Highlights
- Moon Knight’s future in the MCU remains uncertain despite positive reception and interest from Oscar Isaac.
- Marvel Studios has not confirmed plans for a second season, leaving the character in limbo.
- Rumors suggest Moon Knight may appear in a Midnight Suns film, but Blade’s production issues might delay this.
Marvel Studios has introduced an abundance of characters over the past two decades of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While most of them have made their way to the big screen, there are a select few that have only appeared on the small screen, including Moon Knight and Werewolf by Night. While the latter of the two was a special presentation, with admittedly no future plans for the character confirmed for the time being, Moon Knight seemed likely to appear elsewhere following the show’s first season. Unfortunately, though, that hasn’t been the case.
Two years since the series debuted on Disney+, rumors continue to circulate as to whether the show will land a second season. Despite leading man Oscar Isaac continuing to express interest in returning as the character, and even exploring a second season, Marvel Studios has remained quiet regarding the character’s future within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So, why has the studio ultimately abandoned Moon Knight after the series did relatively well?
Moon Knight’s Journey to the Marvel Cinematic Universe
In the past, Marvel Studios has been rather open regarding projects in development, having revealed line-ups during special presentations for fans. However, once the studio had the ability to explore bringing more characters to life on the small screen thanks to Disney+, the studio seemed to experiment more with surprises like Werewolf by Night, Echo, and even X-Men ’97. One of the more surprising shows, however, ended up being Moon Knight, which was announced in 2019, with Isaac officially boarding the project in 2021. Production moved relatively quickly on the project, with the series making its debut in March 2022, and quickly became one of the streaming service’s best Marvel series to date among fans. Yet, despite Isaac and the show’s directors being ready to return for a second season should Marvel Studios order one, little to nothing has happened with the character since. In fact, the studio seems to have moved on to other characters with Wonder Man, Daredevil: Born Again, and Vision Quest in the pipeline.
Rumors, of course, have suggested that Isaac will finally get to reprise his role in a Midnight Suns film. However, that project has yet to even be announced by Marvel Studios, and is expected to begin production following Blade – a film that isn’t even close to entering production at this point. With a positive reception to the series, and a star like Isaac who is more than ready to return as the hero, it is rather baffling that the character currently has no place within the vast Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Why It is Time to Bring Back Moon Knight Already
Despite Moon Knight being hailed as a limited series, the show had plenty of story left to tell. The first season managed to successfully introduce audiences to Marc Spector, and his various identities, as well as the new hero, Scarlet Scarab. The series, much like Ms. Marvel, which still has yet to be renewed for a second season, is more than deserving of a second season order. While Marvel hasn’t made it a habit of giving its Disney+ shows multiple orders, with Loki currently being the exception, it has found ways to explore these stories in other formats. WandaVision and the first season of Ms. Marvel, for example, saw their stories play out in other films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and The Marvels, respectively. While, WandaVision has also received two spinoff shows – Agatha All Along and Vision Quest – that’ll properly tell the stories of some of its leading heroes beyond the first season. And while it has yet to be confirmed, rumors have suggested even Hawkeye will return for a second season at one point or another. Which, yet again, leaves Moon Knight as the odd man out.
Is it possible that Blade‘s continued production woes have left Moon Knight on the sidelines? After all, rumors have continually circulated that the character will work with Mahershala Ali’s in Midnight Suns. That project, however, isn’t going to happen for a long while – not until Blade finds a way to correct course, that is. With Isaac’s ever-rising star, sooner or later, the studio would be smart to lock in a plan for Moon Knight sooner rather than later. After all, there are still plenty of stories left to explore with the character, and given the incredibly positive reception to the Scarlet Scarab, Marvel Studios would be smart to focus on bringing the duo back, whether it be in a second season of the Disney+ series, or even a limited, special presentation ala Werewolf by Night.
Fans can watch the first season of Moon Knight now on Disney+, or if they prefer physical media, the first season if available for purchase now at all major retailers.
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