The executives at Marvel Studios knew pretty early on that Hailee Steinfeld would be the perfect Kate Bishop for Hawkeye. The latest Marvel series to hit Disney+ arrives in just three weeks with an epic 2-episode premiere, and fans are eagerly preparing for the arrival of the franchise's newest hero. For the first time ever, Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) steps into the spotlight for his own solo project with Hawkeye, and he'll be joined by his fan favorite partner from the comics, Kate Bishop.

In the comics, Kate takes on the mantle of Hawkeye after Clint dies temporarily. Upon his return, the two end up becoming allies, and that partnership serves as the basis for the Disney+ series. However, as the first Hawkeye trailer revealed, Clint will meet Kate after she impersonates his Ronin persona, aka the vigilante he became during Avengers: Endgame. Fans have been waiting for Kate to arrive in the MCU for years now, making her debut one of the most anticipated in recent memory.

Related: Why Kate Bishop Copies Ronin's Costume (Not Hawkeye's)

Even before she was officially announced in the role, Steinfeld was a popular choice for the part of Kate Bishop among Marvel fans. It sounds like she was a popular pick over at Marvel too. In a new interview with EW, Hawkeye producer Trinh Tran revealed the creative team's first reaction to meeting with Steinfeld and explained how they immediately knew she would be the perfect Kate. Tran said:

"I remember the very first day when [executive producer and MCU mastermind Kevin Feige] and I sat with Hailee to talk about it. We were just like, 'This is Kate Bishop.' When you read the comics, you get that energy from Kate — that wit and those smarts. And meeting Hailee, you see she's so incredibly talented. Just look at the body of work she's accomplished at such a young age. We knew having her be a part of the MCU one way or another would be very exciting, but when we started talking about this particular project and this character, she just became our go-to girl."

Kate Bishop In Disney+ Hawkeye Series

Marvel has a pretty great track record when it comes to casting, often nabbing some of the biggest and most exciting names in Hollywood. Steinfeld has been a reliable star ever since she made her Oscar-nominated debut in True Grit, and her bright-eyed enthusiasm coupled with her quick wit makes her an ideal pick to play Kate Bishop. Hawkeye is definitely focused on Clint, but Kate looks to be just as much of a lead as he is. Marvel needed to find someone who could go toe-to-toe with MCU vet Renner, and it looks like they've managed to do so.

Marvel's excitement about having Steinfeld on board is infectious, since it's hard as an audience member to not be eager to see what the actress has in store. Right now, Hawkeye is the only project she's confirmed to appear in, but it seems likely she'll be back for more. Whether that's in a spin-off show of her own or an Avengers-style movie remains to be seen, but it's clear Marvel has a lot of plans for both Steinfeld and Kate. It'll be exciting to see what they turn out to be.

More: Hawkeye's Kate Bishop Could Be The MCU's Best Avenger Replacement Yet

Hawkeye premieres Wednesday, November 24 on Disney+.

Source: EW

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