The latest teaser trailer for Sony’s upcoming comic book movie outing, Morbius, asks whether the titular antihero's superpowers are a curse or a cure? Led by Jared Leto as the tortured Dr. Michael Morbius, the movie will find the actor transforming multiple times as he slowly becomes the Marvel quasi-villain that fans know and love in this next installment in Sony’s Spider-Man Shared Universe.
Released via the official Morbius Twitter account, the teaser puts the focus on the relationship between Jared Leto as Dr. Michael Morbius, a scientist suffering from a rare blood disease whose attempts to cure himself afflict him with a form of transgenic vampirism, and his childhood friend Loxias Crown, played by Doctor Who star Matt Smith, a man who suffers from the same rare blood disease.
The footage teases the conflict explored within Morbius, with his friend believing that he has successfully found a cure, and then some, while the doctor feels that he has cursed himself to live the life of a monster. Loxias Crown eventually becomes the supervillain Hunger, so expect to see this play out during the course of Morbius as the two friends slowly become enemies.
Directed by Daniel Espinosa and written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, Morbius will introduce one of the most compelling and conflicted characters in the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters. Academy Award winner Jared Leto transforms into the enigmatic antihero Michael Morbius. Dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder and determined to save others suffering his same fate, Dr. Morbius attempts a desperate gamble. While at first, it seems to be a radical success, a darkness inside him is unleashed. Will good override evil or will Morbius succumb to his mysterious new urges?
Morbius Director Believes the Marvel Antihero is the Perfect Role for Jared Leto, and the Actor Agress
Director Daniel Espinosa believes that Jared Leto is the only actor who can truly do justice to the transformative role of Morbius. "Jared Leto was the only actor that could really play the part of Morbius. That wasn't really a choice – it was predestination,” the filmmaker said before heaping praise on his leading man. “Jared is a beautiful actor to work with – he comes to set fully prepared, completely immersed in his character. He’s become known for his approach to his characters, but it was truly surprising to see how much emotionality he could wrest out of Dr. Michael Morbius. He has a strong dedication, beginning to end, and more than just an actor. He’s a colleague, a partner.”
And Jared Leto himself agrees, feeling that Morbius is indeed the perfect part for him to play. “Morbius gave me the opportunity to have this character that really makes three pretty significant transformations – He starts off very, very sick searching for a cure disease… then he finds a cure and it becomes powerful and stronger than he’s ever been before,” the actor said. “Then there is another transformation that happens. It was it was kind of the perfect role for me. Honestly, I enjoyed it quite a bit.”
Starring Jared Leto as Michael Morbius alongside Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Al Madrigal, and Tyrese Gibson, Morbius is scheduled to be released on April 1, 2022.