Jeremy Renner is stepping back into the spotlight with new work, public appearances, and personal milestones nearly two years after his near-fatal snowplow accident—but his 2025 also includes a messy dispute with an independent filmmaker over alleged misconduct and a documentary voiceover deal.
From Near Death to “Second ReBirthday”
On January 1, 2023, Renner suffered life‑threatening injuries after being run over by a 14,000‑pound snowplow while trying to help a family member near his Nevada home. He sustained more than 30 broken bones and was briefly declared clinically dead before being resuscitated, then spent months in intensive rehab.
This New Year’s Day, Renner marked the
second anniversary of the accident with an emotional Instagram post, calling it his “second ‘ReBirthday’.” He shared a hospital photo and thanked the “army of people” who helped save his life, including nurses, doctors, and first responders, writing that he “literally” owes them his life.
The post underscores a theme Renner has repeated since the accident: gratitude, perspective, and rebuilding—physically, mentally, and professionally.
Back to Work: “Wake Up Dead Man” and a Busier 2025
Far from retreating, Renner has been quietly rebuilding his career schedule.
According to entertainment coverage, *
Renner completed filming on Wake Up Dead Man**
in 2024, a high‑profile ensemble film from Glass Onion
director Rian Johnson. The movie is the third Benoit Blanc mystery, following Knives Out
and Glass Onion
, and is expected to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2025. That will mark Renner’s first major festival appearance since his accident.
Industry watchers note the casting is a neat full‑circle move: Renner was a running gag in Glass Onion
via a fictional “Jeremy Renner hot sauce,” but never appeared on screen. Now he’s officially part of Johnson’s universe, signaling that top directors still see him as bankable and creatively valuable.
Renner has also already returned to his Paramount+ series Mayor of Kingstown, shooting season 3 less than two years after the accident—something he has publicly said he didn’t know would ever be possible in the immediate aftermath.
Hollywood Christmas Parade: Grand Marshal in Full View
Renner’s most visible public outing recently came at the Hollywood Christmas Parade, where he served as Grand Marshal. The 92‑year‑old parade tradition rarely makes big headlines, but this year Renner was arguably its biggest name.
He rode a float with his family and appeared upbeat and mobile—symbolically important for a star whose injuries once made basic movement uncertain. The event benefitted Toys for Tots, tying his appearance to a charity angle that dovetails with his more reflective public persona post‑accident.
The parade also reinforced a clear message to casting directors and studios: Renner is not just alive and grateful—he’s working, walking red carpets (or floats), and ready for more.
The Real Estate Side Hustle: “Forever Home” Sold to Lizzo
Away from sets and premieres, Renner’s long‑running real estate play is still very much part of his story.
In 2024, he listed and then sold a Los Angeles–area mansion he once called his “forever” home—a property where his daughter grew up. According to reporting that cites People and real‑estate coverage, Renner:
- Bought the home for roughly $4 million
- Spent over $5 million on renovations
- Sold it in 2024 for more than $12 million
The buyer, according to that reporting, is none other than Lizzo, adding a celebrity‑to‑celebrity twist to the deal.
Renner has been involved in flipping properties for years and has been described as notably successful at it, but selling the house he once intended to keep for life suggests a deeper reset. Sources frame the move as part of his decision to downsize and prioritize his continued recovery—both physically and in terms of lifestyle.
New Controversy: Documentary Dispute and Misconduct Allegations
2025 hasn’t been all feel‑good milestones.
A recent wave of coverage and commentary has focused on a bitter dispute between Renner and an independent documentary filmmaker, which has spilled into public view via legal letters and social media posts.
Here’s what’s been reported and discussed in coverage and podcast breakdowns that cite Deadline’s reporting:
- Renner agreed to do voiceover work for an independent documentary.
- The filmmaker later alleged Renner made unwanted advances, sent inappropriate messages, and behaved improperly toward her.
- Renner’s legal team responded with a cease‑and‑desist letter, stating that the pair had no personal relationship beyond a “brief and entirely consensual encounter” in July 2025 after they met at a hotel in Reno, Nevada during an interview for the documentary.
- His lawyer’s position, as described, is that Renner has not spoken to her in over a month and disputes the misconduct narrative.
- The filmmaker has also alleged, via Instagram posts summarized in the coverage, that Renner threatened to call ICE on her if she did not comply with his wishes or stay silent—an accusation Renner’s side denies.
Commentary on the dispute stresses that, for now, it remains a he‑said, she‑said situation with no court ruling or independent verification of either side’s full account. Analysts also speculate there may be an underlying financial or contractual dispute over the documentary itself, with both parties leveraging public pressure.
For Renner—already once the subject of headlines over past personal and custody disputes—this new controversy lands at a sensitive moment, just as his comeback narrative is solidifying.
What This Means for Jeremy Renner’s Next Chapter
Taken together, Renner’s latest headlines paint a complicated but compelling picture:
- Career momentum is real. He’s wrapped a major ensemble film (Wake Up Dead Man
), returned to Mayor of Kingstown
, and is back on public stages as a parade Grand Marshal.
- Life reboot is underway. The sale of his “forever” home, his focus on rehab, and his reflective “ReBirthday” messaging suggest a man actively re‑engineering his life after trauma.
- Reputation risks remain. The documentary dispute and misconduct allegations could become a larger story if litigation or further evidence emerges, potentially testing both his fan goodwill and studio confidence.
For now, Renner’s 2025 looks like a balancing act: reclaiming his career and narrative after a brush with death, while navigating new questions about his private conduct in an era when those questions can derail long‑planned comeback arcs overnight.
How that balance holds—especially once Wake Up Dead Man* hits TIFF and the publicity machine kicks in—may determine whether Jeremy Renner’s story is ultimately remembered more as a triumphant return, a cautionary tale, or something in between.
Sources
1. Jeremy Renner Marks 2nd Anniversary of Snowplow Accident
2. Jeremy Renner at Hollywood Christmas Parade Dec 1
3. The SHOCKING Truth About Jeremy Renner's Recent Struggles
