Moon Knight, and his alter ego Marc Spector, debuted in "Werewolf by Night" #32 back in 1975, created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin. With the D23 Expo 2019 announcement that a Moon Knight television series will be coming to Disney+ in the future, casting won’t necessarily be an easy thing. You aren’t just casting one superhero; you need an actor that can personify every splinter of Moon Knight’s shattered psyche.

The rebellious son of a Jewish-American rabbi, U.S. Marine Spector turned to life as a mercenary only to be betrayed and gunned down in Egypt. His body was carried to the temple of the Egyptian moon god, Konshu, where he was brought back to life and given a second chance to serve as the god’s avatar on Earth as Moon Knight.

Spector first uses the money he made as a mercenary to adopt the secret identity of millionaire executive, Bruce Way… sorry, I meant Steven Grant. Although his origin is more supernatural, it took a decade for the character to be seen as anything other than a clone of Batman. Heightened abilities, a skilled fighter, expensive gadgets ... the only real difference was that he wore a silver-white cloak instead.

The most defining details of the character came later when Spector was diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder; his secret identities (yes, plural) were actually fractures of his psyche. Some of the personalities included a taxi driver named Jake Lockley, the aforementioned Steven Grant, and the recently added Mr. Knight from the Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey run. Spector even had Captain America, Spider-Man, and Wolverine in his head for a time.

Here’s who we think could slip into that silver cloak and become the Fist of Konshu.

For more on Moon Knight, be sure to check out these recent write-ups:

• Marvel Sets ‘Moon Knight’ and ‘She-Hulk’ Series on Disney+
• 20 Marvel Heroes We Still Need to See on the Big and Small Screens
• 4 Marvel Characters Who Should Get Their Own Netflix Series Including Moon Knight, Sleepwalker, and Cloak and Dagger

Shia LaBeouf

Shia LaBeouf is already being seen as a frontrunner online with many fans pitching his name for their dream casting and I get it: chaotic energy, talented actor–even if he has moved away from blockbusters–and Jewish. I can’t see Marvel casting anyone not Jewish for this role in a hope to stay as true to his backstory as possible (but there could be room for some new interpretations as I’ll explore later).

He’s already being celebrated for his recent work in both The Peanut Butter Falcon and Honey Boy, maybe it’s time for the LaBeouf renaissance? Despite what people might think about his exhibitionist behavior or bizarre art projects, Shia LaBeouf is a committed actor and his level of intensity and mania could be just what the character needs to stand out on screen.

Rami Malek

As important as it is to cast someone who is Jewish for the role, I do believe there are some notable exceptions. Starting with the other frontrunner online – Rami Malek. Hot off the heels of winning his Academy Award for his portrayal of Freddy Mercury in 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody, Malek could take the character Moon Knight in a whole new direction.

Marvel has already been criticized for decisions like casting Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One in Doctor Strange, and I’m not saying there will be controversy, but a Jewish man adopting Egyptian culture could be seen as a form of appropriation. One way to deal with this is by casting an American-Egyptian actor, especially one as celebrated as Rami Malek. As soon as Mahershala Ali won his Oscar, he called Marvel and now he’s going to star in Blade. Maybe Malek made a call as soon as he got his?

He’s no stranger to television, and even more aligned to Moon Knight’s mental state, he played the character Elliot Alderson in Mr. Robot who showed symptoms of a split personality disorder and schizophrenia. He could bring that perfectly paranoid performance to Marvel next.

Taron Egerton

From Freddie Mercury to Elton John. Taron Egerton is the youngest person on this list and that makes him an exceptionally strong contender. We still don’t even know when Moon Knight is coming out and they have shows already set until Fall 2021, which makes me believe we won’t see Moon Knight for awhile. With some of these actors already in their 40s, adding another 3-4 years could have an impact. Not only that, we don’t know if these series will include multiple seasons or if they are one-and-done. Casting someone as young and talented as Taron Egerton now is a safe investment for the future.

He’s not going to be in the latest Kingsman movie and I doubt Robin Hood is getting a sequel anytime soon. He’s shown himself to be a charming lead, a strong action star, and could be perfect suiting up once again, this time in an all-white suit.

