Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: MCU

  • The Many Personalities of ‘Moon Knight’

    The Many Personalities of ‘Moon Knight’

    Marvel Studios’ first 2022 project is set to introduce the titular Moon Knight to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even though its trailer quickly became the most-liked Disney+ series trailer on YouTube soon after its release, the character isn’t exactly a household name. Moon Knight is a caped vigilante; he was seemingly revived by the Egyptian moon god Khonshu, often dresses in all-white so that bad guys see him coming, and he may very likely be the MCU’s most violent and brutal character to date. But those aren’t exactly his most interesting traits.

    Marc Spector, Moon Knight’s human persona, has dissociative identity disorder (DID), which is a mental health condition characterized by the existence of two or more personality identities in the same person. DID used to be known as multiple personality disorder, and in the past, the character’s own comics incorrectly referred to Spector’s disorder as schizophrenia. Because the portrayal of any mental illness can be fumbled, the makers of Moon Knight have indicated that they plan to take the character’s DID seriously and portray it as accurately as possible. 

    With that in mind, Marc Spector in the comics now generally has five core personalities, or alters, in the comics, some much more recent than others–though even more manifested at different points in time. Not every one of the primary five have been referenced ahead of Moon Knight, but you can check them out below:

    Marc Spector

    Moon Knight

    Marc Spector is the son of a rabbi, and a former Marine and CIA operative who became a mercenary. Spector was killed during a mission in Sudan, but was seemingly resurrected underneath the statue of the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. Spector’s belief that he is Khonshu’s avatar on Earth, or the “Fist of Khonshu,” leads to his Moon Knight persona. Spector is often the primary non-costumed personality nowadays, but there are times throughout the character’s history where the Spector alter is suppressed for long periods of time. So far, the Moon Knight trailers and promotions have only given us a tiny sliver of Marc Spector.

    Steven Grant

    Moon Knight

    Steven Grant is a wealthy, charismatic, connected businessman who took Marc Spector’s mercenary earnings and turned them into millions. He uses these riches to fund Moon Knight’s costly vigilante pursuits, including the Mooncopter and plenty of gadgets. Later, Steven became a producer and even produced a Moon Knight movie. In the trailers for the Disney+ series, Oscar Isaac seems to almost exclusively be portraying the series’ version of Steven Grant. Instead of a playboy millionaire, this Grant is a mild-mannered British gift-shop employee who seems to have little to no awareness of his alters.

    Jake Lockley

    Shadowland: Moon Knight

    Completely absent from all trailers and marketing for Moon Knight is Jake Lockley, Spector’s third classic personality. Lockley is usually depicted as a sometimes-seedy, kind of rough, street-smart cab driver who uses his position to stay connected with ground-level informants and criminals. In that way, he acts as a kind of detective for Moon Knight. Lockley also serves as the connection between Moon Knight and several major supporting characters, such as Bertrand Crawley, Gena Landers, and her two sons. Whether Jake’s absence from Moon Knight promotions means that he will not be making an appearance or that he will be a later reveal is yet to be seen.

    Moon Knight

    Moon Knight

    Depending on which Moon Knight comic you happen to be reading, whether or not Moon Knight is actually a separate identity is pretty ambiguous. In some, like the first-ever issue of Moon Knight above, Marc, Steven, and Jake together form the identity of Moon Knight. But more recent runs have made it more explicit that Moon Knight is indeed his own alter, not just (for example) Marc in a cape. Appointed as Khonshu’s fist and high priest, Moon Knight enacts justice to protect those who travel at night. Throughout most of his history, Moon Knight was never actually superpowered, though there have been times where Khonshu imbued him with special abilities–such as superhuman strength, speed, and durability–that could vary with the lunar phases. 

