Jeremy Renner rumoured to be out as Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Over the past week or so there's been plenty of talk that the major players in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have expressed some discontent over their contracts with Marvel Studios, stemming from the disparity between their pay packets and that of Robert Downey Jr., who's set to pocket over $100 million from The Avengers and Iron Man 3 combined (and is apparently looking for another $100 million to return as Tony Stark for The Avengers 2 and The Avengers 3).

Marvel are of course notorious for playing hard ball, and as we've seen in the case of Terrence Howard and Edward Norton, the studio aren't afraid to recast a role if they feel its appropriate. With that in mind, it's been said that Earth's Mightiest Heroes could be missing a familiar face or two when the Avengers assemble again for the Joss Whedon-directed sequel, and if a new rumour is to be believed we might have our first Phase Two casualty. And surprisingly, it's not down to a pay dispute...

According to a report over at ComicBookMovie, an "inside source" is suggesting that Jeremy Renner could be finished with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, owing to some negative comments from the actor about his role as Hawkeye in last year's mega-blockbuster, where he complained that "for 90% of the movie, I wasn't the character I signed on to play." Allegedly, there's the "tiniest chance" that Renner will be back for The Avengers 2, but it's more likely that Hawkeye will be recast, and if so, he could also be integrated to the upcoming Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as a primary character.

While it's entirely possible that the report is little more speculation, it should be noted that Renner is noticeably absent from Phase Two of the MCU, despite the fact that S.H.I.E.L.D. veterans Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill) and Maximiliano Hernandez (Agent Jasper Sitwell) are all set to return alongside Chris Evans' Steve Rogers in next year's Captain America: The Winter Soldier. And considering that Whedon plans to introduce at least two new Avengers, it's hard to imagine Hawkeye will be getting much screen time when 2015 rolls around...