When it comes to the MCU on Disney+, Marvel Studios never does the same thing twice. Beginning with WandaVision at the start of 2021 and ending with Hawkeye, Marvel fans were treated to five unique and distinct limited series in terms of style, genre, and tone but each with their own contributing narrative to the greater MCU. That trend looks to continue as Marvel Studios kicks off its second year on Disney+ with Moon Knight starring Oscar Isaac.
In the series, Oscar Isaac plays Marc Spector, who struggles with a dissociative identity disorder. His different identities come into play as he becomes involved in a mystery involving Egyptian Gods.
Of course, having a mental health issue serve as a sort of basis for the series is definitely a first and is something Marvel has addressed, but that's not the only area where Moon Knight is breaking new ground. According to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, Moon Knight is also expected to be a "tonal shift" and more violent than past Marvel projects.
Now, in advance of the show's premiere on Disney+, fans are learning of yet another way Moon Knight stands apart from previous MCU series and the potential problems that this decision might bring.
Fans Fear Spoilers Following Moon Knight's Unusual Release
Ahead of its March 30 debut, Disney sent four episodes of the MCU's Moon Knight Disney+ series to critics and reviewers, leading to rising fan concerns over spoilers.
Fandango's Erik Davis commented on this "unprecedented release" in the following tweet:
"Marvel offering up an unprecedented number of episodes in advance of the show’s March 30 premiere, too. We have never seen this much of an MCU show prior to debut, which is fun because reactions & reviews will cover a great deal of the season. Just beware of spoilers!"
It's true that Disney and Marvel Studios have never previewed the bulk of a series ahead of its general debut. For instance, the media only previewed one episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, two episodes of Loki, and two episodes of Hawkeye ahead of their Disney+ premieres.
Both WandaVision and What If...? were expectations in that Disney previewed three episodes; however, both of the shows contained nine-episode seasons.
In regard to spoilers and what the press could reveal about not one but rather four episodes of Moon Knight's six-episode season, @rprez2012 responded, saying,
"Great. So the media is going to spoil all the big surprises."
Twitter user @moviere09350416 expressed a similar sentiment, posting the following tweet:
"lot of critics are seeing Moon Knight Today I’m so serious right now if i see a spoiler for the show I’m blocking all critics because not it’s not fair first episode only dropping on March 30 they get to four episodes"
While releasing the bulk of a series is unprecedented, the same can't be said of critics posting spoilers ahead of a project's public release.
One of the most recent and egregious examples occurred on the night of Marvel's Eternals premiere when a trade reporter spoiled one of the film's post-credits scene's biggest surprises on social media.
According to Disney, the reasoning behind releasing four episodes of the show to the press, despite what has happened in the past, has to do with the show's unique nature; and apparently, four episodes are needed to fully grasp just what Moon Knight is.
Why is Marvel Screening the Bulk of Moon Knight?
Amid the current culture of internet leaks, and due to the recent trend of major trades spoiling Marvel Studios' secrets, Marvel and Disney's decision to release the bulk of such an anticipated series is both surprising and revealing.
Clearly, the first two or even three episodes alone aren't enough to fully understand and appreciate the series, and Marvel and Disney need critics to relay that information to keep audiences onboard. In fact, if anything, this unusual release of so many episodes is a warning that causal viewers may need a little help in staying engaged.
Still, in light of how the media has handled Marvel content in recent months, fans are still justified in their fears of spoilers; and they expressed similar concerns in late 2021 ahead of Spider-Man: No Way Home's advance screening.
But since critics will have knowledge of certain elements of the show that audiences won't see until April 20, their concerns are even more warranted; and that's a long time for fans to avoid social media and online keywords.
Whether this decision pays off for Marvel Studios, and whether certain outlets and critics will succeed in keeping Moon Knight's secrets, remains to be seen. But for the sake of the dedicated Marvel fan base, hopefully, the media will view this unusual release as a responsibility to both the studio and their readers.
Moon Knight premieres on Disney+ on March 30.
