Exclusive: Moon Knight’s MCU Future Hinges on One Condition That Could Bring Oscar Isaac Back

Moon Knight came in hot, stuck the landing, and then vanished. Four years later, the question is still the same: where did Marc Spector go, and what is Marvel actually doing with him?

Quick refresher: why Moon Knight hit big

Instead of leaning on the usual MCU safety net, Moon Knight built its own tight, eerie little world and let Oscar Isaac run wild in it. He played Marc Spector, Steven Grant, and the lurking Jake Lockley like three different people crammed into one body. It worked. The show pulled strong Rotten Tomatoes scores, became the most in-demand U.S. series premiere of Q1 2022, grabbed nine Emmy nominations, and picked up a Saturn Award. In other words: one of the standouts of Marvel's multiverse era.

So why no return yet?

Moon Knight creator Jeremy Slater, doing press for Mortal Kombat II, explained why the character has been parked. Isaac is not on one of those old-school, multi-project lock-in deals. His contract is basically: bring him a story he actually wants to tell, and then he will show up. Slater put it like this:

"The contract Oscar Isaac signed was very much like, we will do more stories when we find stories that he is creatively excited to tell. They can just sort of snap their fingers and summon him back for another adventure. He's really creatively involved in the future of that character."

Translation: Marvel cannot just pencil him into a crossover and call it a day. They need the right pitch, plus they have to navigate A-list scheduling. The good news is Isaac is clearly attached to the guy; if they crack the story, he is likely in.

Where could he show up next?

Season 1 was designed to stand alone, which was great for tone and not so great for building obvious crossovers. But that finale did leave one big thread dangling: Jake Lockley, still in Khonshu's service, quietly taking the wheel. That is an easy on-ramp for a second season. Beyond that, there is a bigger, spookier door that may have swung wider because of Blade.

• Moon Knight Season 2: Focus on Jake Lockley and his arrangement with Khonshu. The show literally teed that up.
• Midnight Sons: The long-troubled Blade solo film has been rumored to be dead after years of creative shake-ups. If Marvel pivots, the comics' supernatural squad (think Blade, Ghost Rider, Moon Knight, Doctor Strange, Werewolf by Night, Elsa Bloodstone) makes a lot of sense. Several of those characters are already in the MCU, and Isaac has said he is into the idea.

What Slater actually knows right now

Short answer: not much, by design. Slater says he has not talked to Marvel in three years, doubts he would be creatively involved if there is a Moon Knight Season 2, and does not know if the character's next stop is a movie, a team-up, or another series. He is hopeful Isaac will suit up again because the experience was positive and the fan response was strong, but he is clear he is guessing as a fan, not teasing anything.

Meanwhile, Slater's day job rolls on: Mortal Kombat II, which he wrote and produced, hits theaters May 8th.