Moon Knight is the next MCU series coming to Disney Plus, but it’s the standalone nature of the project that drew Ethan Hawke in.
Speaking to IGN, Hawke described why this origin story stood out for him.
“I love – you know, when you first see Iron Man, or when I first saw Black Panther – where I don’t know the origin story, I don’t know all the characters, I get to really be told a new legend. And I was so happy when we first talked about this that it was disconnected, because it gives us so much more freedom. And as an audience member it’s what I want, I want to not know what’s going to happen.”
In Moon Knight, Hawke plays the villain Arthur Harrow, a cult leader who’s obsessed with power and has the ability to open up time portals. All might not be as it seems, however, as Marc Spector / Moon Knight (played by Oscar Isaac) has dissociative identity disorder, and he might not be the most reliable of narrators. Is Harrow really evil, or is there more to his motives?
Both movies that Hawke referenced were origin movies and game-changing in their own right. Iron Man was the first foray into the MCU and Black Panther explored the world of Wakanda and it was the MCU’s first Black hero to star in his own movie. Both told stories that introduced people to new legends, and that’s what the actor hopes to capture in Moon Knight.
The MCU is known for its various cameos, Easter eggs, and teasers for the next huge blockbuster in the franchise. Much of the hype surrounding Spider-Man: No Way Home was for the two previous Spider-Men (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield) to return, as well as notable villains Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), and Electro (Jamie Foxx).
Moon Knight will be breaking new ground in that it will be more mature than previous MCU projects. Marvel president Kevin Feige has said that it’s more brutal and pushes the boundaries of what fans have come to expect.
Moon Knight will be available to stream on Disney Plus from March 30.