Marvel's latest show 'Moon Knight' premiered on Disney+ Wednesday. Here's the cast and who they're p

Publish date: 2024-07-21
2022-03-30T14:00:24Z

Oscar Isaac plays the titular character and his multiple alters.

While his early costume looks like the typical Batman cape outfit, recently Moon Knight has donned a simple mask and a suit as his superhero costume. Disney + / Marvel Studios / Marvel Comics

Moon Knight's character was originally a street-level vigilante but has fought both supernatural and cosmic villains in the past. The character was first introduced in the "Werewolf By Night" issue 32 comic in 1975 as a mercenary who was paid to capture a werewolf, Jack Russell.

After making multiple appearances in other comics, Moon Knight finally starred in his own origin comic in 1980.

Marc Spector, Moon Knight's first identity, was doing a mercenary assignment in Egypt when his boss, Bushman, left him to die in the desert for trying to stop the murder of unarmed civilians.

Marc was brought to an Egyptian pharaoh's tomb and laid under a statue of the Ancient Egyptian moon deity Khonshu who revived him. Marc then sought out vengeance against Bushman and his henchmen before returning to New York to become the vigilante, Moon Knight.

To carry out this role, Marc created two new identities Steven Grant, whose wealth financed Spector's hero work, and Jack Lockley, a cab driver who could get information.

Ethan Hawke plays the cult-leader villain Arthur Harrow.

The series has completely reimagined the obscure Marvel villain as a cult leader. Marvel comics / Marvel Studios / Disney+

Ethan Hawke portrays the villain of the Disney+ series, Arthur Harrow. While a comic character of the same name exists, his backstory is very different.

Hawke's character is the leader of a cult that worships the Ancient Egyptian deity Ammit, a goddess that has the head of a crocodile and the body of a lion and a hippotamus put together.

According to Ancient Egypt mythology, after a person had died, their soul will be judged in the Hall of Judgement. Their heart will be weighed on a scale against a feather of the goddess of truth Ma'at to determine if their souls are pure. If the scale did not balance out the soul would be devoured by Ammit and stay restless forever.

In the Disney+ series, the goddess has the ability to judge as well as punish. Harrow and his followers believe Ammit can save the world by judging the world and removing everyone who is evil.

The late Gaspard Ulliel plays Moon Knight's nemesis, Midnight Man.

Gaspard Ulliel and Midnight Man. Getty Images / Marvel Comics

Midnight Man/Anton Mogart is one of Moon Knight's several nemeses. He is portrayed posthumously by Gaspard Ulliel.

The actor died in January following a skiing accident, per the New York Times. He was 37.

May Calamawy plays an entirely new character, Layla El-Faouly.

Layla could be replacing Moon Knight's lover Marlene Alraune or his friend Frenchie. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / FilmMagic / Getty Images / Marvel Comics

Layla El-Faouly, played by May Calamawy, seems to be a completely new character. Layla has been described as an ally to Moon Knight, who will help him on his quest against Harrow.

In the comics, Moon Knight had two main allies, his friend Frenchie and his lover Marlene Alraune. Layla could be a combination of the two. 

F. Murray Abraham is the voice of Khonshu, the moon diety.

While Norse gods like Thor are essentially powerful aliens in Marvel comics, Khonshu is an actual Egyptian Deity Michael Loccisano / Getty Images / Marvel Comics

While Karim El Hakim is the stunt performer portraying Khonshu in "Moon Knight," he is voiced by Academy Award-winning actor F. Murray Abraham.

Khonshu is an Ancient Egyptian moon god that resurrects Moon Knight and later guides him as his avatar to deal out justice in the world. In the comics, it is not always clear whether Khonshu is real — but when he is real, he's a deity, not an alien like Thor or the other Asgardians.

The series seems to portray Khonshu as a real deity rather than a hallucination.

Lucy Thackeray plays Steven Grant's boss Donna.

Lucy Thackeray plays an entirely new character Marvel Studios / Disney+

Donna is another new character created for the "Moon Knight" series, played by Lucy Thackeray.

Episode one focuses on Moon Knight's alter, Steven Grant, who works in the gift shop of a museum in London. Donna is Grant's strict boss.

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