Moon Knight's MCU Future Unclear (But Director Thinks He's Here To Stay)
Moon Knight director Mohamed Diab isn't sure about the character's MCU future but suspects that Oscar Isaac's hero is here to stay. After months of anticipation, the first episode of Moon Knight is now available to watch on Disney+. The show, which has been billed as a limited series and stars Isaac as the titular hero, tells the story of Steven Grant, a mild-mannered gift shop employee with dissociative identity disorder who, after discovering that he shares a body with mercenary Marc Spector, becomes embroiled in a mystery involving Egyptian gods.
Initial trailers for Moon Knight have teased a mind-bending thrill-ride, with Isaac's hero marking a slightly more brutal character than is typically found in the MCU. Diab directs the first four episodes of the series while directing duo Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson helm the final two chapters. Initial reviews for the first episode of the show have been promising, with critics praising the change of pace from typical MCU fare. In addition to Isaac, Moon Knight stars Ethan Hawke, May Calamawy, F. Murray Abraham, and the late Gaspard Ulliel.
In a Screen Rant exclusive interview, Diab explains that, while Moon Knight's future remains uncertain, he's confident that the character will be sticking around for some time. Diab stresses that "no one knows what else is going to happen to Moon Knight," but explains that the character is interesting and different enough to warrant future appearances, especially with other superheroes. Check out Diab's full comment below:
"I want to tell you, I am proud that a lot of people are telling us that if you cut the Marvel logo, no one is going to know that this is a Marvel show. I'm happy that we pushed the envelope enough that it feels like it's something that is unique on its own.
But I have the feeling that Moon Knight is here to stay. That's not something that I know, by the way - no one knows what else is gonna happen to Moon Knight.
But I want to tell you that he's such an interesting character that I feel he's here to stay, and I can't wait to see him interact with other superheroes and drive them crazy."
Isaac has previously described Moon Knight as a limited series, casting doubt on a potential second season, but Diab's comment would suggest that the titular character is not necessarily limited to his own standalone series. Moon Knight mostly stands on its own as a separate entity from the goings-on in the MCU but it certainly sounds like that could change in the future. Outside of Moon Knight, Isaac's character could appear in other MCU shows or perhaps even make the jump to larger MCU films if he proves popular enough.
Although only one episode has been released so far, the general consensus from fans seems to be that Moon Knight feels fresh and is a welcome addition to the MCU. The mind-bending nature of the character certainly would make for an interesting element to add to other MCU projects and, as Diab says, it would be entertaining to watch Moon Knight play off of other superheroes and "drive them crazy." It remains to be seen what the future holds for the character but, with an actor as talented as Isaac playing him and with optimism from the show's director, it would seem that audiences won't have seen the last of Moon Knight when the final episode of season one airs in early May. The first episode of Moon Knight is now streaming on Disney+.