Avengers 4 HORROR: Hawkeye star 'SNAPPED both arms like matchsticks' on film set

Fans spent the build up to Avengers 3 wondering where Hawkeye was.

The movie finally explained that he had retired so that his family would be spared further investigation and upset following his actions in Civil War.

However, Hollywood star Jon Hamm just revealed that Renner broke both his arms like “matchsticks” last autumn.

This coincides with the filming period for Avengers 4. Should fans be worried Hawkeye will be AWOL again for most of Avengers 4?

Hamm was talking to Ellen about his new movie Tag, in which Renner plays a man who gets his friends involved in increasingly dangerous versions of the childhood game.

So dangerous, in fact, that Renner suffered terrible injuries during the first few days on set. The movie was being filmed in Atlanta, close to the Avengers 3 and 4 sets, and at the same time.

Hamm revealed: “Jeremy Renner… broke both of his arms on the same time. Day three of production. We had 40 more days to go. Keep in mind this is a man who’s done a hundred Avengers movies and been fine. And he does a movie about playing tag… both arms, like firewood, just snapped like a matchstick.”

Is this why Hawkeye was really missing?

Renner, as Hamm pointed out, is a regular action movie star, used to tough conditions and injuries.

Breaking both arms sounds terrible and debilitating.

Incredibly, Hamm reveals that Renner was soon back to work wearing green casts on his broken arms that could be edited out with CGI during post-production.

However, it still remains a mystery why Hawkeye wasn’t seen at all in Avengers 3. The directors have confirmed that some characters will have much larger story arcs in the sequel, but there has been no guarantee Hawkeye will be one of them.

The latest news will not reassure Hawkeye fans. 

Even so, recent set images and costume leaks have confirmed he will at least feature in some way and hinted that he will start the transformation to the darker and more rebellious alter-ego, Ronin.

AVENGERS 4 IS OUT ON APRIL 27, 2019.