At one point in time, Marvel Studios' concept designs for May Calamawy's Scarlet Scarab looked WAY different than what audiences got.
While Moon Knight is mainly known for introducing Oscar Isaac's titular hero into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it also gave the world its first Egyptian superhero in the MCU. Interestingly enough, the character is basically completely original, having pulled very little from the comics.
Calamawy previously shared how it is "an honor just to be able to represent or to be Middle Eastern and shine a light on that region."
5 Alternate Designs for MCU Moon Knight's Scarlet Scarab
Fans can now get their hands on Marvel Studios Moon Knight: The Art of the Series, which showcases just how different May Calamawy's Scarlet Scarab could have been.
The character was first introduced in Moon Knight's Season 1 finale, where she teamed up with Oscar Isaac's Marc Spector (and Steven Grant) to take down Arthur Harrow.
Funnily enough, despite her name, the final design didn't have much red in it—something that could have been far more prominent.
MCU Visual Development Supervisor Rodney Fuentebella shared that they "wanted something that felt Super Hero" but could stand out and "feel different to the Moon Knight costumes:"
"I wanted something that felt Super Hero, but with a lot more of that Egyptian sensibility and feel different to the Moon Knight costumes, but still playing with the same sense of the kind of powers they get from the Egyptian gods. I was thinking, 'How would that translate to their avatars?'"
Fuentebella continued, explaining how one design in particular "has a Mr. Knight feel to it:"
"So, as I was playing with different masks, I did one that has a Mr. Knight feel to it. We were lucky enough to have a plethora of Egyptian lore and references to draw from to give Scarlet Scarab that unique and authentic feel."
Another take on the costume darkened the red coloring but added in some of Moon Knight's familiar bandaging.
Visual Development Supervisor Jackson Sze noted one train of thought for these particular designs was that they wanted to be "mindful of Moon Knight's aesthetic" as they "wanted to keep this suit in a similar family:"
"I was being mindful of Moon Knight's aesthetic, with the cloth strips around the costume... I wanted to keep this suit in a similar family. The face mask was an optimal way to make them similar, but different—because they are avatars of different gods."
While the Moon Knight similarities are interesting, it's easy to see how the two might look a little too similar—especially since they were both avatars of different gods entirely.
The biggest difference between those alternate designs and the one MCU fans got in the final product is how the red was nearly entirely taken out, instead focusing on golden coloring.
[ Moon Knight Season 2: Will More Episodes Ever Release? ]
When Will Scarlet Scarab Return?
The big question fans have is: when exactly will May Calamawy's Scarlet Scarab return?
Sadly, her next appearance is just as up in the air as Moon Knight's unannounced second season is. At the very least, one would have to assume that she'll return for more episodes on Disney+ if they ever come to fruition.
Previously, Calamawy revealed how she'd love to one-day crossover with characters such as Doctor Strange, Blade, Agatha, or even Nebula.
While the MCU awaits her next appearance, the original character was recently brought into Marvel Comics, first appearing in Moon Knight #25 and then playing a key role in the limited series City of the Dead.
Hopefully, Calamawy's hero will be seen again sooner rather than later. Fingers crossed the much-rumored Moon Knight Season 2 will become a reality any day now.
Moon Knight is now streaming on Disney+.
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