Forget Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, there’s another Marvel production premiering this February that deserves your attention first. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur has been in the works at Marvel Animation for the past half-decade, but now it’s finally entering the world. And going by the fact that it’s opened to a perfect 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, it looks like it’s worth the wait.
There are many reasons to be psyched for this show, from the fact that it’s bringing an underrated comic book duo to a whole new audience, to its eye-popping animation style that’s being favorably compared to Sony’s Spider-Verse movies. Another is the ridiculously star-studded voice cast the series is sporting. Seriously, it’s got more big names than a Hollywood blockbuster, including Maya Hawke, Jennifer Hudson, and Alison Brie. Diamond White voices the title character, teen prodigy Lunella Lafayette.
On top of all these, there are a number of familiar voices from the wide world of Marvel also involved in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, which leaves the door open to some exciting crossover possibilities.
Laurence Fishburne
The most notable MCU alum who’s involved in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is naturally its executive producer, Laurence Fishburne. The Matrix icon is something of a low-key Marvel legend, thanks to his turn as the Silver Surfer in Fox’s Fantastic Four franchise and role as Bill Foster in Ant-Man and the Wasp. In his animated show, he’s taking on the part of the Beyonder, a character we’d love to see him play in live-action, too.
Alfre Woodard
Alfre Woodard is such an amazing actress has she has two separate MCU roles to her name. In Captain America: Civil War, she had a brief cameo as the mother who blames Tony Stark and the Avengers for the death of her son, thereby kickstarting the Sokovia Accords. Later in 2016, she appeared in the more substantial role of Mariah Dillard in Netflix’s Luke Cage. In Moon Girl, she voices Lunella’s grandmother, Mimi.
Fred Tatasciore
Even if you don’t know his name, you’ve heard Fred Tatasciore’s voice. The veteran voice actor is all over the Marvel universe, having played many of the franchise’s toughest characters. He’s portrayed Hulk in such projects as Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Beast in Wolverine and the X-Men. In Moon Girl, he fills the all-important role of Lunella’s prehistoric sidekick, Devil Dinosaur (no, the T-Rex doesn’t speak, but it does make, you know, dinosaur sounds).
May Calamawy
May Calamawy was one of the biggest fresh favorites to enter the MCU in 2022. Moon Knight introduced her onto the scene as Layla El-Faouly, the wife of Oscar Isaac’s Marc Spector who has become her own superhero by the end of the series — the Scarlet Scarab, the avatar of the Egyptian goddess Tawaret. Her role in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur has yet to be revealed before the series’ premiere.
Cobie Smulders
Cobie Smulders is someone who needs no introduction to Marvel fans, seeing as the How I Met Your Mother star has been hanging around the MCU for almost as long as it’s existed. Debuting as Nick Fury’s right-hand woman in Maria Hill, Smulders is one of the few franchise vets who has appeared in every phase so far — she’ll return in Phase Five in this year’s Secret Invasion. Can we expect her to reprise Maria in Moon Girl? Maybe.
Anna Akana
Actress and internet star Anna Akana isn’t usually associated with the MCU, but let’s not forget the fact that she had a small but memorable cameo in Ant-Man. She appears in the final scene, in which Luis recalls how he found out Sam Wilson is looking for Scott Lang. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur marks Akana’s return to the Disney Channel after the conclusion of hit animated series Amphibia. Her guest role is yet to be revealed.
Josh Keaton
Josh Keaton is another voice actor extraordinaire who has tried his hand at many of Marvel’s most iconic characters. On top of playing Scott Lang in the Ant-Man animated series, he also had the big job of replacing Chris Evans as Steve Rogers in an episode of the MCU’s What If…?. Most famously, though, he voiced Peter Parker in the beloved The Spectacular Spider-Man series. It seems he’s about to web up another character in Moon Girl.
Wesley Snipes
Last but not least, here’s perhaps the most surprising Marvel star set to appear in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. The Daywalker himself Wesley Snipes is due to drop by for a guest appearance in the animated series, perhaps cajoled into the gig by his former Kings of New York co-star Fishburne. While we wait and see if there’s a role for him in Mahershala Ali’s upcoming Blade reboot, at least Snipes is returning to the Marvel multiverse through this show. Although if it turns out he’s voicing Blade in the cartoon, expect fans to lose it.
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur drops its series premiere on the Disney Channel on Feb. 10 before arriving on Disney Plus on Feb. 15. New episodes follow weekly.
Published: Feb 9, 2023 12:37 pm