Jeremy Renner’s top movies to watch: from Avengers’ Hawkeye and Dahmer to The Hurt Locker
Marvel actor Jeremy Renner continues to recover from a serious injury and has thanked fans for their “kind words” on social media. We look at all of his best shows and movies
US movie star Jeremy Renner had been ploughing snow at his property near Reno, Nevada when he suffered serious injuries. He thanked fans on social media on Wednesday (4 January) saying “I’m too messed up now to type. But I send love to you all.” He subsequently spoke for the first time on video on Thursday (5 January), as he was pampered by his mother and sister.
Renner is notable for his role as the bow and arrow-wielding hero of the Avengers franchise in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He played Clint Barton / Hawkeye in six films, not including the streaming series on Disney +, where he played the titular character. And it’s not the only blockbuster franchise he’s been in. From The Bourne Legacy to Mission Impossible, Renner got his big break in 2002, playing serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.
While the actor may be enjoying his success as an action star, he certainly has the dramatic chops that prepare him for more serious roles. Renner is a two-time Academy Award nominee and has appeared in many of the best films of the past twenty years.
Here’s some of the major movies and series he’s starred in:
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1. Dahmer (2002)
In this fictionalised, fragmented biopic of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, Jeremy Renner takes on the character of one of America's most notorious murderers in US history. Speaking to GQ, he said: "It was harrowing, it was pretty crazy, my dad wouldn't hug me after seeing it in the cinema - so I thought I did a good job".
2. The Town (2010)
Renner stars as James "Jem" Coughlin, a career criminal and professional bank robber, in the American crime drama film co-written, directed by, and starring Ben Affleck. It was adapted from Chuck Hogan's 2004 novel Prince of Thieves. Jem was most famous for committing the 2010 Fenway Park Heist, where he was killed, shot twice in the head and many times in the chest.
3. Avengers Franchise (2011-2021)
The star played Clint Barton / Hawkeye, a member of the Avengers in several Marvel Cinematic Universe films and television series beginning in the 2011 film Thor. He reprised the role for the series Hawkeye alongside Hailee Steinfeld and Florence Pugh. The film takes place after the events of the film Avengers: Endgame (2019), with the series further exploring the character's time as Ronin, a violent vigilante.
4. The Hurt Locker (2008)
Renner earned an Academy Award nomination for this 2008 American war thriller film directed by Kathryn Bigelow. He played Sergeant First Class William James, who is a composite character, with qualities based on individuals whom screenwriter Mark Boal knew when embedded with the bomb squad. The actor spent a year learning about bomb disposal with the EOD division in preparation for the film.