Marvel Studios kicked off its TV era in a big way in 2021, and this new year is primed to continue the momentum. Fans will be able to take in a number of great Marvel Cinematic Universe shows in 2022, and it looks like Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight will officially be kicking things off. Though there were things that were known, many had been eager for more details on the mysterious show. Up until now, the studio had only shared a few brief clips (with the latest showing off the character’s costume). Well, the official trailer has finally arrived, and it turns Isaac into a tormented hero and gives more glimpses of Ethan Hawke’s shady-looking character.
The debut trailer for Marvel’s Moon Knight teases the supernatural origins of the masked marauder and his alter ego’s rough existence. Steven (presumably Grant), as Oscar Isaac’s character is called, is shown to be having delusions (or visions) of sorts, which are keeping him up at night. Though he's in need of relief, he tries to live his life, but he can’t seem to shake the images in his head. And if this doesn’t seem crazy enough, the trailer eventually shows the young man receiving a call, during which he's referred to as Marc, alluding to the name Marc Spector.
For those who need a bit of context, that’s the character’s birth name and, in the comics, he was established as being the son of a rabbi who eventually became estranged from his family. What the trailer seems to be alluding to, however, is the fact that Marc has been marked by the Egyptian moon god, Khonshu, who (in the comics) would eventually task Spector with being his human avatar. He would eventually agree and become the titular hero but at a cost. Due to the deity’s continued influence on his mind, Marc would develop dissociative identity disorder, which the trailer shows off perfectly.
And on the other hand, there’s the matter of Ethan Hawke, who’s reportedly playing the villain, and he definitely looks the part. The identity of the character seems to be that of Arthur Harrow, who was shown to be a charismatic cult leader in the comics. Based on past comments from the actor, he was intrigued by the role and the opportunity to play in the superhero genre. He also liked the fact that he was playing with a property that isn’t too well known. All in all, it’ll be interesting to see how Harrow comes into conflict with the brooding hero.
Moon Knight is a clear example of how Marvel Studios is attempting to vary up its superhero fare as Phase Four continues. With this new era in the MCU, the company has been looking to introduce new (and lesser known) faces to the fold like Shang-Chi and the Eternals. Like them, Marc Spector was born during the ‘70s and gradually became a hit with readers. Oscar Isaac actually admitted to not knowing much about the character before signing on for the series yet found himself drawn to the character, story and the opportunity to “try some really out-there stuff.”
And based on this trailer, the lead actor is definitely taking full advantage of this fresh template, as he seems to be seamlessly capturing the haunted nature of his protagonist and effectively playing one of the character's multiple identities. This shouldn’t really come as too much of a surprise, given that the Star Wars alum is one of the best actors working in Hollywood right now (as is Ethan Hawke). Honestly, it may be far too early to call, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the star garners some awards nods down the road.
There were already plenty of reasons to be excited about the superhero show, but fans are now sure to be truly hyped for it. Let’s hope that Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, head writer Jeremy Slater and co. can do justice to a character that’s been revered in comic book circles for years.
Moon Knight is set to hit Disney+ on March 30, but, in the meantime, you can stream MCU shows and movies on the streamer. And if you’d like to do some more research on the cinematic universe’s newest hero, CinemaBlend has you covered with everything else the comics tells us about him.
