The second trailer for Morbius reveals more of Jared Leto's Marvel debut - here's all of the juicy, (blood)thirst-quenching details. After loaning Spider-Man back to Marvel, Sony's comic book focus turned toward the web-slinger's villains, beginning with Tom Hardy's Venom in 2018. Next comes the gothic notes of Morbius, starring an Oscar-winning Jared Leto as Michael Morbius - a genius scientist enduring a rare blood condition, who makes the classic mistake of accidentally turning into a supervillain while searching for a cure. Directed by Daniel Espinosa, Morbius joins the Sony Spider-Man Universe and, by way of multiverse shenanigans, the MCU also.
Fans would be forgiven for forgetting one Morbius trailer released already. Initial footage optimistically arrived in January 2020 ahead of a planned premiere in July, then the world went wrong and Morbius joined the many movies delayed due to COVID-19. Now rescheduled for January 28, 2022, Morbius is welcomed by a very different superhero landscape, with Marvel and Sony working more fluidly after striking the agreement that kept Tom Holland in the MCU. Venom: Let There Be Carnage exploited that freedom by taking Sony's Spider-Man Universe into exciting and innovative territory, and that ensures anticipation for Morbius is now considerably greater than 2 years ago.
The second Morbius trailer offers a deeper look at a movie that's very obviously had extra time to gestate. Boasting more vampire moments, more Spider-Man teases, and much more Michael Morbius madness, these are all the key takeaways from Sony's new Morbius trailer.
Jared Leto's Morbius Travels To A Mystery Mountain For His New Origin
Morbius' second trailer begins with Jared Leto's Dr. Michael Morbius traveling by helicopter across misty and mountainous terrain, a cargo crate dangling below the aircraft. This perilous journey shows how Morbius will revamp the Marvel character's origin story, throwing in an exotic mystical cave only accessible by air, though it's not clear whether the movie's mountain corresponds to a known Marvel location. In the comic books, Morbius' traditional origin happens when he fuses bat DNA with electroshock therapy.
Morbius' Doctor Line Shows The Movie's Dark Humor
As Morbius exits the helicopter atop a high mountain outcrop, the trailer reveals how gravely his health has deteriorated, and why he's taking such extreme measures to fix this affliction. Jared Leto's character walks unsteadily using a cane, but is refusing to be helped by the men accompanying him, highlighting a stubborn determination to be cured. In a rare display of Morbius' dark humor, Michael responds with, "I am a doctor" when asked if he requires a doctor's help. This line proves Morbius isn't a sullen-faced film with grim, gothic tones from start to finish.
Morbius Flashbacks Show A Tough Childhood (& Emil Nikos' Hand?)
Sony's first Morbius trailer revealed flashbacks of Michael as a child, seemingly attending a Greek school, as per his comic backstory. New footage adds more to Morbius' flashback sequences, showing the youngster walking with twin canes, just as he does in the present day. As well as tugging on the heartstrings with a tragic origin tale, Morbius juxtaposes the wooden canes of the past with black, modern sticks in the present to emphasize how, despite advancements in medical science, Michael Morbius' condition remains unimproved.
Facing the inevitable cruelty of his fellow schoolchildren, Morbius is comforted by a doctor's hand in this shot. Though the figure remains unidentified, the hand likely belongs to Jared Harris' character (seen in full later on), who is expected to play Emil Nikos. In the Marvel comic, Nikos was Morbius' best friend, but on the big screen, they share a mentor-student bond.
Michael Morbius With Adria Arjona's Martine Bancroft
Introducing a first supporting character, Morbius' new trailer unveils Martine Bancroft, played by Adria Arjona. Bancroft is both a fellow doctor and Morbius' lover, and she's seen here inspecting his awkwardly pronounced spine. When Jared Leto raises his head, he's also rigged to some kind of telemetry gear monitoring bodily function. Bancroft taking care of Morbius is surely a prelude to Michael deciding drastic measures are necessary, and setting off to the mountain glimpsed previously.
