While he may be best known today for his leading role in Mayor of Kingstown, Jeremy Renner’s career started all the way back in the 1990s with his debut in National Lampoon’s Senior Trip. However, Renner didn’t break out in Hollywood until his appearance in the Best Picture-winning The Hurt Locker, propelling him to many major films and franchises. Keep reading to learn more about the six best Jeremy Renner movies.
6. Arrival (2016)
Starting our list of Jeremy Renner movies is Arrival. Renner plays physicist Ian Donnelly in the sci-fi film, partnering with linguist Louise Banks to study the recent arrival of aliens. While the film doesn’t have a lot of special effects, the leading characters and grounded approach to how humanity would deal with aliens make the film shine. It doesn’t hurt that the surprise ending makes the film even more complex and interesting.
5. Wake Up Dead Man (2025)
Fifth on our list of Jeremy Renner movies is Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. The third film in the Knives Out franchise, the film includes a star-studded cast, with Jeremy Renner in the thick of it. While the movie is centered on Daniel Craig and Josh O’Connor’s characters, the supporting cast, like Renner, really shine in the film, and leave the viewers sucked into the mystery.
4. The Town (2010)
Next on our list of Jeremy Renner movies is The Town, a crime thriller starring Ben Affleck as Doug MacRay. Though Affleck was the key role as the leader of a local band of thieves, Renner is the shining star of the film as Jem, MacRay’s best friend. While he is unpredictable and dangerous, Jem is fiercely loyal, leaving viewers in love with the character. Renner was later nominated for an Oscar for his superb role.
3. The Hurt Locker (2009)
Rounding out the top three Jeremy Renner movies is The Hurt Locker. This was Renner’s breakout film, making him a prominent Hollywood leading man. He starred as Sergeant First Class William James, a soldier in Iraq who is also a bomb disposal expert. It’s a powerful movie about the modern soldier, and Renner excels at playing a morally sound soldier who is also addicted to the rush of being in danger.
2. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Second on our list of Jeremy Renner movies is Avengers: Endgame. While there are plenty of films in the MCU that Renner appears in as the sharpshooter Hawkeye, Endgame takes his character to another level. Torn apart after his family disappears in Infinity War, Renner turns into a dark vigilante who is pulled back into the Avengers circle to bring back humanity, though he loses his best friend, Black Widow, in the process. Renner portrays his character with grace, showing both the devastation and strength of his character in each frame.
1. Wind River (2017)
Last but not least on our list of Jeremy Renner movies is Wind River. Renner stars in the film as Cory Lambert, a hunter living on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. A local girl is killed, prompting FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) to investigate, while using Lambert’s skills to navigate the reservation. However, Lambert has his own plans for justice. Renner shines in his grounded yet humorous portrayal of Lambert, and gives him and Olsen a different space to bounce off each other as characters.