In addition to exploring new corners of the Marvel universe, each MCU project takes inspiration from a handful of cinematic classics.Lokidirector Kate Herron was influenced bySe7enandBlade Runner.Eternalsdirector Chloé Zhao was influenced byPrometheusandThe Notebook. AndHawkeyedirector Rhys Thomas, it seems, has been heavily inspired by theLethal Weaponfranchise.
Directed by Richard Donner, who hadpreviously inspired audiences withSupermanand terrified them withThe Omen, the wildly popularLethal Weaponmovies went a long way toward making the “buddy cop” subgenre a mainstay in action cinema. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover starred as Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh, respectively. Riggs is a renegade young detective who refuses to play by the rules, while Murtaugh is a veteran by-the-book lawman on the brink of retirement. In the 1987 original, the two were reluctantly paired up to chase a heroin smuggler and ultimately became the best of friends.
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There had been “buddy cop” movies prior toLethal Weapon. James Fargo’sThe Enforcersaw Clint Eastwood’s iconic rulebreaker “Dirty” Harry Callahan taking Tyne Daly’s bright-eyed rookie Kate Moore under his wing. Walter Hill’s48 Hrs.saw Nick Nolte’s gruff, strait-laced detective partnering with Eddie Murphy’s fast-talking, street-smart temporarily released convict to track down his elusive partner-in-crime.
But unlike these classic buddy actioners,Lethal Weaponprovided a blueprint for other filmmakers to riff on. It did for “buddy cop” films whatJohn Carpenter’s seminal low-budget horror masterpieceHalloweendid for slashers. It took the framework of a handful of existing classics and bolstered that framework with recognizable tropes and conventions that directors would openly emulate for decades to come.
Mismatched “buddy cop” duos have been a recurring theme throughout Marvel’s Disney+ content. Sam and Bucky’s action-packed bickering harked back toMidnight Run.Loki and Mobius’ timeline-crossing banterfelt like a throwback toThe X-Files. And based on the tantalizingHawkeyetrailer, Clint Barton’s back-and-forth with his excitable new protégé Kate Bishop could call back to Riggs and Murtaugh.
By including footage of Clint’s dark days as “Ronin” fromAvengers: Endgame, theHawkeyetrailer signifies that the character’s past misdeeds will weigh heavily on him throughout the series. This portrayal of a superpowered antihero at the end of his road has drawn parallels withLogan, the bittersweet finale forHugh Jackman’s on-screen portrayal of Wolverine, but it’s also similar to Glover’s performance as a jaded crimefighter who’s “getting too old for this s***” in theLethal Weaponseries.
The influence ofLethal Weaponcan be seen in more than justHawkeye’s central dynamic. The show’s trailer makes a point of highlighting its Christmas setting. Snowfall drapes each shot. Clint rides a zipline past the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. He and Kate have an arrow-based shootout with some bad guys on an ice-skating rink. At first glance,Hawkeye’s yuletide setting may seem like a nod to John McTiernan’sDie Hard.
When most moviegoers think of Christmas-themed action,John McClane’s hellish night at Nakatomi Plazais usually the first thing that comes to mind. ButLethal WeaponbeatDie Hardto the punch by a whole year. BeforeDie Hardsparked decades of debate about whether it’s a Christmas movie in the summer of 1988,Lethal Weaponset its own gun-toting spectacle against the backdrop of the holiday season in the spring of 1987.
Although it hasn’t been the subject of as many heated (and, frankly, redundant) discussions,Lethal Weaponis as much of a Christmas movie asDie Hard. Riggs has a shootout with some drug dealers at a Christmas tree lot, the climactic fight on Murtaugh’s front lawn is illuminated by his Christmas lights, and in the final scene, Riggs enjoys Christmas dinner at the Murtaugh household. Donner’s movie leans way more heavily into the spirit of Christmas than McTiernan’s. Outside of the office Christmas party,Die Harddoesn’t have a lot to do with Christmasat all.
Since he got his start as the creator of theLethal Weaponfranchise, Christmas has become a staple of screenwriter Shane Black’s work. Black used the holiday as a backdrop in subsequent movies likeThe Long Kiss Goodnight,Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,The Nice Guys(all of which fall into the “buddy cop” category that he helped to create), andhis own contribution to the MCU,Iron Man 3. In the case of Black’s work – and, hopefully, also in the case ofHawkeye– the Christmas setting is more than just a kitschy gimmick. The familiar yuletide iconography gives the story a relatable, recognizable context.
Story-wise,Hawkeyeseems awfully similar to the other Phase Four narratives that MCU fans have been treated to.Black WidowconcernedYelena Belova taking on Natasha Romanoff’s Avenger moniker,The Falcon and the Winter Soldierconcerned Sam Wilson taking on Steve Rogers’ Avenger moniker, and now,Hawkeyewill concern Kate taking on Clint’s Avenger moniker. But the “buddy cop” dynamic and Christmas setting, seemingly referencing theLethal Weaponfranchise, will hopefully make the series feel unique.
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