Moon Knight is reportedly set to arrive on Disney+ next year, and all eyes are on what Oscar Isaac's Marc Spector brings to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The character promises to be unlike any other hero we've seen in this shared world before now, and director Mohamed Diab tells The Hollywood Reporter that fans can expect the series to deal with some hard-hitting subjects.
"When you see this you will not recognize that it’s me directing it. But I’m so proud of it. I always love to have a new challenge," he started, confirming that he's helmed four of the six episodes.
"My movies are hard, serious and about big topics, and I feel strongly that Moon Knight is going to be like that - it’s going to be entertainment but also heavy," Diab continued. "At the same time, we’re being so creative with the jokes and with the action. As I keep saying to my wife: I can’t believe I’m funny in another language!"
Diab, who also serves as an executive producer, actually created a 200-page pitch for Moon Knight alongside wife and producing partner Sarah Goher. That obviously panned out for them, and the filmmaker now has nothing but good things to say about his experience working with Marvel Studios.
"It’s been such a great experience - I’m learning a lot," he admitted. "I’m appreciating things more about my independent movies, and I’m appreciating things about the big machine. I can’t compare Marvel to anything else, but it’s a great machine. Those guys are geniuses."
It's probably going to be a while before we get an official first look at Moon Knight, but this is a series that has all the makings of something special. An impressive creative team has been assembled, that's for sure, and Isaac's take on the deranged crime-fighter is bound to leave a lasting impact.
Throw in the likelihood that the show will introduce lot of supernatural elements to the MCU, and it's fair to say that this one can't get here soon enough.
Click on the "Next" button below to check out a breakdown
of everything we know about Moon Knight so far!
10. Moon Knight Isn't Just Heading To Disney+
Moon Knight is on track to arrive on Disney+ sometime next year, but it sounds a lot like there are already plans in place for Marc Spector beyond his small screen debut.
Shortly after Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, and She-Hulk were announced, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige revealed, "Some characters we've announced like She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel, and Moon Knight you will meet for the first time on a Disney+ show and then they'll go into the movies but the MCU will now go back and forth."
Needless to say, it sounds like these shows are meant to serve as extended origin stories for the characters (with lower budgets and without the risk they'll struggle to make an impact at the box office). We know Ms. Marvel is destined for The Marvels, but where could Moon Knight land?
9. The Lead Villain
As you'll see throughout the course of this feature, Moon Knight is a series that could end up featuring a lot of supernatural villains. However, in terms of the show's big bad, the signs appear to be pointing to Ethan Hawke taking on the role of Bushman. He worked with Marc Spector as a mercenary but left him for dead after the hero intervened in his attempts to kill innocent people.
Interestingly, it's thought that French actor Gaspard Ulliel will take on the role of Anton Mogart, a.k.a. Midnight Man. He was a jewel thief who was driven insane after an encounter with Moon Knight left him hideously deformed, and is a close ally of Bushman's. Seeing as Marc became Moon Knight after he was left for dead, perhaps their origin stories will all link up somehow?
Dina Shihabi and May Calamawy have also been cast in the series, but for the most part, Marvel Studios has kept casting and character details under wraps.
8. A Possible Cameo From The Power Broker
We're taking this with a pinch of salt, but one recent rumour claimed that Emily VanCamp will make a cameo appearance in the series as Sharon Carter/Power Broker.
Given her newfound villainous role in the MCU, it would actually make a lot of sense for the Power Broker to factor into proceedings, likely as the one paying mercenaries like Marc Spector and Bushman to retrieve the sort of antiquities we could see she'd acquired in her Madripoor base.
This sort of connective tissue is appreciated by fans, and it could be a good way of better establishing the importance of Sharon's role in future stories after The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
7. Werewolf by Night's MCU Debut
Recently, Kevin Smith revealed he was stopped from using Werewolf by Night in Marvel Television's Howard the Duck animated series because Marvel Studios had plans for him. Since then, it's been reported the character could end up getting his own series on Disney+.
Before that, it was widely reported that this werewolf anti-hero, Jack Russell (yes, that's really his name), would debut in Moon Knight, a fitting decision considering the fact the same thing happened in the comic books before he received his own series.
Werewolf by Night also has ties to Blade, so this could all end up being part of the Daywalker's eventual movie as well. Either way, it's incredibly exciting to think about the potential of exploring characters such as this one, and a clear sign Moon Knight might be more of a horror series than anything else.
