The final trailer for Sony’s vampire filmMorbiushas been released, with a deeper look at Michael Keaton’s reprisal as Vulture. Keaton is playing his Adrian Toomes role fromSpider-Man: Homecomingin this film, as the new Sony project is ostensibly an MCU spin-off.
Keaton is a hot topic in comic book movies lately, as this year he reprises not only Vulture, but also Batman inThe Flash. He seems to have a lot of fun in returning to these iconic roles, which is ironic considering how his performancein the Oscar-winningBirdmanpredicted exactly the opposite. And that’s a relief, as audiences are enjoying seeing their superhero granddad return to theaters.
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TheMorbiustrailer sees Vulturetalking to the titular character in what seems to be a hospital or prison setting, urging Morbius to go further into darkness. This is fitting due to Toomes' incarceration at the end ofSpider-Man: Homecoming. Whether he’ll don the full Vulture costume again remains unknown. However, it seems likely he’ll have a role similar to Hannibal Lecter inThe Silence of the Lambs, as a wicked consultant rather than a main antagonist, which could be even better.
As forMorbiusitself, the project seems like a gamble. The fact that it’s been constantly delayed since its original July 2020 date isn’t a great sign. And not in its favor is Jared Leto in the title role, and while he is a strong actor, his previous comic bookperformance asSuicide Squad’s Jokerwas not well received. Also, it’s unknown if audiences will be receptive to such an unknown character, and the film’s mix between Gothic horror and quirky humor. But then again, theVenommovies have been incredibly successful with audiences. It’s very possible thatMorbiuswill be a similarly refreshing alternative to the average comic book film.
Morbiusis the third installment in the ongoing Sony Spider-Man Universe, following the twoVenommovies. BothMorbiusandthe upcomingKraven the Huntercontinue this trend of casting Spider-Man villains as anti-heroes and providing a more offbeat superhero film. It’s easy to be cynical about this franchise, as Sony is infamously stingy with their Spider-Manmovie rights, but the experiment seems to be paying off.
How will Keaton fare in his return as Vulture? WillMorbiuscement the SSU as a great series, or a misguided failure? Fans will find out much soon.
Morbiusreleases exclusively in theaters on April 1st, 2022.
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