The highly anticipated Morbius, set to release April 2022, tells the story of Dr. Michael Morbius. After the search for a cure to a rare blood disease goes horribly wrong, Morbius ends up infected with a strange form of vampirism. This earns him his name as Morbius, the Living Vampire, portrayed by Jared Leto. Development for the film began when it was announced that a shared universe of films was to come into existence under Sony, spawning a number of new films and beginning with Venom, which was originally pegged as a standalone film outside the MCU, but has since become a part of the Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU).
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Thanks to this new creation of the connected SSU, many characters and concepts within can be introduced to the public, like the classic Spider-Man villains Green Goblin and Dr. Octopus. Right now, Sony is in the process of developing a plethora of new SSU content, including the release of Kraven the Hunter, a film starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular hunter, set to be released in 2023, and Silk, a new series based around Cindy Moon, an ally of Spider-Man’s. Created in collaboration with Columbia Pictures and Marvel Entertainment, many are wondering where exactly Morbius falls within the MCU and if it is connected to the franchise at all.
Is Morbius in the Same Universe as the MCU?
Morbius is the third film in the SSU, which began with Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage. The original concept of the SSU was concocted after the release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, however, the film’s overall failure led corporate execs to abandon the idea altogether, and instead, Sony settled on a partnership with Marvel Studios to produce a series of films that revolved around characters within the Spider-Man Universe. Sony’s Spider-Man Universe is a smaller part of the MCU and has a focus on all Spider-Man characters, including Morbius and Kraven the Hunter. One specific cameo that ties Morbius in with the MCU is the appearance of Michael Keaton who previously played the role of Adrian Toomes AKA Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Now, this may seem a little confusing to some, but Morbius does technically tie into the MCU, though not directly. We have Tom Holland to thank for this as he reportedly pleaded with Sony and Disney to keep the Spider-Man Universe and the MCU connected to which they agreed.
Is Morbius Connected to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man?
As stated previously, the appearance of Vulture in the Morbius trailer confirmed that the film takes place in the Spider-Man Universe. That said, many are still left to wonder which Spider-Man he is connected to, if the Morbius universe is the same universe as Tom Holland’s Spider-Man Universe or if Morbius is in an alternate universe altogether where Spider-Man is a criminal and not a hero. That said, Jared Leto has teased a number of things for the fans to look forward to, including a possible face-off with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. Whether the two will be allies or enemies is yet to be seen, but the potential for a great crossover is definitely there. With Morbius taking place in the Spider-Man Universe, it’s safe to say that Morbius will meet Spider-Man at some point and time.
What Does the Future Hold for Morbius?
In early 2021, Jared Leto revealed that Morbius may be able to appear alongside the character Blade, the vampire hunter, in a future project with Mahershala Ali being cast. After the introduction of the multiverse in Spider-Man: No Way Home, this further revealed the even greater potential for other crossovers with Morbius and a variety of characters, including Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. While this is all mere speculation at this point, much of these endeavors depend on the Morbius film’s success. The trailers to the film show a great deal of promise, however, early reactions from critics have been quite negative with criticism surrounding the poor plot-line, the use of CGI, and the post-credits scene. It’s hard to say what exactly the future holds for Morbius, but it’s possible that we could see a lot more of him or nothing more from him in the future.
