Oscar Isaac's Moon Knight return revealed; happening sooner than you think

Marvel Television has entertained us with over 10 TV shows since it began expanding the Marvel Cinematic Universe on the small screen via the Disney Plus streaming service, but Moon Knight may have been the most truly gripping of them all. The show marked the live-action debut of the most famous Marvel hero that isn't an X-Man to never appear in the MCU franchise, ending his MCU drought and starting a new chapter for him.

Its greatest strength was, of course, Oscar Isaac, who turned in one of the most nuanced performances in the whole franchise. What he accomplished as Marc Spector and Steven Grant (and of course Moon Knight) was nothing short of outstanding and it was a thrill to watch him perform each and every week throughout the show's six-episode run.

The show completed its first season in spring 2022 and ever since fans have been on tenterhooks waiting to see if a renewal is on the horizon. They've also just been wondering when they will see The Fist of Khonshu return to the MCU, as his show's separation from the rest of the franchise has made that difficult to determine.

But we now have an answer to at least one of those questions, as Marvel have now revealed the next time that Oscar Isaac will tackle the role of Moon Knight.

First look at Oscar Isaac's return as Moon Knight in What If...? season 3

Marvel has unveiled the first trailer for What If...? season 3, which features the first look at Oscar Isaac's return to the role of Moon Knight. The beloved animated series is bowing out with its third and final season, which premieres on Disney Plus this holiday season, and it's making history as it will be the first time that the White Knight appears in a project outside of his own.

The studio confirmed that Isaac would reprise his role as Moon Knight back at D23 when audiences in attendance were treated to a special first look at season 3, and now the first trailer has given fans around the world a glimpse of what to expect from it, too.

And what they can expect from it is, well, Moon Knight donning a Megatron-esque "Moonbot"? Oh yes, the Fist of Khonshu is more formidable looking than ever and his first real interaction with other MCU characters (because that's part of what What If...? does best) will give a whole new meaning to the words larger-than-life.

Although Moon Knight is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it doesn't reference any of the events that have taken place in it before. It helps that it's set in various locations that the rest of the action of the MCU just hasn't taken place in (London, Egypt etc.) but this actually allows it to function as its own TV show as well, focusing on its own characters and its own lore. And believe us when we say that there is a lot of lore to focus on, as the show is the first in the franchise to explore ancient Egyptian Moon Gods.

Having him appear in What If...? is kind of an official homecoming for the character as it will likely see him cross over with other MCU characters at the same time. Of course, the beauty of What If...? is that none of the events are canon to the MCU's Earth-616, so it will be an alternate version of the character. But it does set the stage for his eventual return in live-action format and the moment he really crosses over with the rest of his MCU counterparts.

Speaking of, there have been a multitude of rumors in recent months that Moon Knight will be renewed for a second season. Those rumors initially started in 2022 shortly after the show's conclusion, as the post-credits scene surely laid the groundwork for future stories, but after a lengthy period of no updates, fans began to suspect that the show may not return. That is, until a number of reports earlier this year suggested that the series is one of the few Disney Plus shows that Marvel Studios is actively looking into bringing back for another season.

Whether another season happens or not, Isaac is expected to return to the role in another live-action project, with persistent reports of a Midnight Sons movie being in development. Perhaps Moon Knight season 2 could pave the way for that one, or perhaps it could be the other way around. Either way, Isaac's return in What If...? season 3 could very well set the stage for any - or both - of those projects.

Alternate or not, animated or not; it's just going to be great to see Oscar Isaac back in the role of Moon Knight.