Marc Spector AKA Moon Knight sure has been waiting a long time to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe and now that he’s less than a week away from landing in the MCU, fans couldn’t be happier. We can all agree that casting for Moon Knight must have been difficult. Moon Knight, while having been compared to Batman over the years, is ultimately a more complex and distinct character than that loose description implies. So to get the right man to do the job of playing a slightly unhinged man is no easy feat.
With Oscar Isaac making his MCU debut with this series, let’s have a look at other actors who just as easily could’ve done wonders if given this role.
Rami Malek
Who better to play the Egyptian Knight than an American-Egyptian actor as talented as Rami Malek. While his ethnicity isn’t the only factor to have convinced the fans he was perfect for this role, it definitely played a part. He was on top of the fan-casting list because apart from winning an Academy Award for his role in Bohemian Rhapsody, he also played Elliot Alderson in Mr. Robot, who had symptoms of schizophrenia and a split personality disorder. He could bring those paranoic-character traits to life easily and perfectly, having played a role that aligns with Moon Knight’s personality to a certain extent.
Shia LaBeouf
There’s rarely any other actor as chaotic as Shia LaBeouf in Hollywood and that’s one of the major reasons why he was the top runner in the fans’ list of dream casting for Moon Knight. Few actors today possess Shia LaBeouf’s magnetism and chaotic energy. Irrespective of his bizarre methods, the guy is committed to his work and gives us flawless and authentic performances that feel genuine to the character. And he not only brings certain manic energy on screen, but he’s also Jewish, and fans wanted Marvel to stay as true to Moon Knight’s backstory as possible.
Rodrigo Santoro
Rodrigo Santoro is an exceptionally talented Brazilian actor who’s ruggedly handsome and incredibly versatile. A dependable actor as well, Santoro has performed in a variety of films, including 300 and 300: Rise of an Empire as well as Love Actually, I Love You Phillip Morris, The Last Stand, Ben-Hur, and, more recently, in HBO’s Westworld, among others. He’s been on various fan-casting lists also because he looks almost exactly like Moon Knight from the comics so he definitely had that part down.
Jensen Ackles
The Supernatural actor definitely tapped into his crazy side on the show, and it came with a lot of action and comedy so it would’ve been interesting to see him play a character that is (just a little) more manic than the one he played on the show. Jensen Ackles has earned an incredibly devoted fanbase (all of whom wanted to see him as Moon Knight) after filming over 300 episodes of Supernatural, the longest-running American live-action fantasy series. He’s already experienced in the genre of the Moon Knight series after his stint in that show and fan would’ve loved to see him as Marc Specter.
Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reeves has a large fanbase spread across the world, so it’s no surprise that he was one of the frontrunners in the dream casting list for Moon Knight. With his incredible acting skills and experience in popular and beloved franchises like The Matrix and John Wick, the lead role in Moon Knight would’ve been easy for him to slip into. Although he’s a busy actor which is why fans were skeptical about him being cast in the series, many were still hopeful.
