The first trailer for Sony’s Morbius has arrived, and it confirmed it’s connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe – here’s how. Sony’s plans for a shared universe of films inspired by Spider-Man characters continue, and while Venom didn’t hold any direct connections to the current Spider-Man and the MCU, Morbius decided to drop some references to it in its first trailer, and they are big and important ones.

Morbius follows Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto), a scientist suffering from a rare blood disease and who tries to cure himself with non-traditional (and dangerous) methods. Though he does get better, he becomes afflicted with a form of vampirism, making the cure more dangerous than the disease itself. Also starring are Adria Arjona as Martine Bancroft, Matt Smith as Loxias Crown, Tyrese Gibson as Simon Stroud, and Jared Harris as Morbius’ mentor.

Plot details on Morbius were unknown until now, and it’s easy to see why: the film confirms that Sony’s Marvel films are part of the MCU, and the trailer featured a couple of (very direct) references to it, including one that has already made way for a lot of questions. Here are all the MCU connections in Morbius so far.

MCU’s Spider-Man Easter Egg

Near the end of the trailer, after Morbius explains the effects of the “cure” he found, he’s seen walking past a very peculiar piece of street art: a graffiti of Spider-Man with the word “murderer” written over it. This not only confirms that Morbius and Spider-Man are set in the same universe but also that the film will take place after the events in Spider-Man: Far From Home, which in turn were set after the five-year time jump in Avengers: Endgame (meaning Morbius takes place in 2023-2024). The mid-credits scene in Spider-Man: Far From Home featured J. Jonah Jameson (once again played by J.K. Simmons) broadcasting footage of Mysterio and Spider-Man’s final stand, in which Beck reveals Spider-Man’s identity – and Morbius’ trailer shows that the world still believes the web-slinger is to blame for Mysterio’s death, the incident in London, and more.

Michael Keaton’s Vulture Appearance

The biggest reveal of the trailer was the return of Michael Keaton’s Vulture. The character was last seen in Spider-Man: Homecoming’s mid-credits scene, where he was approached by Mac Gargan in prison, saying he heard Toomes knows Spider-Man’s real identity, which he denies. How he made it out of prison and how he knows Dr. Morbius are now the biggest questions, along with his intentions, which many hope will be to recruit him for the Sinister Six – mainly because the MCU has already introduced a couple of Sinister Six members (Vulture, Shocker, and Scorpion). Vulture’s appearance is not only the biggest link Morbius has to the MCU so far, but it might also be key in the character’s future, if he really is a step towards a Sinister Six movie.

Next: Morbius Movie Trailer Breakdown & MCU Story Reveals

  • Morbius Release Date: 2022-04-01