Producer Avi Arad Talks About Marvel's MORBIUS and Says Sony Is "Just Getting Started"
Sony Pictures launched their own Marvel movie universe with the release of Venom, which actually ended up being well received by fans. The studio is pressing forward with their other live-action Marvel projects, and the next one on the docket is their adaptation of Morbius The Living Vampire with Jared Leto.
Avi Arad, who has been producing Marvel films since Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, is still helping develop these Spider-Man universe based movies that don’t involve Spider-Man. During a recent interview with Deadline, Arad teased Morbius saying:
“Wait until you see the way he looks, what we have done with this character, you will love it. There are so many other great characters on the way, too. You will see. We’re just getting started.”
We know that Sony is also developing films that revolve around Silver Sable, Black Cat, Nightwatch, Silk, Jackpot, and more. It’ll be interesting to see how these films and any other films they make end up turning out
In a previous interview, Arad explained how he wants to take his grandkids to see these movies, so the R-rating fans were hoping for isn’t likely:
“Again, what I said to you before, it depends on the story. If the success of the story depends on being R-rated…
“But at least for me, I have grandkids, kids, whatever, all these things, and some of these movies, they’re dying to see. You know? As I took my grandson, seven, to the recording session of Venom. And he had the time of his life.”
Producer Matt Tolmach agreed and went on to say:
“I don’t think there’s a rule written somewhere in stone that all of them have to be one thing, alright? I think what Avi’s saying is right. I think we’ve all talked about, ‘Well, if one of these presents itself in a way…’ Look, we have all seen, as you’ve said, the R-rated versions of these movies now working. So, that’s out there. You can succeed to a staggering degree.”
Do you think Morbius will end up being a good movie? Do you think Sony is going to succeed in their long-term Marvel movie plans?
Leto is taking on the role of Morbius, a.k.a. Dr. Michael Morbius, in the film. He’s "a scientist who suffered from a rare blood disease and attempted to cure himself to disastrous results. Instead of being cured, he became afflicted with a condition that was a form of vampirism — the thirst for blood, along with fangs and super strength — and fought Spider-Man. Over time, however, he became a slightly heroic figure in his own right and even headlined his own comic book titles."
Jared Harris (Mad Men, The Crown, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, The Terror) recently joined the cast along with Adria Arjona (Pacific Rim Uprising), who will play Martine Bancroft, who was engaged to Morbius before he accidentally turned himself into a vampire. She ends up becoming a potential victim as Morbius learns to cope with his insatiable bloodlust.
The script for the film is being written by Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama (Lost in Space), and it will be released in theaters on July 31, 2020.