Morbius Release Date, Trailer, Cast, and Everything We Know So Far
Oh, look, Venom's getting a little brother! No, it's not a new symbiote, it's the latest addition to Venom's shared universe, Morbius. The movie has been awaiting release for a very long time but, talons crossed, it looks like it's finally happening.
Starring Jared Leto as Michael Morbius, the movie has been directed by Daniel Espinosa and written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. Morbius is the story of a scientist afflicted with a rare blood disorder whose attempts to find a cure unleash a unique supernatural curse. Based on the popular recurring Spider-Man frenemy Morbius the Living Vampire, the movie will be capitalizing on the success of the Venom movies to expand Sony's slate of Marvel films.
So far, the trailers have revealed some interesting (if sort of campy) visuals from the movie and at least one unexpected surprise. Spider-Fans around the world are understandably excited about the film and if you'd like to find some answers about the movie, look no further. We've put every detail that we know so far about Morbius into this handy guide, including trailers, release dates, plot information, and more. Cue creepy music and let's get right into it!
What Is Morbius' Release Date?
Morbius is currently set to be released in IMAX in the United States on January 28, 2022, and Sony has signed deals with Netflix and Disney that could lead to a digital release a few months later. The current date is nearly two years later than the movie's original release date of July 10, 2020.
The film was initially postponed to July 31, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the release was pushed again, first to March 19, 2021, then October 8, 2021, and again to January 21, 2022, before being finalized on the current date. Here's hoping that'll be the end of the delays but let's face it, anything could happen.
Watch the Morbius Trailer
The teaser, released on January 13, 2020, introduces Morbius, the disease he suffers from, and the cure that he thinks will save him. It also gives a brief run-down of his powers and reveals a surprise cameo from Michael Keaton, who appears to still be wearing the white prison uniform that he had on at the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming. Additionally, we also see a mural of what looks like the Sam Raimi-era Spider-Man with the word "murderer" spray-painted across it.
The second video was released on November 2, 2021. We see more of Michael's new powers, including the ability to fly. The trailer also confirms the movie's connection to the Venom films with a reference to "that thing in San Francisco" and a scene where Morbius jokingly says "I am Venom." This particular trailer has a whole host of easter eggs including blink-and-miss references to Horizon Labs (where Peter Parker once worked in the comics), OsCorp, Rhino, and Black Cat (possibly connecting to Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man movies).
Who Is in the Morbius Cast?
Morbius boasts a talented cast of actors essaying the lead roles. The movie stars Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Al Madrigal, and Tyrese Gibson as important characters.
As revealed in the trailers, Michael Keaton is also set to appear in the movie, almost definitely as his villainous Vulture character from Spider-Man: Homecoming. We don't know the full extent of his appearance, but the implications of this cameo are quite exciting nonetheless.
Who are the Key Characters in Morbius?
Morbius will be featuring a number of interesting new characters and one familiar face for the fans. Let's take a look at all the important characters confirmed for the movie:
Jared Leto stars as Michael Morbius, a scientist who suffers from a rare life-threatening blood disease. He attempts to cure himself with a radical new treatment but it backfires, giving him a unique form of vampirism. Morbius has most of the superhuman powers associated with vampires but without any of the weaknesses, save for an overwhelming thirst for blood. Adria Arjona plays Morbius' fiancée Martine Bancroft and Jared Harris plays Morbius' mentor.
Matt Smith plays Loxias Crown, a friend of Morbius' who also suffers from the same disease. Crown is a villain in the comics, a Hydra agent who gets turned into another Living Vampire after being bitten by Morbius. Joseph Esson appears in the movie as a young Loxias Crown.
Tyrese Gibson appears as Simon Stroud, an FBI agent with a hi-tech arm who is hunting Morbius. Gibson has signed a deal for three movies so he will presumably stick around for any sequels that might follow. Al Madrigal plays Alberto Rodriguez, another FBI agent who is involved in the hunt for Morbius.
Michael Keaton returns as Adrian Toomes / The Vulture, the tech-enhanced villain from Spider-Man: Homecoming. Is this the same Vulture from the movie or some multiversal variant? Who knows! But chances are that this is another step towards integrating Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (yes, that's what they're calling it now) with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
How Is Morbius Connected to the MCU?
While the movie is set in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, formerly known as the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters (SPUMC), Michael Keaton's appearance does suggest a connection to the MCU. And Venom: Let There Be Carnage makes things even more intriguing.
[Editor's note: The following contains spoilers for Venom: Let There Be Carnage]
The post-credits scene of the movie shows Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and Venom chilling and watching some TV. Venom starts to tell Eddie how there's a whole multiverse out there connected through the symbiote network. Just then, the room shifts and there's a yellow light. The TV then shifts from what they were watching to a news story where J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) is talking about Spider-Man's identity. The shocker is that the Peter Parker on the news is none other than Tom Holland, implying that somehow, Venom and Eddie have been transported to the MCU.
So what does this mean for Morbius? The combination of the Vulture cameo and the Venom 2 scene suggests that the two universes have been brought closer than ever. That doesn't necessarily mean that we'll see Morbius hanging out with the Avengers anytime soon but it does reveal a strong connection to the MCU. The full extent of that connection is something that we'll probably find out about once Spider-Man: No Way Home and Morbius finally hit the silver screen.
In any case, Jared Leto has previously said that Morbius could end up having a crossover with Mahershala Ali's Blade at some point in the future. Now that would be something!
When is Morbius Filming?
Principal photography on Morbius started in February 2019 in London. In March, filming moved to Manchester's Northern Quarter, which was used as a substitute for New York City. Filming on the movie was scheduled to last 12 weeks under the working title Plasma. Filming was completed in June 2019, with Venom producer Amy Pascal announcing that the project had "just wrapped".
The now-customary reshoots for the film began in Los Angeles in early February 2020 and ended a month later when the COVID-19 pandemic caused productions across the US to be halted. A second round of reshoots for the movie took place in early 2021.
When and Where is Morbius Set?
Morbius is set in the present day and it looks like most of the action will be happening in and around New York. However, what's most interesting is which universe the movie takes place in. While the film will be part of Sony's Spider-Man Universe, the MCU connections make things a bit more complicated.
On the one hand, we've seen hints that the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man is part of this world (and possibly wanted for murder). There are also other little easter eggs in the trailers that connect the movie to the world of The Amazing Spider-Man and to Venom. But on the other hand, the Michael Keaton cameo just makes things even more confusing, especially in light of Venom: Let There Be Carnage's surprise MCU twist. Guess we'll just have to wait and watch Spider-Man: No Way Home to really get answers about this.
What Is the Plot of Morbius?
Morbius will primarily be the origin story of Michael Morbius, the Living Vampire. It will be retelling the story of how Morbius set out to cure a fatal blood disease and accidentally turned himself into a unique kind of vampire. This much we know.
The bulk of the movie will likely focus on Morbius trying to control his hunger while also being hunted by the authorities. The inclusion of Loxias Crown in the story suggests that this hunt will eventually end with Morbius and Simon Stroud, the FBI agent who's after him, joining forces to take out a bigger threat. Seems pretty straightforward, all things considered, but expect some surprises to come your way once the movie is finally out. Here's Sony's official synopsis for Morbius:
"One of the most compelling and conflicted characters in Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters comes to the big screen as Oscar winner Jared Leto transforms into the enigmatic antihero Michael Morbius. Dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder and determined to save others suffering his same fate, Dr. Morbius attempts a desperate gamble. While at first it seems to be a radical success, a darkness inside him is unleashed. Will good override evil – or will Morbius succumb to his mysterious new urges?"
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