6. Rumoured Plans For Dracula
The Blade movie starring Mahershala Ali has finally started taking shape, but we could be introduced to the concept of vampires in the MCU in Moon Knight.
Rumour has it that Dracula will also be making an appearance, and while it's not specified whether it will be a cameo or something more, this is definitely a big deal. Marc Spector's origin story is grounded in the supernatural, and if this is true, it seems Marvel is going for the version from his earlier stories rather than the violent Batman/Daredevil hybrid from the 2000s.
Introduced in the pages of 1972's The Tomb of Dracula, Dracula has become a formidable threat in the comic books over the years, even squaring off with the Avengers and X-Men at times. Who knows, perhaps we'll even end up getting a Blade cameo?
5. Exploring Moon Knight's Mental Health Issues
Moon Knight has taken on countless roles over the years, but his brushes with mental illness are what really singles this character out from the likes of Batman and Daredevil. When he returned to the U.S. after working as a mercenary, he established several new identities, including Marc Spector (his true name), cabbie Jake Lockley, and millionaire Steven Grant.
While it initially appeared as if he was just playing these roles, it quickly became clear that his mind was fractured and that Marc has multiple personalities (he even believed himself to be Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Captain America for a time).
The most interesting thing about Moon Knight's personality disorder is the fact his different personas all have their own unique abilities, while no one even knows if his "powers" did come from the Egyptian God Khonshu, and it's entirely possible that deity is just another voice in his head. According to Kevin Feige, "mental illness is a unique aspect of the [series]."
4. The Show's Creative Team
Jeremy Slater is set to serve as Moon Knight's head writer, and after developing and creating Netflix's adaptation of The Umbrella Academy, it's fair to say he's no stranger to the world of comic books. Further leaning into the theory that this series will be horror-based, however, is the fact that his other credits include Death Note, The Exorcist, and The Lazarus Effect.
Danielle Iman and Alex Meenehan are the show's other confirmed writers, while Mohamed Diab (Cairo) will direct most of the show's episodes.
Directing Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead have also boarded Moon Knight, and considering the fact they've worked on everything from Synchronic to The Twilight Zone, we're confident that this show is going to head to some weird new corners of the MCU.
3. Stained Glass Scarlet May Also Be A Villain In Moon Knight
There may be rumoured plans in place for the likes of Werewolf by Night and Dracula, but they could be joined by an obscure character from the comic books called Stained Glass Scarlet.
It's said that the Fist of Khonshu will be battling this ex-nun who has a psychic connection with Moon Knight and can invade his mind via his dreams. Marvel Studios have a couple of possible directions they can take the villain in because before she formed that bond with Marc, they fought after she became a vigilante dealing out Punisher-style justice to criminals.
For a time, Moon Knight would prowl the streets brutally attacking bad guys (he even cut off one of their faces at his most unhinged), and this would be a neat way for Marvel to plant the seeds of him going from monster hunter to vigilante/superhero. Ultimately, with a character like this, the series has a lot of creative freedom to completely reinvent the villain.
2. Yet Another Supernatural Baddie?
We've covered a lot of potential villains here, but rumour has it Marvel Studios is also planning to introduce Ripper of the Hellbent, a villain who first appeared in the pages of Marc Spector: Moon Knight.
A member of the human/demon hybrid race known as the Hellbent, these monsters are the result of the intermingling of the remains of elder races with early man during pre-history, when those remnants still shared Earth with man. Ripper is an obscure character, but one fans can presumably expect to see make a nuisance of himself now the supernatural is invading the MCU.
Ripper, and the Hellbent, being demons means that across the course of Moon Knight's first season, the stage has already been set for the hero to face werewolves, vampires, demons, and even a freaking nun with the power to invade people's dreams...
1. The Costume Reveal
We mentioned recent leaks in the headline, but that really is our first look at Oscar Isaac suited up!
Rather than donning a tactical Batman-style suit, Marc Spector is wearing something more akin to his Earth X counterpart on the page. It's a style that makes sense for the character, especially when the series appears to be heading down a supernatural route (as we've established throughout this feature). This "Mummy" style costume also ties nicely into the hero's Egyptian roots.
We're pretty sure Isaac is going to look awesome in this outfit, and it feels a lot like Marvel Studios has something very different and offbeat planned for Moon Knight's long overdue live-action debut...