Morbius’ experiments with vampire bat genes and electroshock therapy left him mutated. The trailer delivers a largely comic-book-accurate take on Nobel Prize-winning scientist Michael Morbius’ transformation into a living vampire after his attempt, with the help of his fiancée, Martine Bancroft (portrayed by Adria Arjona in the film), to cure himself of a rare and fatal blood disease. Tormented by his instincts and his killing of innocents, Morbius received a slight revamp in the ’90s that saw him imbued with demon blood and a mission to prey only on the evil and corrupt. His vampirism, the result of genetic tampering, gives him an insatiable lust for blood and violence, super strength, and an inability to survive in daylight, but he lacks the weaknesses associated with supernatural vampires: stakes, crosses, garlic, etc. Like Parker, and the Lizard, who also shows up in that issue, Morbius’ monstrosity is created by a mishap of science. 101, in which Peter Parker was infamously dealing with the fact that he had grown four extra arms (which is what happens when you take an untested serum to try to cure yourself of spider powers). Created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane, Morbius first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man No. Like Venom, Morbius began as an adversary of Spider-Man before going on to become an anti-hero in the ’90s, when he gained popularity as one of Marvel’s darker, street-level heroes and a member of the Midnight Sons. Who would have imagined that this new day for Marvel characters onscreen and cinematic interconnectivity would be forged by a creature of the night? The film is a bridge between the SUMC and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a significant step for both franchises given that the shared use of Spider-Man between Sony and Marvel Studios almost ended last year before a new deal was reached. Morbius isn’t just carving out its own corner in the ever-growing list of comic book adaptations it is the connective tissue that will bring Tom Holland’s Spider-Man into the fray.

While it was always assumed the film would tie in to Venom, which is receiving a sequel, it wasn’t clear just how big the scope of Morbius was until today. Directed by Daniel Espinosa ( Life), this film is the second live-action entry in Sony Picture’s Universe of Marvel Characters (SUMC), following Venom (2018). This morning, Sony released the first teaser trailer for Morbius, starring Jared Leto as the titular living vampire. There’s quite a lot for us to sink our teeth into.

Crossover movie