We always knew Moon Knight was going to be more mature than Marvel’s previous Disney Plus series, but it turns out it’s set to be as dark as the Defenders saga. Given that the eponymous anti-hero occupies the more adult-edged end of the MCU, Moon Knight will stand apart from the more all-ages shows like Loki and What If..?, and yet it will still release on the Mouse House’s family-friendly platform. In the U.K., however, it’s being given an almost adults-only rating.
Up until now, Moon Knight has been listed on the U.K. Disney Plus site as possessing a 12+ rating. However, now that we’re just a few days from its release next week, the show has been bumped up to a 16+ certificate. To put it in context, this is the same rating that was handed to Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and the rest of the Defenders-verse series when they hopped over to D+ from Netflix earlier this month.
Over in the U.S., meanwhile, the Oscar Isaac vehicle appears to be sticking with its TV-14 certificate. With no equivalent of the 16+ range existing in the U.S. ratings system, the next one up from TV-14 is TV-MA, which indicates something’s only recommended to those over 18. Clearly, that would be going too far for Moon Knight, so that means 14-year-old fans can nuts over the show in the States while those of the same age across the pond are being steered away from it.
In the run-up to its release, the cast and crew have stressed how Moon Knight offers something very different from anything Marvel Studios has delivered before now, with actor Rey Lucas labelling it as a “major departure” for the MCU. That said, with its surreal undertones, Kevin Feige has teased that some comparisons to WandaVision may be warranted.
The wait is almost over. Moon Knight kicks off its six-part (first?) season when it premieres this Wednesday, March 30 on Disney Plus.