Morbius Has Been Searching For A Cure & Receiving Awards
Morbius' adult life hasn't been spent seeking a cure solely for himself, but also helping others. He gently tends to young Anna in this scene, and notice the chess board sitting over her hospital bed. A shared love of the game could indicate Morbius sees his younger self in Anna which, once again, inspires him to take extreme measures in the name of finding a cure. Further demonstrating Dr. Morbius' charitable nature, the trailer recycles previously-released shots of Michael receiving a Nobel prize for his efforts fighting disease. Morbius looks unsteady and frail during the glamorous ceremony - a possible hint toward him coming over sick while others honor his work.
Bancroft Is In Love With Michael's Kindness
As Michael nurses Anna, Martine Bancroft looks on from behind, love and admiration written all over her face. Though Jared Leto's good looks probably don't hurt, this shot reveals Bancroft is most attracted to Michael's kind nature. That perspective will undoubtedly be challenged once he becomes a blood-drinking living vampire.
Morbius "Pushing Boundaries" By Slashing His Hand
Back to the mountain, and it's here Morbius' trailer begins digging into the origin story proper. There's a rectangular, stringed apparatus (most likely what was carried in the helicopter's cargo crate), and Morbius slashes his hand to produce a stream of blood. Speaking over the footage, Morbius' Nobel prize speech refers to "pushing boundaries" and "taking risks," proving how this dangerous mountain excursion is the result of Michael exhausting all conventional avenues of scientific endeavor, and turning toward something a little more... macabre.
In a further sign of Morbius' desperation, he warns the nearby hired assistants, "If you're going to run... do it now." Not quite caring whether the crew are caught in the crossfire demonstrates the shift from Morbius the kindly doctor to Morbius the living vampire is already underway.
A Flock Of Vampire Bats Triggers Morbius' New Transformation
Showing the moment Morbius undergoes his fateful transformation, a flock of vampire bats rush forth from the mystery cave and swarm the ailing doctor, feasting upon his flesh while everyone else runs away in horror. Whereas Marvel's comic origin saw Morbius combine bat DNA and electroshock therapy to achieve his vampiric transformation, it seems Sony's live-action movie requires Jared Leto to be almost eaten alive by a specific type of bat. The blood is clearly intended to lure the creatures out, and perhaps the stringed machine creates a sonic resonance necessary for tempting the bats from the darkness. Alternatively, the wires could provide the electrical stimulus Morbius used to transform in the comic books. Whatever the science might be, this surprisingly dark origin already looks visually impressive.
Morbius Goes Missing For 2 Months
Sony's second Morbius trailer fills some gaps in the movie's timeline. Helpfully narrated by Tyrese Gibson's FBI agent character, Simon Stroud, Morbius goes missing for 2 months following his inexplicable cave experience. He winds up on a container ship headed for New York, meaning the reborn Morbius was probably attempting to get home. This line gives some sense of Morbius' time scale, with the Nobel prize and intensifying illness coming first, then the cave transformation, then a 2-month jump before Jared Leto returns home.
An Unseen Morbius Is Attacked At Sea
Obscured by steam and machinery, Morbius is pursued by armed assailants storming the aforementioned boat. Some might question why gunmen are boarding a regular shipping container, but the answer could lie in Simon's dialogue. According to the agent, the ship "washed up off Long Island," meaning Morbius' boat didn't dock safely. Either the newly-transformed doctor killed everyone on board, or pirates hijacked the ship only to discover a violent vampire who looks suspiciously like the singer from 30 Seconds To Mars.
Also interesting is how Morbius remains hidden - a classic horror trope where not showing the monster makes the beast more frightening. Finally, notice how when blood falls onto the gunman's hand, it forms two near-perfect circles several inches apart... as if dripping from the tips of two sharp fangs.
Tyrese Gibson's Simon Stroud
Likely investigating the pile of dead bodies left on a boat, the FBI somehow manage to bring Morbius under arrest, as the resurfaced doctor is seen sporting an orange jumpsuit and being interrogated by none other than Tyrese Gibson, who plays Agent Simon Stroud. His character is inspired by the Marvel comics, where Stroud hunted down paranormal-themed threats like Morbius and Man-Beast. Gibson has suggested in interviews that Stroud's movie incarnation will come equipped with a hi-tech arm.