    Mr. Knight

    Moon Knight

    The fifth primary alter of Marc Spector is his newest by far, first making his appearance in 2014. Maybe the most visually interesting Knight of the two, Mr. Knight always wears a crisp, all-white suit with a white shirt, white tie, and white shoes. He also wears white gloves and a white mask with the outline of a crescent moon on his forehead. If the Moon Knight posters are any indication, Isaac is about to don a very comic-accurate rendition of this personality. Mr. Knight is somewhat of a casual version of Moon Knight–he is often talking to his psychiatrist, assisting in police investigations, and talking to people in need. 

    Honorable Mentions

    Moon Knight

    For a brief time during the Brian Michael Bendis run, Marc and Moon Knight found themselves without Steven and Jake. Instead, Moon Knight developed three new alters: Wolverine, Spider-Man, and Captain America. While it is highly unlikely for many reasons that any of them will appear in Moon Knight, the Bendis run is still worth a shot.

    Moon Knight hits Disney Plus on March 30th.

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer On Series’ Violence And Pushing the PG-13 Rating to its Limit

    ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer On Series’ Violence And Pushing the PG-13 Rating to its Limit

    Now only a week away, anticipation for Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight is at an all-time high. The series is expected to be a fairly unique installment of the MCU for several reasons. Notably, the series will take on mental illness with the titular character’s dissociate identity disorder, and Kevin Feige has suggested Moon Knight will be darker than the MCU at large.

    One particular aspect of the show that has been hinted at by Moon Knight’s creators has had fans on the edge of their seats for quite some time: violence. In some comic book iterations of the character, Moon Knight is abundantly brutal. Moon Knight head writer Jeremy Slater had some interesting things to say about the violence of the series at the red carpet premiere for Disney+’s MCU outing. Speaking to Variety, he stated:

    But I was like: ‘Let’s get as PG-13 as we possibly can, let’s give people some goosebumps, let’s have some violence in there that you may have never seen before in an MCU thing. And Marvel was so supportive of that. They were so cool about it.

    Jeremy Slater

    The fact that Moon Knight may have violence “never seen before in an MCU thing” is certainly an encouraging statement for those hoping the character refuses to pull punches. Still, the MCU has always been “PG-13”, and Slater also noted that the series is “appropriate for all ages“:

    I think it’s definitely appropriate for all ages, that was important to us. We didn’t wanna make something that was inaccessible to a big chunk of the MCU fan base. And we know that people watch these shows with their kids and with their families, and that’s important to people.

    Jeremy Slater

    It is a little confusing that Slater suggests that Moon Knight is appropriate for kids while also apparently bolstering violence that stands out in the MCU. It is not particularly surprising that Moon Knight would not be the first “R-rated” outing in the franchise, especially given the fact that Disney+ has only recently treaded into the water of trying to balance its family-friendly image while including some of its more mature properties on the streaming service.

    Fans can see just how violent Moon Knight is when the first episode premieres on March 30.

    Source: Variety via The Direct

  • Ethan Hawke Says ‘Moon Knight’ “Could Be the Origin Story of a Larger Thing”

    Ethan Hawke Says ‘Moon Knight’ “Could Be the Origin Story of a Larger Thing”

    Despite the fact that the next Marvel Studios project, Moon Knight, arrives soon, fans are already wondering if or when they will see the titular character in future Marvel Cinematic Universe stories. Star Oscar Isaac has already confirmed that the Disney+ series is in fact a limited series, suggesting that a second season isn’t likely.

    Even if Moon Knight ends its run after six episodes, that probably has little bearing on whether the vigilante will be a part of more stories in the MCU down the line. The character already has plenty of momentum to join the Avengers or be a part of a potential future Midnight Sons team. Now, actor Ethan Hawke, who plays Moon Knight villain Arthur Harrow, has indicated that the character of Moon Knight may very likely be a part of something “larger” in the future:

    The good news is that it’s possibly both. It lives and breathes on its own merits, it functions as a limited series – and if people are engaged and excited by it then it could be the origin story of a larger thing.

