Sony Pictures finally released the trailer for the Morbius movie and there were a couple of exciting things in it. Most importantly, the trailer did confirm that Sony’s Spider-Man villain movies are not independent of the MCU as it might have been indirectly suggested in Venom. The movies are very much connected. To what extent? That remains to be seen.
Morbius is set to hit theaters on July 31st. The film stars Jared Leto as the award-winning doctor, researcher, and antihero Michael Morbius. With the antihero movies, Sony is looking to eventually build up to a team-up movie called the Sinister Six. But how will Spider-Man fit in? It’s hard to tell. Maybe Tom Holland might make a surprise appearance. He might just show up in the post-credits scene, creating a total euphoric moment for Marvel fans.
Meanwhile, here are things you might have missed in the Morbius trailer.
Slight Change In Origin Story
In the Spider-Man #101 comic issue, Morbius is said to have grown up in isolation after his mother barred him from interacting with everyone else. This was due to his rare blood condition which caused his legs to be weak and his body to be slightly deformed. He was also raised in Greece.
However, in the new Morbius trailer, the character is shown in what looks like a boarding school. A ‘bullying’ storyline might also be introduced. Not bad since there wouldn’t have been much to explore about his childhood if they just let him stay at home like in the comics.
The Armor On Simon Stroud’s Arm
Tyrese Gibson will be playing Simon Stroud, who in the comics is a CIA agent who ends up being an operative for SHIELD and later on a mercenary. In the trailer, he is briefly shown with other agents in what looks like a hunt in the woods. It’s not exactly clear who they are going after. It might be Morbius or an entirely different villain.
There is also some sort of high-tech armor on Stroud’s right arm. Chances are that this armor is manufactured by SHIELD and it’s effective in neutralizing the powers of either Morbius or superpowered villains in general. Perhaps, it is simply a killing instrument.
A Potential Vulture-Morbius Team Up
Are Sony’s movies connected or not to the MCU? This question has been plaguing the minds of fans for years. It turns out that the Spider-Verse is indeed linked to the MCU.
The trailer’s most shocking moment comes at the very end when Spider-Man: Homecoming’s villain, Vulture (Michael Keaton), appears. In Homecoming, Vulture was defeated by Spider-Man before being imprisoned. In the trailer, Adrian Toomes is in a similar costume to the one fans last saw him in. Most importantly, he asks Morbius whether he “got tired of doing the whole good guy thing, huh?” This implies a possible team-up. Neither of them really likes Spidey after all.
Possible Arrest & Escape
Morbius is shown wearing an orange prison jumpsuit for a few seconds as he is walking through a street. There is a high likelihood that he might have been arrested then escaped. What if he staged a prison break shortly after meeting Vulture?
It would be interesting to see how this plot thread plays out. One thing known for sure is that the doctor is already committing crimes. When Morbius was trying out his experimental treatment in the trailer, he was also heard saying that “It’s not exactly legal.” This could also have something to do with his arrest.
Spidey Hasn’t Cleared His Name
What’s clear about the Morbius film is that it starts out as an origin story before aligning itself with the current state of affairs in the MCU. At the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming, Mysterio released a video that tricked the world into thinking that Spider-Man had killed him in cold blood. He also revealed Spider-Man’s real identity.
Since Peter Parker is smart, he will presumably devise a plan to fix this crisis as soon as possible. As per the trailer, it seems that Spider-Man still hasn’t been able to clear his name. In the orange jumpsuit scene, Morbius is seen walking past a mural of Spidey with the words “murderer” written across it in red.
Michael Is Still A Pseudo-Vampire
Traditionally, vampires are dead people who were resurrected. However, in the comics, Michael Morbius doesn’t adhere to this. He is a living/pseudo-vampire, meaning he gets all the perks of being a vampire while not having to die first. The film could have opted to kill and resurrect him but it appears that things have been kept as they are in the comics.
An important thing to note is that Morbius could have been a traditional vampire, but by the time he was introduced, comic books weren’t allowed to have horrific elements such as dead people coming back to life. So Marvel comics found a way around this restriction by creating Morbius, The Living Vampire.
In the trailer, the vampirism has not only made him look like he’s been lifting weights, but it also alters his appearance. It’s not clear whether Morbius will stay in his grotesque form or he’ll be switching between good-looking Leto-ish Morbius and scary Morbius.
Vampires Need Love Too
Who is that lady standing in the lab with Morbius? It’s Martine Bancroft, played by Adria Arjona, who recently appeared in 6 Underground. In The Amazing Spider-Man #102 comic issue, Martine appears as the love interest of Dr. Morbius. She is also the one who helps him create a unique treatment in the hope of curing his pseudo-vampirism.
A movie that’s as serious and dark as this one could do with a love story to mellow it down. Will Martine stick by Michael? In the comics, she doesn’t.
The Consequences Are Going To Be Greater Than Intended
When Morbius tells Martine that he has discovered a form of treatment that could help him, she takes a break from counting his protruding vertebrae and asks, ‘At what cost?" This is a clear way to predict the things to come. Martine can feel that his treatment will change things between them forever.
In the comics, Martine dies and is resurrected, becoming a vampire herself. She also has a falling out with Morbius. It’s likely that Martine’s change won’t be explored in the upcoming movie, with a sequel seeming more likely. However, Martine might not make it out of Morbius alive.
A New Spin On Crown
In the trailer, a man is seen walking through what appears to be a subway station. This man is Loxias Crown, who in the comics is also a pseudo-vampire and HYDRA operative. Also, in the comics, the character is simply known as Crown or Hunger, with his real name seldom being used.
Loxias Crown could either be an enemy or a friend of Morbius, given that they are both traditionally villains. Given that there is no resemblance between the two, there is also a chance that Morbius’ Crown could be unrelated to the version from the comics. That said, considering comic Wolverine looks nothing like film Wolverine, Crown’s physical appearance does not mean much.
A Different Spider-Man Suit
Enter the confusion. The Morbius trailer did indeed imply that Sony’s Spider-Verse is linked to the MCU. But why isn’t Spider-Man wearing the same suit that Tom Holland wears? The suit in the trailer is the same one that Spider-Man wears in the PS4 game. The image in the graffiti is also directly lifted from the game’s poster.
So, it’s not the same Spider-Man? Could it be a Multiverse thing? Does Morbius exist on an alternate Earth where Spider-Man was also outed by Mysterio but tends to wear a different suit? It’s all a bit hazy for now. Only the film itself will give some clarity. May the guessing games begin.
