Moon Knight Season 2 Is Very Possible, But It May Not Be So Simple
Several weeks and six episodes later, "Moon Knight" is in the books. Or is it? We can say definitively that this season is over and done with but, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the end of one chapter is often just the beginning of another. While this show was originally billed as a limited series, it does appear that the door is wide open for more adventures with Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector/Steven Grant in the future. But would this be as simple as the powers that be handing out a green light to a second season? Probably not, and we're going to go over where things stand and why it might be a little challenging to do "Moon Knight" season 2, even if the metrics suggest it would be a good idea.
Warning: major spoilers ahead for "Moon Knight." Proceed with caution.
The door was left wide open
While we're not going to go into too much detail here about the show's ending, we will briefly say that the finale concludes in a way that could set up "Moon Knight" season 2, almost as if a continuation was a foregone conclusion. The biggest of the big clue comes in the post-credits scene that sees Ethan Hawke's Arthur Harrow come face-to-face with Khonshu once again. But that's not the only thing that Arthur comes into contact with as the villain of the show also meets a third personality that Isaac plays; Jake Lockey. And Jake totally kills Harrow for good. We think.
Khonshu and Jake took Harrow out of a mental hospital, much like the one Marc/Steven was at leading up to the finale when we were far less sure about what was real and what was living in our hero's head. Now, it's a little unclear if this is some sort of afterlife or limbo situation, or if this is all taking place in an absolute reality. Either way, it left a lot of questions on the table that will need answering. Khonshu is essentially our new villain and Jake is something that Marc/Steven will need to contend with.
Oscar Isaac's contract is already up
That is all good and well in most cases as it relates to the MCU. It seems like "Moon Knight" performed well enough critically and commercially that a second season, or a continuation of some sort, is absolutely warranted. But the days of actors in the MCU signing lengthy contracts are over and done with, and that is going to be the primary issue when it comes to getting a second season, or maybe even a movie of some sort, going. Back in April, it was revealed that Isaac did not sign a lengthy contract with Marvel Studios. This was a one-and-done thing for him. Isaac, when he was approached to take on the lead, was not looking to take on a big project and, therefore, had complete power to say yes or no.
"I was in a position — because I wasn't actively looking to get back into something this big — to say, 'This is how I see it, and if you guys don't see it that way, that's totally okay, but then maybe it's not the right fit.' And so I wasn't afraid that I was going to do the wrong thing."
But the same interview also revealed that he does not have a contract that extends beyond this season. That was by design. Isaac did not want to get locked down for a decade when he is one of the most in-demand stars in Hollywood.
"I had heard of the golden handcuffs. That was something that I was reticent about. And luckily, we all agreed that this [show] is what we're going to focus on. This is the story. And if there's any kind of future, I think it just depends on if people like it, if people want to see more, and if we find a story that's worth telling."
The good news is that it sounds like Isaac isn't closed off to the idea of returning as the character in the future of the MCU. But the key thing here is that Marvel Studios and Disney are going to have to meet the actor on his terms. Isaac seems perfectly happy to walk away, not only from "Moon Knight," but from any big blockbuster of any kind if he doesn't feel as though it will be creatively fulfilling. Given what he experienced with "X-Men: Apocalypse" and the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy, it's an understandable sentiment. Even so, that really complicates things in terms of the character's future. Isaac may have more power to control his destiny than any other actor in the MCU before him.
Are there other options?
So, what if Isaac doesn't want to sign on the dotted line for more "Moon Knight?" What happens then? Marvel, in theory, would have other options, but they all seem pretty unlikely. The most obvious would be recasting the role. That having been said, Isaac's performance was so specific and central to all of this that it would be downright difficult to imagine anyone else stepping in to take over on that front. The other option would be focusing on the other characters left on the board, such as Khonshu and May Calamawy's Layla. But without Marc, Steven, and, most importantly, Jake, any path forward without Isaac seems at best unideal and at worst impossible.
"Moon Knight" is now streaming on Disney+.