Courtesy of his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies as Hawkeye, Jeremy Renner has become one of the most well-known faces in the movie industry. However, he has a wide range of movie roles in highly-acclaimed movies that some MCU fans may not have seen. TechTrends, therefore, decided to make a list of the best Jeremy Renner movies of all time, helping you paint a clearer picture of his career so far.
Jeremy Lee Renner is an American actor who has featured in many movies as leading roles as well as supporting roles. Although his career did not take off until later in his life, he has delivered memorable performances during his career. He played in many different genres, proving himself as a talented actor. Moreover, he has received two Academy Awards nominations for the movies The Town and The Hurt Locker. His Hawkeye series is also attracting the attention of the audience and critics. Renner’s movie debut came in National Lampoon’s Senior trip, and he went on to appear in many other movies and shows. Following a long and ongoing career, let’s take a look at the best must-see Jeremy Renner movies of all time.
Best Jeremy Renner Movies of All Time
Jeremy Renner is enjoying a major career now as he appeared in Disney+ series Hawkeye as a leading character. It was one the strongest Marvel shows, proving why casting Renner was so spot on. Although many people know him for his role in the MCU movies, he has received acclaim for his performance in the new series Mayor of Kingstown as the leading character. To honor his amazing career, we made a list of the best Jeremy Renner movies of all time. Without further ado, let’s get down to it. Remember that the movies are ranked based on their ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb.
11. 28 Weeks Later 2007
- Genre: Horror/Thriller
- Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
- Stars: Jeremy Renner, Robert Carlyle, Imogen Poots, Rose Byrne
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 72%, IMDb 6.9
One of the best Jeremy Renner movies ever is 28 Weeks Later, where he plays the role of a soldier. He oversees the repopulation of London following the zombie outbreak seen in the movie 28 Days Later. The movie focuses on the effects of the contained outbreak in the UK. The film lived up to the expectations, with the director choosing an amazing cast for the movie. 28 Weeks Later got 12 nominations in different categories and became the best thriller of that year at the Empire Awards, UK.
Read more: Best Horror Movies of All Time
10. The Immigrant 2013
- Genre: Drama/Romance
- Director: James Gray
- Stars: Jeremy Renner, Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix, Dagmara Domińczyk, Angela Sarafyan
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 85%, IMDb 6.6
The movie The Immigrant tells the story of Marion Cotillard’s Polish immigrant when she goes to New York in the 1920s. Jeremy Renner plays alongside Marion Cotillard and Joaquin Phoenix and he portrays the role of a performing illusionist Emil. His performance as a troublemaker yet light-hearted man is delightful. Many believe that the hatred toward Phoenix’s character led the audience to root for Ewa to end up with Emil. Renner was able to make the audience relate to his character as he prompts an ugly feud between the two leading roles as he falls in love with Ewa as well. The Immigrant is one of the best Jeremy Renner films of all time.
9. Wind River 2017
- Genre: Thriller/Mystery
- Director: Taylor Sheridan
- Stars: Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Kelsey Asbille, Gil Birmingham, Jon Bernthal
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 87%, IMDb 7.7
Jeremy Renner played alongside her MCU co-star Elizabeth Olsen. The movie was inspired by true stories, earning a lot of praise, but many believe more Native Americans should have been cast in the movie. Despite all that, Renner’s performance was outstanding, making this another one of Jeremy Renner’s greatest movie roles. Renner plays a wildlife tracker who joins up with Olsen to solve a murder mystery case. This movie is brutal in violence and emotionality, and the two stars perform remarkably. Wind River is indeed one of the best Jeremy Renner movies of all time.
Read more: Best Elizabeth Olsen Movies of All Time
8. Captain America: Civil War 2016
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Directors: Joe Russo, Anthony Russo
- Stars: Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Holland, Don Cheadle
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 90%, IMDb 7.8
In Captain America: Civil War, the Avengers, everyone’s favorite superhero team, split up because of a disagreement. There is team Cap, and there is team Iron Man. When these two collide, it becomes one hell of a superhero movie. This is one of the best Marvel movies of all time as it shows the conflict between Iron Man and Captain America, which had been building up. Jeremy continued his role as Hawkeye in Captain America: Civil War, and it marked one of the highest-rated movies of his career. This is yet another one of the best Jeremy Renner films ever.
Read more: Best Chris Evans Movies of All Time
7. The Town 2010
- Genre: Crime/Thriller
- Director: Ben Affleck
- Star: Jeremy Renner, Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Blake Lively, Jon Hamm
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 92%, IMDb 7.5
The Town is one of the best Jeremy Renner movies of all time, where he performs as James Coughlin. The movie revolves around the story of a group of bank robbers. Renner’s second Oscar nomination came for his role in this movie. Renner plays Ben Affleck’s best friend, and he is wild and unpredictable. Proving that he is a capable filmmaker in the movie Gone Baby Gone, Ben Affleck took another challenge when he started his second effort in The Town. Affleck hands Renner the flashier role.
