Indiana Jones & Ghostbusters Were Big Influences On Marvel's Moon Knight
The head writer for Marvel's Moon Knight reveals that both Indiana Jones and Ghostbusters are big influences on the upcoming Disney+ show. Joining the likes of WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, and Hawkeye, Moon Knight is set to introduce a new hero into the MCU. Starring Oscar Isaac as the titular character, Moon Knight tells the story of an ex-Marine living with dissociative identity disorder who finds himself imbued with the powers of an Egyptian moon god.
Initial trailers for Moon Knight tease that the upcoming series will be quite different than other MCU shows. Featuring a mind-bending storyline, a darker tone, and some surprisingly brutal action, Moon Knight promises to deliver an exciting take on a hero that audiences haven't seen on-screen before. In addition to Isaac's hero, trailers have also shown off the show's mysterious villain, Arthur Harrow, played by Ethan Hawke, who resembles real-life cult leader David Koresh. Rounding out the rest of the cast of Moon Knight are F. Murray Abraham, May Calamawy, Lucy Thackeray, and the late Gaspard Ulliel.
In a new interview with Variety at the Moon Knight red carpet series premiere (via Comicbook), head writer Jeremy Slater reveals that the show was heavily inspired by movies like Indiana Jones and Ghostbusters. Slater explains that he wanted to bring some scarier elements into the MCU while still keeping it family-friendly, much like Indiana Jones and Ghostbusters do. Check out Slater's full comment below:
I came and wanted to go with Raiders of the Lost Ark. I want to see some Ghostbusters. I want to bring some horror into the MCU and some scary monsters, and really push that envelope as far we can. Kevin [Feige] and Marvel were so supportive of that, so we really just sort of used Kevin as our litmus test in terms of finding out if this is something we should pull back on.
Moon Knight is rated TV-14 on Disney+, which is in line with the age ratings for previous MCU shows. Indiana Jones, famously, was almost rated R before it was slightly cut down to achieve a PG rating, as PG-13 did not yet exist. While still a family-friendly film full of adventure and laughs, Raiders of the Lost Ark does also feature some scary elements, particularly in the final act. Slater's comments would suggest that, like Indiana Jones and Ghostbusters, Moon Knight will be a fun adventure, but there might be some frightening moments to be found as well.
Both Indiana Jones and Ghostbusters also deal with supernatural elements and, judging from the trailers, Moon Knight will certainly have its fair share of that as well. While the ghosts in Ghostbusters are decidedly sillier than the frightening supernatural elements in the Indiana Jones movies, perhaps Moon Knight will strike a balance between the two. All the Disney+ MCU shows have varied in terms of tone and story and, with Slater's recent comments, it certainly appears that Moon Knight will be no different, delivering a fun family adventure with a few scares. Moon Knight is set to release on Disney+ on March 30.
Source: Variety (via Comicbook)