Morbius Doesn't Know What Happened To Him
Interviewed by Stroud, a pensive Michael Morbius admits he isn't entirely sure what happened in that cave, nor what he's become as a result. The line confirms Morbius didn't transform into a living vampire on purpose, and foolishly thought getting a full-body bat exfoliation wouldn't yield horrifying side effects. Morbius' ignorance sets up an intriguing question for the finished movie - is Michael Morbius' new vampire form the result of his own scientific hubris, or did someone else plant the vampire bat idea in his mind?
Morbius Features Horizon Labs
A shot of the New York City skyline includes a building with "Horizon" shining brighter than the other signs. In comic lore, Horizon Labs is where much of Marvel's cutting-edge technology emanates from, and employees include the likes of Peter Parker, Tiberius Stone, and sure enough, Michael Morbius. It's likely that Jared Leto's live-action Morbius works as a Horizon Labs researcher.
Jared Leto's Miraculous Recovery
The second Morbius trailer uses contrasting shots to highlight how getting covered in bat droppings sparked Michael's miraculous physical recovery. In the first image, Morbius is tended to by Bancroft. Her clothes confirm this is an extension of the spinal scene from before, but now we can see electrodes running all the way down Michael's chest. Moving from Michael at his weakest to the new-look Morbius in prime physical health, his debilitating condition has evaporated - from the outside, at least. Either way, it's one hell of a "before and after" for Instagram.
Morbius' New Sonar Powers (& Bat Studies)
Michael Morbius finally discovers a six-pack isn't the only side effect of his unconventional therapy. Among Morbius' new powers is a bat-like sonar, where his eyes whiten and dark waves pulse outward from his body. Like a bat navigating using sound waves, Morbius can sense his environment by emitting vibration, which adapt the Marvel comic character's heightened sense. While Jared Leto tests his sonar capability, a containment cell filled with bats reveals Dr. Morbius is still investigating how his transformation came about. In a neat touch, Morbius' old crutches can be seen leaning idle against the far wall, proving how far the doctor has come.
Morbius Tests Out His Increased Strength & Speed
Like any self-respecting comic book scientist, Michael Morbius has a habit of uttering exposition into a personal recording device, and here reveals his transformation has resulted in sharply increased strength and speed, demonstrated through lifting a nearby coffin (what, you don't have one in your office?). While Morbius takes some creative license with the character's echolocation technique, the boost in power and agility is faithful to Marvel's source material.
Morbius' "Bat Radar" Spreads Across The City
The term "Bat Radar" feels rather rudimentary for a Nobel prize-winning scientist, but that's the name Morbius goes with for his sonic echolocation technique. This scene reveals just how far-reaching the radar can be, as black waves spread across the entire city. Is Morbius locating an enemy by scanning the entirety of New York? That's quite some power, and it'll be interesting to see if Morbius' omniscience remains consistent throughout the movie.
Morbius' Transformation CGI Looks Better
Though the CGI in Morbius' first trailer was nothing to complain about, Sony's second promo proves how 2 years on the back-burner has done the world of good for Jared Leto's transformation. His whitened eyes, vein-covered face, puckered ears, and smoke-like aura add much more detail and authenticity, whilst also honoring classic horror movie werewolf transformations of the past. Turning a man into a vampire was always going to be tricky - even by comic book movie standards - but Morbius makes the switch as convincing as possible.
Morbius Flies Now (& Escapes The Police)
Wondering what else he can do, Morbius discovers an ability to fly by keeping ahead of a moving subway train, dancing through the underground tunnels. Unfortunately for the doctor, his flight isn't the same as Captain Marvel's or Vision's. As a living vampire, Morbius glides through the air like a bat, but can't soar through the clouds from city to city. Still, it'll save a few subway fares. Once again, this power draws from Morbius' skill set in the Marvel comics, but note how Michael is wearing his orange jumpsuit in this scene. Perhaps he uses this power of flight to escape jail.
