Marvel's upcoming Moon Knight series on Disney Plus, based on one of their more cult-favorite heroes, has apparently found its villain. According to The Hollywood Reporter, veteran actor and director Ethan Hawke has signed on to play the antagonist to Marc Spector/Moon Knight, played by Oscar Isaac.
Hawke will join Isaac and the also newly announced May Calamawy in Moon Knight as his debut in the comic and superhero genre, having avoided such projects for the bulk of his extensive career thus far. It is unclear what prompted him to break that streak in this case, but the show is sure to benefit from his presence and expertise. The series, based on the Moon Knight comic books, currently aims to begin shooting in March in Budapest.
Sporting an impressive acting career stretching back to the 1985 sci-fi film Explorers, Hawke has made his mark in many aspects of Hollywood. Aside from acting and directing, he's also an accomplished screenwriter, earning several "Best Screenplay" and "Best Adapted Screenplay" nominations, including 2 Oscar nominations for his adapted screenplays on Before Sunset and Before Midnight. That's not to mention his nominations through several awards ceremonies for acting, which are substantial.
Moon Knight, which premiered as a comic in 1975, follows the story of Marc Spector, a former soldier, boxer, and mercenary. Spector is betrayed by his employer on a job and, after being left for dead, is offered a chance at life and superhuman abilities by the Egyptian god of the moon known as Khonshu, in exchange for essentially working for the deity as a crime fighter. Often compared to heroes like Batman, Moon Knight employs gadgets alongside his super strength, endurance, and reflexes, but the name is more than just for flashy effect. His abilities are dependent on the phases of the moon, adding an element of strategy to his superhero forays.
Currently, neither Hawke nor anyone else on the Moon Knight team has confirmed exactly which villain he will be playing. However, one distinct possibility suggests that he might play Raoul Bushman, the aforementioned employer who betrayed Spector, leading to his new lot in life. Bushman has been Moon Knight's most enduring nemesis throughout the character's run, so seeing Hawke in that role wouldn't be entirely surprising.
Of course, there are always other possibilities. With shows like WandaVision, which appear to be taking Marvel in strange new directions, it seems like anything is possible. But no matter who Hawke ends up playing, it's sure to be a pretty darn good time.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter