A group of Marvel fans have launched an online petition requesting Marvel Studios include Hawkeye in marketing for Anthony and Joe Russo’s Avengers: Infinity War. As the MCU gears up for its biggest ensemble film yet, the film’s promotions have neglected Earth’s Mightiest Heroes’ resident marksman making him the butt of online jokes for quite some time now.

With the film is less than a month away from hitting theaters, the chance of Clint Barton suddenly making an appearance in any TV spots or official posters is slim to none. Nevertheless, the online campaign’s creators’ statement is so hilarious that despite it being non-bearing (as most fan petitions are), no one’s really mad about this one.

The moderators of the Reddit’s Marvel Studios sub-forum have taken it to Change.org to hilariously call out Dinsey and Marvel Studios for intentionally leaving Hawkeye out of the promo materials for Infinity War, demanding that they add him to any marketing for the film moving forward. Obviously, the campaign was made as a joke, even the creators acknowledge it. In hindsight, it’s also a great way to poke fun at other online petition from franchise followers which are more serious than this. Nonetheless, the amusing campaign has already garnered over 400 signatures. Read an excerpt from the group’s statement below:

For the record, Hawkeye has appeared in few marketing items for Infinity War, such as the first official ensemble poster released during last year’s San Diego Comic-Con (even Ant-Man was there). He has also received a purple-colored bow and arrow set Infinity War tie-in merchandise. Unfortunately, though, while the color palette is a reference to the character’s costume in the comic books and animated series, it looks so generic that it could’ve been any standard toy set not associated with Marvel. Other than those, he’s been nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, his fellow MCU Phase 1 teammates are front and center in the ongoing Avengers 3 marketing.

We the signees, call on Walter Disney to include Hawkeye, an OT Avenger, the link that holds the team and the MCU together, in the marketing materials for Avengers Infinity War. On this day, April 1st, fans can no longer tolerate the absence of the strongest Avenger from the Infinity War trailers, posters and that sweet, sweet merchandise such as popcorn buckets.

We ask this with the utmost respect, and in no way seek to harm the profitability of Infinity War, or the reputations of those who work hard at Dinsey co. to provide MCU fans with a new movie like every other month (seriously like, Black Panthers still in theatres). Anyways, we are just MCU fans, we are not marketing execs or film critics, we dont have any interest in influencing creative direction, we just know the lack of Hawks when we see it.

While the situation is undoubtedly (and seriously) frustrating for Hawkeye fans, considering that this continues the trend of him being mostly cast aside despite his original Avenger status, there’s a good reason the studio is keeping Clint Barton out of Infinity War’s marketing (and it’s not due to budgetary reasons like the petition insinuated). The filmmakers have already confirmed that the marksman has his own thing going on for him which more likely is connected to his personal arc of assuming the role of Ronin - his more ruthless samurai persona from the comics. It’s uncertain how this ties into the overall narrative of Avengers: Infinity War, but we have a pretty good theory on how and why.

More: Theory: Here’s Why Hawkeye May Become Ronin in Avengers 4

Source: r/Marvelstudios/Change.org

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