Read more: Best Ben Affleck Movies of All Time
6. American Hustle 2013
- Genre: Drama/Crime
- Director: David O. Russell
- Stars: Jeremy Renner, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Christian Bale, Amy Adams
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 92%, IMDb 7.2
American Hustle is also one of the best Jeremy Renner movies of all time, where he plays the role of a politician. He is a smart and strategic one who is passionate about his city. Playing the role of a politician takes a lot of work for an actor, but Renner did his homework. Therefore, he portrayed a convincing role from the beginning to the end. He also showcases his charisma and confidence, which is crucial for a politician who wants power. Bradley Cooper features as an FBI agent undercover who was able to turn a pair of grifters, played by Christian Bale and Amy Adams. Jennifer Lawrence also performed in the movie and brought a comedic sensibility to the genre of a crime thriller.
Read more: Best Bradley Cooper Movies of All Time
5. Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol 2011
- Genre: Action/Thriller
- Directors: Brad Bird
- Stars: Jeremy Renner, Tom Cruise, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, Léa Seydoux
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 93%, IMDb 7.4
One of the most well-known and best Jeremy Renner movies of all time is the Mission Impossible series. It is an adaptation of the 1960s TV espionage series, and the seventh and eighth installments are going to be released in 2023 and 2024. Renner plays the role of William Brandt, who is an IMF analyst. He joins Ethan Hunt’s (Tom Cruise) team, who try to prevent a nuclear disaster. Renner’s performance is quite convincing in the movie, and he continues his role as Brandt in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. Due to the success the movie had, there were many series that followed.
4. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation 2015
- Genre: Action/Thriller
- Directors: Christopher McQuarrie
- Stars: Jeremy Renner, Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Hermione Corfield, Paula Patton, Sean Harris
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 94%, IMDb 7.4
Tom Cruise continued his flagship franchise in its fifth installment, which is about a group of agents who stop global catastrophes. Jeremy Renner’s screen time in this movie is less than the previous one in the franchise, where his character was introduced. This was due to the fact that his commitment to the Marvel Cinematic Universe restricted his time. Despite having fewer scenes, Renner was able to add this one to the list of the best Jeremy Renner movies of all time.
Read more: Best Tom Cruise Movies of All Time
3. Avengers: Endgame 2019
- Genre: Sci-fi/Action
- Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
- Stars: Jeremy Renner, Chris Pratt, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Brie Larson, Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen, Tom Holland, Mark Ruffalo
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 94%, IMDb 8.4
The movie Avengers: Endgame starts with Iron Man in space for three weeks after Thanos’ Snap wiped out half the universe’s population. However, they get saved by Captain Marvel later in the movie. The rest of the Avengers, on the other hand, have to find out a way to bring their lost ones back. Although Renner has limited screen time in Endgame, there is no denying that this is one of the best Jeremy Renner movies of all time. Avengers: Endgame was without a doubt one of the best MCU movies of all time as well, where Renner continued his role as Hawkeye.
Read more: Best Scarlett Johansson Movies of All Time
2. Arrival 2016
- Genre: Sci-fi/Thriller
- Director: Denis Villeneuve
- Stars: Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tzi Ma, Amy Adams
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 95%, IMDb 7.9
Another one of the best Jeremy Renner movies of all time where he has a reading role is Arrival. The movie received eight Oscar nominations in major categories such as Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Renner starred alongside Amy Adams, and the two performed amazingly well. They also share great chemistry from the start to the end. He portrayed Ian Donnelly, who is a physicist on a mission to study a spacecraft that was found on Earth. He is in awe of the alien lifeforms and gives a convincing performance.
Read more: Best Jessica Chastain Movies of All Time
1. The Hurt Locker 2008
- Genre: War/Action
- Director: Kathryn Bigelow
- Stars: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce, Evangeline Lilly
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 97%, IMDb 7.5
Renner showcases his talent in the movie The Hurt Locker as Sergeant William James. This movie earned him the reinvention of his career and got him an Academy Award for Best Actor. He performs outstandingly well and embodies his character in a great way. James is addicted to the rush of life-threatening situations. He has to disable bombs, and he is fearless in doing that. This worries other soldiers, and when he goes back home, he finds it hard to relate to his family. Renner was able to act completely natural in the movie for a character that is tough, ruthless, and maybe insane. This is one of the best Jeremy Renner movies of all time.