WARNING: The following contains constantly updated spoilers for Moon Knight, premiering March 30, 2022, on Disney+.
Based on the comic book hero of the same name, Moon Knight is the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Oscar Isaac (from the upcoming Metal Gear Solid movie) stars as Marc Spector, who takes on the hero alias “Moon Knight” after he dies in front of the statue of the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. Khonshu resurrects him, laying upon him the burden of becoming the “moon’s knight,” protector of the innocent. Moon Knight marks the character’s Marvel Cinematic Universe debut.
Marvel fans are excited to see how the MCU tackles Moon Knight, who’s one of Marvel’s more obscure heroes, as well as how the show will address the character’s Dissocative Identity Disorder (DID). Whether viewers are watching for the superhero sequences or the mysteries that surround the protagonist, the show should have a lot to offer. There’s also a lot to learn, so find the latest Moon Knight news, theories and all the important details herein.
Moon Knight’s Crew and Cast
Kevin Feige heads the production of Moon Knight as executive producer alongside Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Grant Curtis, Brad Winderbaum, Jeremy Slater, Isaac and Mohamed Diab. Diab is especially notable because Moon Knight has strong Egyptological roots and Diab is an Egyptian director. Many of his previous works focus on Egyptian societal issues, so Diab can be expected to bring a level of authenticity and representation that is needed for a series like this. He directs four out of the six Moon Knight episodes, with Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead directing the other two.
As previously stated, Oscar Isaac stars as main protagonist Moon Knight/Marc Spector. Ethan Hawke plays Arthur Harrow, the antagonist of the series who is a cult leader and zealous follower of the god Ammit. May Calamawy co-stars as Layla El-Faouly; not much is known about her character thus far, as she isn’t featured in the Moon Knight comics. It’s clear from the trailer that she’s a person from Marc’s past, but nothing further has been revealed.
Also starring in the series are Gaspard Ulliel as Midnight Man/Anton Mogart, Loic Mabanza as Raoul Bushman, F. Murray Abraham as Khonshu the Moon god and Lucy Thackeray as Donna, a coworker of Marc’s. For more insight on the cast and crew of Moon Knight, follow the links to these articles:
Moon Knight’s Story
Marvel Studios’ official synopsis for Moon Knight is as follows:
“Moon Knight follows Steven Grant, a mild-mannered gift-shop employee, who becomes plagued with blackouts and memories of another life. Steven discovers he has dissociative identity disorder and shares a body with mercenary Marc Spector. As Steven/Marc’s enemies converge upon them, they must navigate their complex identities while thrust into a deadly mystery among the powerful gods of Egypt.”
Thus far, the first two episodes of the series have introduced the audience to Steven Grant/Marc Spector, setting up the plot for the next four episodes. Episode 1 follows the protagonist through what starts out as his typical day-in-the-life. However, when he returns home that evening, he has a nightmare with a life-altering outcome.
What he believed to be a nightmare was actually a dissociative episode. Steven had traveled to a small village and retrieved a sacred scarab from Arthur, Egyptian god Ammit’s avatar and main antagonist of Moon Knight. And here is where Steven’s true troubles begin.
Steven’s first shift back at work is a wild one. Arthur and his followers corner him in the museum. He’s able to get away for the time being. But later that night, Steven is attacked by a monster. Trapped in the bathroom with nowhere to run, Marc appears to him in the mirror. The mercenary calmly persuades the terrified man to let him take control of their body. Steven relents, and Marc suits up as Moon Knight and slays the monster.
Episode 2 sees Layla, Marc’s wife, tracking down Steven. She’s rightfully frustrated, as her husband had disappeared for months, leaving her wondering if he was okay. However, Layla doesn’t know about Marc’s DID, so when a confused Steven insists he has no idea who she is, she believes Steven is one of Marc’s aliases.
Steven is brought to Arthur’s village, where the cult leader presses him for the scarab. Layla appears to save the day, and the two dash away, being chased by a jackal. They lock themselves in a room, and as the jackal tries to break down the door, Layla urges Marc/Steven to summon the suit. Steven relinquishes control to Marc, and the mercenary suits up to defeat the beast.
However, the scarab got lost in the shuffle. Khonshu appears to Marc, alluding to his intent to make Layla his next avatar.
To further explore Moon Knight‘s story, click on the links below:
Moon Knight Easter Eggs and References
Three Easter eggs containing references to three different Marvel characters appear in Episode 1. The name “Duchamp” on Marc’s flip phone hints that Jean-Paul “Frenchie” Duchamp may appear later in the series. The living statue that Steven sits next to is Crawley, who, in the comics, served as an informant for Marc. And there’s a QR code on the museum wall that links to a digital copy of Marvel’s Werewolf by Night #32, possibly confirming fans’ speculations that Disney+ will create a Werewolf by Night adaption this Halloween.
A fun Easter egg found in Episode 2 is seen on Marc’s passport. It lists his birthplace as Chicago, Illinois, as it is in the Marvel comics.
For more information on Moon Knight‘s Easter eggs, click on the following links:
Moon Knight Theories and Rumors
The MCU fandom is as quick to theorize as it is to finding Easter eggs. Theories regarding Moon Knight are plentiful. Some center around May Calamawy’s Layla El-Faouly and who she might actually be. Others try to parse out where the series fits into the MCU timeline. Additionally, there’s rumors about fan-favorite characters making cameos and speculation on who the real villain of the series is. There’s also a theory that Moon Knight was foreshadowed in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
A theory that spawned from observations of Episode 1 points out similarities between the methods of Hydra scientist Arnim Zola and Arthur Harrow, disciple of Ammit. Zola develops Project Insight, an algorithm that determines whether or not a person could be a potential threat to Hydra. Harrow, on the other hand, uses power from the god Ammit to judge a person’s “goodness” to determine whether they live or die.
To further investigate these theories and rumors (and many more), click on the following articles:
The first two episodes of Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight are streaming now on Disney+. The six-episode series will drop new episodes weekly through Wednesday, May 4.
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