Director Mohamed Diab believes he owes Moon Knight‘s success to the MCU’s so-called “secret sauce.” With a continuing string of successes, it’s hard to deny that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige knows exactly which ingredients to use.
In an interview with Collider, Diab shared his thoughts in regards to what makes the MCU so special.
Well, couple of things. First of all, I never expected that someone like Kevin (Feige) is going to be that hands on. What he’s doing is almost genius. I can’t wrap my head around it, someone who’s overseeing 20 projects in the same time. And if you ask him about a word in drafts that we keep changing almost every week, he knows what changed. This is how he is. So being hands on, which is very helpful.
Because if you are working with them, you have to know that those guys have the most successful run in the history of this industry ever. So they have secret sauce. You have to know that you are here for a reason. You have secret sauce too. So the two of you together can bring something. But being hands-on was surprising, giving me a chance to play with something like this IP because I pushed the envelope.
Moon Knight has stood apart from other MCU projects in significant ways. Oscar Isaac plays Steven Grant / Marc Spector, who has to cope with dissociative identity disorder. He switches between his personalities, all while battling ancient monsters and trying to discover what’s really going on with Arthur Harrow’s (Ethan Hawke) cult.
Diab has been very vocal about his love of Egyptian culture and representation in media, and it’s evident in Moon Knight. The series consulted with Egyptian archeologists to ensure authenticity, and Marvel provided the team with a wealth of research material.
Isaac pushed the envelope in his depiction of the complex character. The actor has previously said that he took a risk by using a specific British accent for Steven that he felt would suit the story. While it jarred some people when it was first heard, it was all in the name of bringing the character to life.
Feige has stated that he wanted to push the MCU’s boundaries of violence for Moon Knight, and in the first episode, there’s definitely some carnage. When Steven’s in a tough situation, he blacks out and the mercenary Marc takes over. By the time Steven gains control again, he’s surrounded by the broken bodies of his foes, and lots of blood.
There’s no telling what-all is included in the MCU’s secret sauce, but it’s clearly working in its favor.
Moon Knight is streaming now on Disney Plus.