A Marvel executive has confirmed that Moon Knight season 2 is no longer a possibility.
We might see the character pop up in other shows or movies, but Oscar Issac's Marc Spector will not return in a new series.
There was a time when the Marvel Cinematic Universe was going so well, it seemed any character in the comics was ripe for big or small screen adaptation. However, the bubble has burst somewhat since, and some of the decisions have turned out to be missteps.
She-Hulk has been jettisoned, for example, even though some of the Disney+ run was highly enjoyable and had its merits, Ms. Marvel is in limbo, while it's just been confirmed that another – arguably the best show of the bunch – has been canned by the streaming service for good.
In my opinion, Moon Knight was up there with Loki and WandaVision as one of the bravest and most interesting MCU shows. Oscar Isaac's portrayal of Marc Spector/Moon Knight was nigh-on perfect, and the pace and style of season 1 showed great promise for the future. It's 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes reflects that.
However, we're not going to see Isaac continue in the role – not in his own series, anyway.
Speaking with Comicbook.com, Marvel's TV head, Brad Winderbaum, explained that the show has fallen victim to a change in strategy: "I think Marvel Television has happened in waves, and I think Moon Knight happened in a wave of shows that were going to establish characters that would tie-in to the future," he said.
"And moving forward our priorities have shifted. We’re making shows as shows that can exist as annual releases, more like television."
But, like She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight is likely to appear in future Marvel projects: "There are plans for Moon Knight down the road," added Winderbaum.
Marvel definitely needs to rediscover a winning formula. It is being reported that Captain America: Brave New World has underperformed in its first week in cinemas. While the Echo and Agatha All Along spin-offs have struggled to hit the heights of their parent shows (Hawkeye and WandaVision respectively).
A lot of hope is being put on Daredevil: Born Again, however, which looks to be a return to form from the trailers and clips released so far. It arrives on Disney+ next week (4 March), so could be the tide-tuner the franchise needs.
