Fans have theorized the possibility of Clint Barton assuming a new alter ego in Avengers 4. With part of the film taking place in Japan and Jeremy Renner sporting a very different haircut while prepping for the film, speculation has centered on the possibility of Clint Barton shedding Hawkeye and adopting not just a new look, but possibly a new name as well. Thanks to our source, the same source that delivered the goods on the children of Thanos and Steve Rogers’ new look, we can tell you that Barton is set to appear as Ronin (or at least an iteration of it) in Avengers 4!

In the comics, Barton has been known to take on multiple superhero identities. He took on the mantle of Goliath back in the day and underwent a very brooding gun-toting image overhaul in Ultimates 3 when tragedy struck his family. The most notable recent change the character went through happened after the events of Civil War in New Avengers #27. . Donning a totally new costume, complete with a mask to hide his identity like fraudsters would do, Barton, who had been trained with numerous weapons over the years, picked up some samurai swords and became the masterless samurai known as Ronin, a mantle that began with Daredevil ally Maya Lopez aka Echo. Though he eventually resumed his career as Hawkeye, Barton wore the mask for some time, including the events surrounding the Skrull invasion.

As with nearly all things MCU, the film won’t follow the template from the comics. We don’t want to get to deep into spoiler territory here, but we are told that the events of Avengers: Infinity War (one specific event in particular) leaves Barton in a VERY dark place and is the inciting moment in the archer’s shift into this darker superhero mantle. Given the nature of events that cause the shift, it’s possible that they may not make the final cut of the film, but trust us when we say that if they do, you will absolutely know it when you see it.

As always, while we are confident that our source delivered accurate information to us, it’s important to remember that we are talking about a film that is 20 months away from hitting the big screen. In that time, scripts can change, cuts can be edited, things can be added and, of course removed. Things that may have been shot for one film could end up in another. Having said that, this absolutely seems like a series of events the Russos would throw in given their knowledge of the comics and their penchant for throwing things in that the most hardcore fans can appreciate.

What do you guys make of this news? Are you excited to see a different, darker Clint Barton? Let us know!

Avengers: Infinity War will hit theaters on May 4, 2018 and Avengers 4 will drop one year later on May 3, 2019!