Keanu Reeves

Listen. I know how hot a commodity Keanu Reeves is right now. I know he’s got a lot on his plate especially with the latest Matrix sequel announcement. I know Marvel has already publicly expressed interest in Reeves to be a part of the MCU. I also know that if Marvel gets him to be in the cinematic universe, it probably won’t be on a Disney+ series. BUT I WILL HAPPILY BE WRONG.

Reeves would be perfect for this especially if it was coming out right now while his star-meter is about as high as it will go. I hesitated adding some actors like Reeves, Oscar Isaac, and Ryan Gosling to this list because I knew they are just too busy and popular to even be considered at this time but Keanu Reeves has been my pick since I first read Moon Knight years ago. There was no way I wasn’t going to include him here.

I would also accept him as Namor or Kang the Conqueror. That is all.

Rodrigo Santoro

Considered one of Brazil’s most famous actors (who would be the first Brazilian actor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe), Rodrigo Santoro is best known for his roles as Xerxes in 300 and Hector Escaton in HBO’s Westworld. This guy straight up looks like Marc Spector from the comics. One panel I saw made me do a double take. Although he has the looks down, he hasn’t had much opportunity to be anything more than the strong silent type in western audience’s eyes.

Andrew Scott

For me, I want a Moon Knight who you can’t believe is played by the same person. Dan Stevens would be a good pick if he wasn’t already in Legion, but I want someone who goes from passive to manic in an instant and has the history of playing those types of roles. Andrew Scott is most currently known for his role as “Hot Priest” in the near-perfect second season of Fleabag. He is stupid charming but where I first knew him was in in BBC’s Sherlock where he played the eccentric and sociopathic Jim Moriarty. If you haven’t seen it, he’s basically an Irish Joker. Fits of rage and anger contrasted with quiet confidence and then devilish glee. A classically trained actor and one people can’t get enough of.

If Sherlock gets to be in the MCU, why doesn’t Moriarty?

Oliver Jackson-Cohen

I loved The Haunting of Hill House and honestly Michiel Huisman could be a good pick too, but Oliver Jackson-Cohen stood out as the haunted drug addict, Luke Crain. Having experience both playing a broken character as well as someone up against supernatural elements, he could be perfect as Moon Knight. I truly think the worst thing about this pick is he might be too tall? But 6’3” might just give him a more commanding presence.

Jensen Ackles

Speaking of someone with spooky acting chops, Jensen Ackles has filmed over 300 episodes of Supernatural making it the now longest-running American live-action fantasy series of all time. Not only does he come with an incredibly dedicated fan base, but you are getting a (more than) seasoned television actor that knows comedy, action, and horror and who is probably looking for that next step in his career after Supernatural ends – even if that next step might be a fairly similar and comfortable step.

Adam Brody

Adam Brody is popping up everywhere you least expect. Showing up in movies like Shazam and Ready or Not, he is best known for his role on the television series The O.C. The pretty boy of the list, I always love to see a curve ball and this could be it. He can already pull off the personality of high society Steven Grant, his challenge would be the darker elements of Moon Knight’s psyche.

Adam Brody is my Heath Ledger pick; someone you wouldn’t see coming, has a lot to prove, and just succeeds on every level. We got to see him in a cape already in Shazam, but it was hardly a decent representation of what he could bring to a show like this. Ben McKenzie went on to do Gotham. Chace Crawford went from the CW’s Gossip Girl to Amazon’s fantastic superhero series The Boys. 2000’s teen dramas are giving us no shortage of comic book characters, so let’s keep going. 

Jonathan Groff

Jonathan Groff has been digging into the psyche of others on Netflix’s Mindhunter but maybe it’s time he delves into his own. A Broadway stage actor most known for his roles in Frozen, Glee, Spring Awakening, and Hamilton, he might not be people’s first choice. But the Mr. Knight persona is your classic detective and if the show skips the supernatural elements for more grounded storylines, Jonathan Groff would be able to deliver a solid and unwavering performance of a man looking for justice.

Moon Knight is a complex character and I hope the casting will reflect that. It might still be awhile before we hear anything, or maybe by the time this article is posted they will have already picked someone and render this entire list moot. Who knows! Regardless, I’m very interested in who Marvel will cast and am keeping my fingers crossed this show can be everything it deserves to be.

Who do you think would be best for the role? Let us know!