    Ethan Hawke

    Hawke’s phrasing is certainy interesting as he not only suggests that Moon Knight’s future in the MCU could hinge on audience engagement, but also clearly believes that the character’s future could lie in something larger. This could be somewhat disocuraging news for anyone hoping to see Moon Knight extend the character’s solo adventures, but fantastic news for all those excited to see Marc Spector team-up with other characters in exciting new ways in the MCU’s future.

    Moon Knight’s first episode will premeire on Disney+ on March 30.

    Source: The Direct

  • Oscar Isaac Says Marvel Originally Wasn’t Sure His Take on ‘Moon Knight’ Would Work

    Oscar Isaac Says Marvel Originally Wasn’t Sure His Take on ‘Moon Knight’ Would Work

    Ahead of Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight Disney+ series, star Oscar Isaac has been open about how the titular role was one of the biggest challenges of his career. The actor has also shared that he had a large amount of input and influence when it came to developing the character of Moon Knight for the series. He recently told RadioTimes.com:

    [W]hat was amazing about Kevin [Feige] and everyone at Marvel is that there was a lot of faith and a lot of trust in my opinions about it, and my feelings about it…So like talking to [director] Mohamed [Diab] about where we wanted the story to go, getting Ethan [Hawke] to be part of it. And already, it started to become a very personal story.

    Oscar Isaac

    After wrapping up the series, Isaac is glad he got involved with the project and is happy with the result. But the actor says it was a major risk, and it took him quite some time to agree to Moon Knight. He went on to say “it was all reservations”:

    It was months of smashing my head against a stone wall like, ‘Is this the right thing to do?’ I thought, ‘I shouldn’t do it. Maybe maybe…I had just kinda got out of the whole, you know, big machinery of Star Wars. And I was like, ‘I just really want to do character studies. And I don’t know’…That’s the risk, sometimes you have an idea of what you want to do. And then something comes to you. And I just kept thinking about it.

    Oscar Isaac

    Interestingly enough, Isaac explained that his own take on the main character of Steven Grant differed significantly from Marvel’s original script. Not only that, but Isaac believes that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige felt like he was taking a risk on Isaac’s interpretation of the character:

    It wasn’t necessarily written that way at all. And so I thought, ‘OK, well, let me see what Kevin says about this.’ And so I had a meeting with Kevin, I said, ‘This is how I’d want to do it.’ And he said, ‘Yeah, OK, go for it. And it’s funny, because afterwards he told me they didn’t know what the hell I was doing. And they weren’t sure it was going to work at all. But you know, in the end I’m glad we did that, because everyone says it kind of makes the show.

    Oscar Isaac

    It is certainly interesting that Isaac noted that, for many, his portrayal of Steven Grant–which differs drastically from the comics–“makes the show.” Moon Knight’s and Isaac’s Grant seems to be a sort of awkward, British character, while the Grant from the comics is more of a classic millionaire playboy-type. The risk-taking on both Isaac’s and Marvel Studios’ sides definitely shows that the parties had faith in one another and thought working together would create something special. 

    Moon Knight’s first episode premieres on March 30 on Disney+.

    Source: RadioTimes.com

  • New ‘Ms. Marvel’ Merch Teases New Jersey Avengercon

    New ‘Ms. Marvel’ Merch Teases New Jersey Avengercon

    While we have gotten a few teases in the first Ms. Marvel trailer, merchandise has found its way online featuring a print that confirms the event all about Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. It also seems to tease various events that visitors can try out during their visit like Hulk’s Rage Room, which are actually real things that you can visit–just without the Hulk branding. Of course, as it is Ms. Marvel, Captain Marvel also gets highlighted as the “Cosmic Avenger.” The other posters also offer a better look at her new costume for the series, highlighting some doodles we saw from her active imagination in the trailer. The photos were found by @TimmyTakout.

    It’ll be interesting to see what other merchandise might find its way online, as something like Avengercon seems like the perfect idea to build creative merchandise around. It’s ironically not the first time such an event was used to introduce Ms. Marvel’s transformation into a superhero, as Marvel’s Avengers used a similar concept with A-Day. It’s funny to see two creative teams build a similar concept for their adaptation of the character.

