Sam Wilson as he takes on the mantel of Captain America in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
Aside from these leaked set photos and recent additions to the cast that include Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel, Up in the Air) and Florence Pugh (Midsommar, Little Women), continuing her Black Widow role, little is known about Hawkeye. Polygon speculates late 2021 or early 2022 release for the series. In the meantime, WandaVision will get the Marvel Studios television division rolling at the start of the year with their January 15 release on Disney+.
Image Credit: Raymond Flotat