The massive success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has helped dozens of Marvel characters gain wider levels of appreciation and it’s been amazing to watch C-level heroes become mainstream hits. Moon Knight is one of the darker and more complex characters that Marvel has played around with and he’s far more than the universe’s answer to Batman.
Fans were elated to learn that the MCU has plans for Marc Spector’s Moon Knight and that the character is set to receive his own Disney+ series. This is a major opportunity for the underrated Marvel character, but there’s still debate over whether a movie or a television show is the best approach for the character.
10 Movie: It Allows For A Better Actor
Marvel is working hard to make sure that its upcoming slate of Disney+ programming that has ties to the MCU doesn’t make any sacrifices in quality, whether it comes to production or casting decisions. That being said, it still seems like the higher profile talent gravitates to Marvel movies where there’s an actual box office to calculate.
The Moon Knight television series will definitely acquire a big celebrity for the role, but it feels like some of the casting that’s been floating around, like Keanu Reeves or Daniel Radcliffe, might be more plausible in a movie.
9 TV Show: It Can Play Around With Structure And Style More
Moon Knight is a dark character who’s been taken to some very bizarre places since his debut. There’s no doubt that a Moon Knight movie would be able to explore a formative story and properly tap into the bleaker tone of the comics, but it’d still be restricted in the standard ways that films are.
Moon Knight covers the whole spectrum of strange and in a television series each episode can embrace a different genre or tone to better reflect what a character is going through. A film can’t just become something completely different in the middle of its runtime.
8 Movie: It Allows For Better Integration With The MCU
Marvel’s Kevin Feige has already been vocal over how despite the fact that Moon Knight will debut in his own Disney+ series, that this won’t affect his odds of showing up in future MCU films, which has already been confirmed.
However, there hasn’t been any clarification on if this means Moon Knight will get a solo movie or just appear in others, which could really just amount to glorified cameos. A Moon Knight movie already features natural connections to other MCU heavy hitters, like Doctor Strange and Spider-Man, which feel like justified pairings for future movies.
7 TV Show: It Can Tell A Deeper Story
Superheroes and villains have contrasting levels of complexity and there are plenty of characters where their costumes and powers are their most defining traits. Moon Knight looks interesting, but all of the most fascinating things about his character are internal.
These are the kind of characters who truly benefit from more hours of storytelling. A Moon Knight film could nail the basics of his character, but a television series could really explore some of the deeper stories that have been told in Moon Knight comics and get into something that’s far beyond the standard origin story.
6 Movie: It Allows For A Better Director
Just like how Marvel Cinematic Universe movies have been able to attract a lot of A-list celebrities, the films have also been able to assemble some excellent names for behind the camera. Marvel films have been able to boost and foster visionary names in the directing field and it seems like a Moon Knight movie could assemble some really subversive talent.
That’s not to say major names would avoid a Disney+ series, but it raises more concerns, like if they’ll direct the entire season or share responsibilities and make other concessions.
5 TV Show: It Can Get More Mature
Marvel isn't opposed to exploring the darker characters and corners of their comics, but the films within the MCU have struggled more to commit in this area. The television series often feel like they're allowed to go further than the movies and cater to more niche sensibilities.
This means that a Moon Knight TV show could have more luck digging into the source material’s horror influences and looking at creatures like werewolves and vampires that may seem problematic in movies. Disney+ still skews towards family-friendly content, but there's also Hulu for the edgier content.
4 Movie: It Can Help Lead To More Horror Films In The MCU
The announcement of the Doctor Strange sequel hinted at the idea of more horror entering the MCU, but at this point that remains to be seen and it still seems to be a prospect that Marvel feels is risky. That being said, Moon Knight is a character whose roots chart back to monsters, like werewolves.
Furthermore, a Moon Knight film could also help further tie together the MCU and Sony’s universe, which has characters like Morbius already touching on this kind of material. It makes even more sense with a new Blade film on the way.
3 TV Show: Can Allow Villains Greater Depth
Audiences have learned by now that often a Marvel film is only as good as its villain. This is an area that can often get neglected in feature films, but a full season of television allows these antagonists to become as layered as the heroes.
Some of the best MCU villains have been in Netflix's Marvel TV shows, like Kilgrave and Kingpin. Moon Knight’s most famous foes are Shadow Knight, Anarchy, or even Bushman. These are all very deep characters with complex backstories that would be better served by a full season of television.
2 Movie: It Could Lead To A Marvel Knights Movie
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has done increasingly impressive work with its solo films, but ever since the success of The Avengers, there are audience members who crave crossover endeavors. Moon Knight succeeds as a lone wolf, but he’s also a vital member of the Marvel Knights.
Moon Knight’s inclusion in a TV show doesn’t mean that a Marvel Knights movie would be impossible, but it does seem less likely. Furthermore, the lineup for the Ultimate line of Marvel Knights consists of Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, Shang-Chi, Iron Fist, and Daredevil, which definitely covers a lot of current MCU bases.
1 TV Show: It Can Better Explore His Frayed Mental State
Superheroes cover all shapes and sizes, and that even pertains to mental health. Not every superhero is a bastion of sanity, but Moon Knight's delusions are a fundamental part of him. It can be difficult to give material like this the attention and nuance that it deserves, but those odds become even smaller in a tight feature film.
A television series allows for moments in every episode to address Spector’s mental health, or even devote an entire episode to the topic. There’s no way it’d receive the same care in a movie.