Shia LaBeouf Reportedly Top Choice For Moon Knight, But There’s A Big Problem

There are currently eight Disney Plus shows in the works that are set to take place within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring a mix of returning favorites and new faces, but the one folks are arguably most excited about is Moon Knight. The fan favorite character has been near the top of many people’s wish-lists to join the MCU for a long time, and comparisons to the mind-bending likes of Mr. Robot and Westworld are only going to increase the hype and anticipation for the series.

To put it lightly, Marc Spector is a very complex hero with a rich backstory, and will present a formidable task for whoever ends up playing the title role to do him justice. There have already been plenty of names linked to it, including Daniel Radcliffe and Zac Efron, but we’ve now heard from our sources that Shia LaBeouf has emerged as the studio’s preferred candidate, who we also reported was under consideration months ago.

However, there appears to be a pretty significant catch in regards to casting the former Transformers star. According to sources close to WGTC – the same ones who told us She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel shows were in the works and that Extraction is getting a sequel, all of which were correct – the studio are said to be adamant that a Jewish actor be cast in the lead role of Moon Knight. And unfortunately, LaBeouf no longer fits that bill.

The actor actually converted to Christianity after going full Method as a god-fearing soldier in David Ayer’s Fury, and Kevin Feige doesn’t want to run the risk of upsetting people by casting a non-Jewish actor as a character whose religion is integral to their personality. You’d think that LaBeouf’s history of eccentric behavior would be the major drawback to casting him in cinema’s most popular franchise, but Disney and Marvel Studios are keen to avoid any sort of backlash wherever possible, which is why Evangeline Lilly’s recent comments have caused such a headache.

Regardless, we’re still a long way away from Moon Knight even getting in front of cameras, so the studio have plenty of time to figure out any problems that might arise when they eventually reach the casting phase. And while LaBeouf may be their top choice, he’s certainly not the only one on their list. So, don’t be surprised if they end up going in a different direction in the end.