Amazing Spider-Man's OSCORP On The City Skyline
While the first half of Morbius' new trailer goes light on the Spider-Man references, the remainder is relentless, beginning with a city skyline shot where "OSCORP" shines visibly from one of the buildings. A key part of Spider-Man mythology, OSCORP is owned by Norman Osborne - the Green Goblin himself - and serves as home to all manner of cutting-edge science that usually ends up on New York's streets. It's not known whether the sign is merely an Easter egg or whether OSCORP will feature in Morbius' plot, but given the main character's scientific connections, a visit to the famed tower isn't unlikely.
Strangely, the OSCORP logo matches the one used in Sony's The Amazing Spider-Man franchise, which featured Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker. Does this prove Morbius takes place in The Amazing Spider-Man's universe? We're not so sure...
Morbius Surrounded By Blood Bags Foreshadows His "Limits"
As Martine Bancroft assures her lover that this new vampire transformation must have limits, the Morbius trailer shows Michael surrounded by blood bags, struggling to contain his vampiric urges. This alludes toward Morbius' newfound bloodlust, and the willpower he'll need to avoid chomping on necks. Can Michael sate his thirst through blood donations alone? Or will he seek a fresher source? In the Marvel comics, Morbius grows weaker the longer he avoids blood, and his self-control also starts slipping. The same appears to be true for Jared Leto's version.
Jared Leto's Morbius Gets His First Taste Of Blood
As Morbius makes the relationship-testing confession that he's now compelled to "hunt and consume blood," the trailer returns to the earlier container ship setting. Jared Leto's character slices a gunman with his claws, then curiously licks the crimson from his fingertips as if to say, "not bad..." Despite the clever editing, these two shots aren't chronological. Morbius is clothed during the clawing, then topless while tasting his fingers. Nevertheless, the latter image might reveal the first time Morbius gets a new favorite drink, since he still looks relatively frail and disheveled.
Bancroft Is Scared By The New Morbius
Previously, Martine Bancroft watched her partner nurse Anna with a face of pure love. This shot is the contrasting payoff, showing Bancroft perceiving the transformed Morbius with pure terror and uttering "Michael?" to check if the man she knew still exists. This moment sets up Morbius' struggle to continue being the man Martine loved, and Martine's struggle to look past Morbius' monstrous exterior to find the human within.
Jared Harris As Morbius' Mentor
The Morbius trailer finally gives a clear look at Jared Harris' father figure to Michael Morbius. He asks a hoodie-clad Leto, "Can you control it?" meaning Michael has revealed his true nature to this man, demonstrating a deep bond between them, and supporting the theory that Harris is the unseen doctor in Morbius' flashbacks. There's no confirmation one way or another as to whether Jared Harris is, as rumored, playing Emil Nikos.
A Subway Crime Scene Teases Morbius' Violence
A messy subway crime scene is being examined by Simon Stroud and a new face in the Morbius trailer - Al Madrigal's Alberto Rodriguez. Another FBI agent, the duo's investigation implies Morbius is responsible for this underground rampage - Jared Leto was last seen flying around a subway train in his prison jumpsuit, after all - but a later clue suggests all isn't necessarily what it seems...
Daily Bugle's Black Cat & Rhino Easter Eggs
More Spider-Man Easter eggs, as Michael Morbius flips open a Daily Bugle front page reporting on his arrest for "vampire murder." The Bugle is, of course, the classic Spider-Man newspaper presided over by J. Jonah Jameson and infamously anti-Spidey in its rhetoric. Whereas Morbius' OSCORP logo resembled The Amazing Spider-Man, the Daily Bugle's shares more in common with the logo in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy.
The front page also contains references to 2 separate Spider-Man villains. In the top center, "Rhino On The Loose" nods to Aleksei Sytsevich. The story, unfortunately, looks to be about an escaped zoo animal rather than the Rhino supervillain. In the top left corner, the Daily Bugle asks "Black Cat - Friend Or Foe," nodding to Felicia Hardy, a thief and associate of Peter Parker's in the Marvel comics. Unlike the Rhino piece, the Daily Bugle is clearly referring to the Black Cat Marvel character here, confirming her existence in Sony's Spider-Man Universe.
