After being absent from the MCU since his self-titled Disney+ series, Oscar Isaac may finally be coming back to the franchise after a major announcement from Marvel Studios. One of the main complaints from MCU fans is that the franchise has felt a bit disconnected since Avengers: Endgame. Some projects, such as The Fantastic Four and Thunderbolts*, have directly led into bigger movies like Avengers: Doomsday, but other projects like Moon Knight and Werewolf by Night seemingly led to nothing.
Marvel Studios officially announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 (SDCC) that a Ghost Rider feature film is now in development at Marvel Studios, with Ryan Gosling set to star as the titular character. This will undoubtedly be exciting for fans on a surface level, as many have begged Marvel Studios to make a Ghost Rider movie set in the MCU. However, it actually teases that something deeper is in the works, and could bring about the return of a Phase 4 character.
Notably, in the comics, Ghost Rider is a major member of the supernatural superhero team called the Midnight Sons. Another Marvel character who is often associated with the Midnight Sons, who was already introduced in the MCU in 2022, is Moon Knight.
Moon Knight was played by Oscar Isaac in a Disney+ series titled Moon Knight. The show performed decently in terms of viewership, but many were more excited to see how Moon Knight would factor into future projects and play a role in the greater MCU.
However, since Moon Knight premiered, Isaac's titular character has not appeared in any other projects, and it doesn't seem as though there are any plans for him to pop up anywhere like Doomsday.
With the official announcement of the Ghost Rider movie, it is possible that Marvel Studios could be planning on tapping more into the supernatural side of the Marvel universe. If that is the case, considering Moon Knight is also tied to the supernatural, fans may see him make a cameo in the Ghost Rider movie.
Additionally, Marvel making Ghost Rider could eventually lead to a Midnight Sons movie or Disney+ show. If that were to happen, Moon Knight would almost definitely be included in that.
Therefore, it is possible that Moon Knight could make multiple future appearances in the MCU, especially if Marvel goes full supernatural in the near future.
Truthfully, in retrospect, Marvel didn't really need to introduce Moon Knight into the MCU when it did, as the course of the MCU is clearly still focused on the Multiverse, at least until Avengers: Secret Wars is released.
However, it is important to remember that Marvel was probably planning on branching the supernatural side of the franchise out in the early 2020s, but major plans likely fell through. For example, Kit Harington's Dane Whitman was introduced in 2021's Eternals film, and he also hasn't been brought back since.
Additionally, Marvel released a Disney+ special titled Werewolf by Night, which was centered around a supernatural character that was clearly meant to be further explored in a future title.
Most likely, everything fell apart due to Blade's development issues. Mahershala Ali's Eric Brooks was most definitely supposed to be a major MCU character and a member of Marvel Studios' Midnight Sons. So, Marvel was most likely waiting for Blade to finally be released before bringing characters like Moon Knight back.
It seems as though, since Blade likely isn't going to happen, the Blade character will be replaced by Ghost Rider. Therefore, the supernatural branch of the MCU will likely finally be explored after Ghost Rider is released, which could (and likely will) lead to Isaac making a grand return as Moon Knight.
When Will Moon Knight and the Midnight Sons Come to the MCU?
With the current trajectory of the MCU, it seems extremely likely that the MCU is going to bring Oscar Isaac's Moon Knight back into the fold. Isaac is still one of the most recognizable names in Hollywood, so he is an extremely marketable actor, but fans would also like to see Moon Knight's story continue, as the Moon Knight show left off on a bit of a cliffhanger.
Unfortunately, Marvel likely won't be bringing Moon Knight back until at least 2028, though. As mentioned, most of the company's focus is on Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, and with the latter coming out in late 2027, there would be no way to naturally incorporate Moon Knight into any of the MCU projects that will be released throughout the rest of 2026 and 2027.
Therefore, Moon Knight's return would have to be in 2028, at the earliest. Marvel Studios announced that the Ghost Rider movie is set for a 2028 release, so if Moon Knight did make a cameo appearance in that movie, that would give him one more credit in the MCU and ensure that he pops up as soon as possible.
It is also worth noting that there is still a possibility that Moon Knight could receive a second season, especially if the MCU begins exploring the supernatural after Secret Wars. However, even if Moon Knight's Disney+ show wasn't renewed for another installment, as mentioned, he would likely be included in a Midnight Sons movie, which likely wouldn't be released until 2030 or 2031, at the earliest.
