Marvel's Moon Knight: Oscar Isaac Shares New Photo Teasing MCU Role

By Pierre Chanliau Updated:
Moon Knight Oscar Isaac

Oscar Isaac's production company, Mad Gene Media, took to Instagram recently and shared a video of Isaac's training for Moon Knight. The fighting looked spectacular in no small part to stunt coordinator Olivier Schneider, who worked on the upcoming James Bond sequel No Time To Die.

Filming for the show has already started with Isaac and co-star Ethan Hawke having been spotted on set together in Budapest, Hungary. Hawke's role in the show has yet to be disclosed, but he is being billed as the villain of Moon Knight.

Isaac's production company has posted one more behind the scene goodie that points to the many inspirations for the show and the ritual hero.

THE MOON KNIGHT COMETH

Mad Gene Media, the production company founded by Oscar Isaac and Elvira Lind, posted a new image of Isaac in front of multiple comic book covers and panels featuring Moon Knight, including what appears to be concept art for the show.

Oscar Isaac Moon Knight
Instagram

The post's caption reads:

WE ARE MOONKNIGHT. @marvelstudios #moonknight

It should be noted that Marvel Studios actually tweeted out the photo, too, publicly confirming Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight for the first time. Isaac was conspicuously not confirmed in the role at Disney's Investor Day event.

Isaac is currently in Budapest, Hungary filming the titular role in Marvel Studios' Moon Knight, set to debut on Disney+ in 2022.

KHONSHU WILL HAVE A BIRD HEAD

This photo features multiple images from various runs of Moon Knight over the years, showing what will be influencing this new series. The one directly to the left of Isaac is strange, as it's a variant cover for Conan: War of the Serpent #1, drawn by David Finch.

Obviously, it's not the contents of that comic that are the influence but the illustrations of Finch, who was the original artist for Charlie Huston's famed relaunch of the character in 2006. Huston's run on the character is most known for being a bit more violent as it explored Marc Spector's use of force and his own isolation from his friends and allies.

The cover directly above Isaac's head to the left is from Moon Knight (2016) #189, written by Max Bemis. This issue shows an asylum patient who believes himself to be the emissary of the Sun God, Amon Ra, looking for Moon Knight. The other half has Spector hunting down a man who has the power to show people the worst of humanity whenever he touches them.

Many have speculated that Hawke could be playing this asylum patient who was never given a name in the comics aside from Patient 86 and Sun King. Hawke would certainly look the part, especially with the beard, so the show could delve more into this character's backstory such as giving him a name.

Moon Knight comic covers
Marvel

The top left of the image shows another comic book cover from Bemis' run, Moon Knight (2016) #198,” which has Spector running through multiple trials, physical and mental, set up by a society of sadists. So, maybe fans might see Spector going through similar trials in the show, albeit not from this specific villainous organization in the comic.

To the right of that cover is actually just warm-up artwork from comic book artist George Kambadais which is unaffiliated with any issues of Moon Knight. However, the costume in the piece is actually based upon the one from the 2014 run of Moon Knight. So, perhaps the costume in the show will be partially inspired by it.

Below that illustration is a panel from Moon Knight (2016) #1, written by Jeff Lemire. This is a fourteen-issue run that delved deep into Spector's dissociative identity disorder. The specific panel on the wall shows Khonshu, the Egyptian god of the Moon that Spector worships, telling Marc “You are nothing. Not anymore.”

A common point of discussion in Moon Knight is whether Spector actually died and was brought back to life by Khonshu, which the series is likely to explore. This also means that the show is likely to use this design for Khonshu, which depicts him with a large bird skull.

The last image directly to the right of Isaac's head cannot be determined at this time, but it seems to be another variant cover depicting Moon Knight in a more classical costume.

Interestingly, there seem to be pieces of concept art hidden in this photo, with one section dedicated to Egyptian costumes and one depicting a man wearing an elaborate piece of headwear and holding a scroll.

Moon Knight Concept Art
Instagram

More tantalizing is concept art covered up by that comic panel that appears to show Moon Knight's costume or, at least, a variant of it. What makes this most apparent is the figure to the far right, who seems to be wearing a white mask covering their entire head, matching up with Marc Spector's typical superhero outfit.

Moon Knight Concept Art 2
Instagram

Another possibility is that this could concept art for the villain Black Spectre, who dons black armor, which seems to be what the figure on the far-left is wearing. Spectre is typically a villain Moon Knight fights in his stomping grounds of New York, while this show will seemly take place mostly in Egypt.

- About The Author: Pierre Chanliau
Pierre Chanliau began as a news & feature writer for The Direct at the site's launch in 2020. As a longtime reader of superhero comic books, Pierre's knowledge of Marvel and DC is extensive, informing his reporting and editorial pieces regarding the MCU and DCU.