    The first trailer has teased an exciting slice-of-life meets superhero series that’ll explore what it’s like to be a teenager wanting to become a hero. We still don’t know if any Avenger will make an appearance in the series, as you’d think one would appear during an event called Avengercon. Maybe they include some fun Easter eggs, like an actor that voices Iron Man or Captain America on an animated series to poke fun at the many Variants that are out there. We’ll see if the next trailer might offer a closer look at Avengercon.

    Source: Hot Topic via Twitter

  • ‘Daredevil’ MCU Reboot Hinted as a Disney+ Series

    ‘Daredevil’ MCU Reboot Hinted as a Disney+ Series

    We’ve shared some evidence that might hint at Marvel Studios fast-tracking a new Daredevil project. Now, it seems almost certain as IGN has just shared some information from the latest Production Weekly issue that includes a reference to a project simply titled “Daredevil Reboot.” It is listed as a Disney+ series and includes Marvel’s Behind the Mask producer Chris Gary as a producer alongside Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige. The interesting thing to note is that it’s included as “currently in development” but doesn’t include any more information.

    There have been quite a few hints that they are moving forward with the Man Without Fear, especially after the return of Charlie Cox in Spider-Man: No Way Home. While it seems logical now that the character might be on par with big names like Spider-Man, it wasn’t until the Netflix series that catapulted the character even higher to stardom. He was quite popular in the comics but was one of Netflix’s leading series. Some might even argue that it would set the tone for their future projects at the time.

    The original series has now found its way to Disney+ alongside others in specific markets. With the title “reboot” included, there’s a chance that it was taken due to the discourse surrounding the project. Production Weekly has a tendency to pull some information based on what is making the rounds, but there’s enough evidence that this project is moving forward and it seems that Marvel Studios has quite a few plans for Daredevil in the future of this franchise.

    Source: Production Weekly via IGN

  • ‘Swiss Army Man’ Directors Passed On ‘Loki’ Season One Because of Another Multiverse Project

    ‘Swiss Army Man’ Directors Passed On ‘Loki’ Season One Because of Another Multiverse Project

    The multiverse is quite popular these days, for Marvel Studios and beyond. The Marvel Cinematic Universe kickstarted its own multiversal adventure in the finale of Loki’s first season, and it has already been followed up with What If… ?, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and soon Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The chaotic branching of timelines seen in Episode 6 of Loki may very well go down as one of the most iconic moments of the MCU, and the series as a whole was generally critically succesful as well.

    Director Kate Herron ultimately brought Loki to the small screen. However, apparently Marvel was in early talks with a directing duo who ultimately said no to the Disney+ series because of another multiverse project. Swiss Army Man directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert revealed the ironic twist of fate in an interview with IndieWire, as their multiversal project Everything Everywhere All At Once was in production about the same time:

    [Scheinhert] “There were meetings with Marvel about ‘Loki’ that we didn’t even take. We were trying to make our own multiverse movie,”

    [Kwan] “No, the meeting was set, and we went, but by the time we went we said we probably weren’t going to do it,” he said. “We were trying to shoot our own movie at the same time.”

    Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

    While the duo passed on Season One of Loki, the fact that they were in the mix at some point could mean that Marvel still has its eye on the directors for future projects. Still, the two expressed their doubts on working on an interconnected project, like those found in the MCU:

    “Then we can just throw out anything that’s not working. I respect people who are able to play in someone else’s sandbox but that’s kind of intimidating because if there’s a preexisting fanbase for a character, and a lore, a mythology and I’m not allowed to throw out something that’s not working, that seems hard.”

    Daniel Kwan

    Marvel Studios has clearly found great success with directors that were not already well-established blockbuster filmmakers. Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi and Captain America and Avengers franchise tentpoles Joe and Anthony Russo are a few of the biggest examples.

