There may be a hold on new movies being released in the MCU, but the burgeoning demand for superhero tales from Marvel Studios has only increased efforts on Disney+, where fans will get to see WandaVision in December of 2020 and The Falcon And The Winter Soldier in 2021. Aside from those two series starring well-known characters, the less recognizable character Moon Knight is getting his own show featuring a big name: Oscar Isaac.
Considered to be Marvel's answer to DC's Batman, Moon Knight is the superhero identity of ex-mercenary Marc Spector who, after being granted certain mercurial powers by the Egyptian moon god Khonshu, becomes a vigilante. Moon Knight has a loyal fanbase eager to see what Isaac does with a role that is not only physically demanding, but mentally taxing as well given Spector's multiple personality disorder. Isaac may just be perfect for the role, but there are a few other actors who could be just as good.
Perfect: His Range
Oscar Isaac has been in a variety of films over the last two decades, including such genre-spanning titles as Sucker Punch, Drive, Ex Machina, and X-Men: Apocalypse, to say nothing of his involvement in the science-fiction titan that is the Disney's Star Wars sequel trilogy.
Whether he's playing a quietly passionate Armenian medical student in The Promise, a morally frustrated fuel supplier in A Most Violent Year, or swaggering fighter pilot Poe Dameron in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Isaac has proved he has the necessary range to tackle the multiple personalities inherent to the Marc Spector character.
Better Alternative: Keanu Reeves
Despite his hectic and full schedule that includes fourth installments in both the John Wick and The Matrix franchises, executives at Marvel Studios were keen on snaring Keanu Reeves for a role in the MCU, and his name had been linked with Marc Spector/Moon Knight since September of 2019.
Reeves would bring an incredible dynamism to the role which in the Moon Knight comics, often demands as much time spent in the midst of action sequences as it does inside Spector's head. The character is a unique amalgamation of intellectually enigmatic and brutally violent, which perfectly describes Reeves at his peak.
Perfect: His Intensity
As affable as Isaac can be off-camera, he brings a great deal of passion and intensity to his roles in front of it, no matter if they're the lead in introspective films like Inside Llewyn Davis, as part of a testosterone-packed ensemble like Triple Frontier, or as a bit part in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.
There's both something likable and subtly dangerous about the actor, which works to great effect in films like Ex Machina, where his character's questionable allegiance is paramount to the plot right up until its final moments. This sort of charisma will work to make Moon Knight as memorable as any Marvel character yet seen in the MCU.
Better Alternative: Anson Mount
Having recently appeared in the popular second season of Star Trek: Discovery as Captain Pike, one of the most famous Starfleet officers in the entire franchise, and having led the Western drama Hell on Wheels prior, Anson Mount has been poised to become a breakout star with the right material.
Marvel's much-maligned Inhumans series never provided Mount the jumping-off point necessary to establish him as a household name, though it wasn't due to a lack of skill on his behalf. Mount is able to convey both unbridled rage and steely calm with a wide emotional range in between, and a Moon Knight series would have shown his capacity as an actor to a broader demographic.
Perfect: His Appearance
With his harsh jawline, dark eyes, and thick head of hair, Oscar Isaac has the appearance of a commanding leading man. In films like Triple Frontier and the Star Wars sequel trilogy, he's played characters who are rugged, tough, and know their way around a wide variety of weapons.
With his experience in ex-mercenary and gun-for-hire roles, Isaac is perfectly suited to assume the role of Marc Spector, an ex-soldier turned mercenary and vigilante. He'll look, act, and move appropriately for a man with his unique skill set and martial qualifications.
Better Alternative: Rami Malek
Though he's about to appear as the latest Bond villain, Rami Malek didn't become a household name until he earned the Academy Award for Best Actor for portraying rock star Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody.
But the Queen biopic wasn't what created a fervor around seeing Malek star in the Moon Knight series; it was his star-making turn in the enigmatic series Mr. Robot opposite Christian Slater, playing a mysterious hacker who helps to lead a cyber revolution. Much of the series explores the cryptic mental state of its lead, making Malek the perfect person to bring Marc Spector's mental health crisis to life.
Perfect: His Franchise Experience
When Oscar Isaac signed on to play Poe Dameron in Disney's Star Wars sequel trilogy, it was with the understanding that his involvement wouldn't be restricted to the three films. Poe Dameron would need to be brought into other aspects of the Star Wars franchise as well, including animated series like Star Wars: Resistance, LEGO versions of his character, and video games.
With his substantial experience being involved in a franchise as large and relevant to pop culture as Star Wars, Isaac will be able to successfully navigate the Moon Knight series by fully committing to the demands of the character.
Better Alternative: Oliver Jackson-Cohen
Having recently appeared in The Haunting of Bly Manor and the critically acclaimed remake of The Invisible Man, Oliver Jackson-Cohen has started to build a respectable filmography around ambient, character-driven thrillers that make the most of his imposing stature and soulful eyes.
It was in The Haunting of Hill House that fans first gravitated towards his addict character Luke Crain, and cheered him on though his struggle was difficult and uncomfortable to watch. Aside from portraying characters with parallels to Marc Spector and having an impressive physique perfect for playing a superhero, Jackson-Cohen is also of Egyptian Jewish descent on his father's side, which would be perfect for Spector's backstory as the son of a rabbi.
Perfect: He'll Be Sensitive To Its Focus On Mental Health
In a 2015 interview with Men's Journal, Isaac explained the importance of connecting physical discipline with mental discipline, and discussed how the brilliant chess player Bobby Fisher often met with an Olympic trainer to master his workout routine the same way he mastered chess. The physical stimulation helped his dark, troubled mind find focus.
Considering Mood Knight is such a mental health-centric superhero, Isaac will no doubt explore what finding the balance between the physical and mental world means to Marc Spector, and do so in a way that necessitates sensitivity to the judgment and stigma around the topic of mental health in film and television.
Better Alternative: Jake Gyllenhaal
Had Jake Gyllenhaal not recently broken into the MCU by playing Mysterio in Spider-Man: Far From Home, he could have brought his considerable talents to the Moon Knight series, combining his penchant for playing mentally unhinged characters with his ability to get into ridiculously good physical shape.
With a filmography that includes both mind-bending thrillers like Donnie Darko, Nightcrawler, Prisoners, and Velvet Buzzsaw, as well as blockbusters like Prince of Persia, Southpaw, and Jarhead, Gyllenhaal seemed like exactly the sort of visceral actor who could have convincingly portrayed Moon Knight's complexity.