    Loki is confirmed for Season Two, and directing duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead are attached to the project. While it will be some time before it is ready for release, Mobius actor Owen Wilson said in February that production on the second season would begin soon.

    Source: IndieWire via The Direct

  • ‘Ironheart’ Actress Dominique Thorne Wraps Filming On ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    ‘Ironheart’ Actress Dominique Thorne Wraps Filming On ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    The highly anticipated sequel to Black Panther will be bringing familiar faces back, but is also set to introduce new characters. One such character, Riri Williams, has a role in the film ahead of her solo series Ironheart. Now, the actress behind the character, Dominique Thorne has revealed that she recently finished production on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever via an Instagram story. Check it out below:

    Instagram

    The actress was spotted on set back in August, where it looked like she was playing a college student at MIT. While Riri Williams’ true role in the Black Panther sequel has yet to be officially revealed, it is almost a given that it will in some way lead into her Disney+ series where she takes on the titular mantle of Ironheart. 

    First officially announced at Disney’s 2020 Investor’s Day presentation, the live-action show will follow the life of a genius, teenage MIT student Riri Williams as she invents her own high-tech suit of armor and follows in Tony Stark’s footsteps. While a release date for the series is unknown, we do know that Anthony Ramos, frequent Lin-Manuel Miranda collaborator and star of both In the Heights and Hamilton, has joined the cast of Ironheart in an undisclosed role. While fans wait for the series, they can look forward to Riri’s introduction in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is scheduled to release on Nov. 11, 2022.

    Source: Instagram via The Direct

  • Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2

    Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2

    TBD: 2026

    After an amazing first season, Marvel’s Head of TV, Streaming and Animation, Brad Winderbaum, confirmed that Season 2 of the D+ animates series, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, would debut in 2026.

    Season 2 will follow up on the series of events set in place in Season 1 and will also introduce Spider-Gwen/Ghost Spider/Gwen Stacy.

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Producer: “There’s No Attachment to the Current MCU”

    ‘Moon Knight’ Producer: “There’s No Attachment to the Current MCU”

    In a post-Avengers: Endgame world, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Four is as interconnected as ever. Between Doctor Strange having a major role in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Black Widow’s Yelena Belova making an appearance in Hawkeye, and the wild ride Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness promises to be, fans are generally expecting to clear crossovers and tie-ins often in the MCU. Despite that, the next MCU entry and Disney+ series Moon Knight will apparently stand on its own.

    Executive producer Grant Curtis stated in a Disney press release that Moon Knight will explore the character without relying on pre-existing MCU lore. Specifically, Curtis noted:

    There’s no attachment to the current MCU. He’s brand-new, and he is going on a brand-new adventure. We really think the fans are going to enjoy it.

    Grant Curtis

    The lack of attachment to the MCU seems to be coming from a place of trying to create an entirely unique character from scratch within the franchise. Curtis compared Moon Knight to Iron Man to explain it:

    There are multiple aspects of Moon Knight that get us internally jazzed at Marvel Studios. But one of the unique aspects of this character is it’s taking Marvel Studios to its Iron Man and Tony Stark roots. That was a character that was obviously built from the ground up, and it is the same with Marc Spector.

    Grant Curtis

    Moon Knight already promises to bring a unique character to light when the series premieres on Disney+ on March 30. Marc Spector is an ex-mercenary who suffers from dissociative identity disorder, and the show is expected to directly tackle mental health issues. It’s also anticipated that Moon Knight will be more violent than other MCU entries, honoring the character’s comic book history. While some fans may be disappointed at the lack of other MCU references or influences on the series, Moon Knight may end up being a fresh story that adds to Phase Four on its own merit alone. Despite Curtis’ quote, there is still a rumor that an original Avenger will make an appearance in the series at some point. Still, even if Moon Knight stands alone for this series, it is highly doubtful that the character will do so forever.

    Source: The Direct