The Police Come For Morbius
A series of Morbius trailer scenes depict the FBI hot on Michael's trail, led by the dynamic duo of Stroud and Rodriguez. The chase surely begins after Morbius' arrest and subsequent escape into the tunnels of New York's subway system.
Morbius References The Events Of Venom
Having already nodded toward both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man worlds, the Morbius trailer calls to Tom Hardy's Venom, with Rodriguez dropping the line, "We haven't had anything this good since that thing in San Francisco." By acknowledging Venom, an indisputable link between Jared Leto's Michael Morbius and Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock is created. It's impossible to say which Spider-Verse Sony's villains may or may not be connected to, but we can at least deduce Morbius takes place in the same world as Venom... probably.
Morbius Has A Calling Card (Or Does He?)
Stroud picks up a folded paper bat at a murder scene which, at first glance, could be interpreted as a Morbius calling card. But Michael Morbius doesn't seem the type to kill someone then leave a trail for cops to follow. Could there be another bat transformer lurking around New York City and committing crimes for which Morbius is being framed...?
Matt Smith's Loxias Crown Is The Murderer?
Both Morbius trailers have been suspiciously secretive about Matt Smith's Loxias Crown, with the new footage merely recycling a shot seen previously. In the Marvel comics, Crown is a living vampire very similar to Morbius, but also a ruthless murderer. Given the effort Sony is making to hide Smith, live-action Loxias could be letting his vampire counterpart take the blame for a string of deaths. As proof of this, the trailer's single Loxias shot takes place at a subway station, which also played host to the FBI crime scene from earlier.
Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man Is A Murderer Too?
Another shot featured in the original Morbius trailer, Jared Leto struts past Spider-Man graffiti that tags the web-slinger a "murderer." This could be interpreted as a reference to Tom Holland's Spider-Man, who was last seen being publicly framed by Mysterio, but the Spidey image is clearly Tobey Maguire's version, which continues the muddling hodgepodge of Raimi, Webb and MCU references littered throughout Morbius. The street painting could be a simple Easter egg; the artist could be a traveler of the multiverse; or Sony could be throwing any and all Spider-Man references into Morbius no matter how little sense they make.
Michael Keaton's Vulture Wants To Stay In Touch - Sinister Six Incoming
This is getting silly now. Adding to the MCU Easter egg pile, Morbius' second trailer gives another glimpse at Michael Keaton playing Adrian Toomes - Spider-Man: Homecoming's Vulture - who appears to be getting a police transport while Morbius enters custody. Vulture's presence would suggest Morbius takes place within the MCU, but the ending to Venom: Let There Be Carnage proves that can't be true if Jared Leto's character co-exists with Tom Hardy's Venom.
Trying to figure out Sony's multiverse mechanics is a fool's errand at this point, but more clear-cut is the Morbius trailer's Sinister Six setup. As he departs, Vulture shouts out to Morbius offering to "stay in touch." This could mean Toomes is already involved in building a team of supervillains, and wants the so-called living vampire to join his new crew.
Morbius Takes A Leap Of Faith
In a visual spectacle, Morbius leaps from a balcony to use his vampiric gliding technique, shooting away in a puff of purple and black smoke. This shot proves how Sony's Morbius movie will make the most of its lead character's powers to deliver a unique Marvel superhero.
Morbius Breaks Free To Protect Martine?
Morbius sits contained within a red-lit containment facility while Martine Bancroft watches on. Armed officers storm the facility, but Morbius breaks free and deals with the invaders, zipping past bullets that move in slow-motion compared to the living vampire. Upon realizing his new body runs on blood, Morbius apparently tries imprisoning himself, but is forced to break free after Martine's safety is threatened. The action also showcases Morbius' feral fighting style, moving on all fours and striking with sharp talons.
Simon Stroud Teams Up With Morbius?
In a potentially significant scene, Stroud tells Morbius, "You save lives, you don't take them." This moment of dialogue teases how, despite leading the vampire murder investigation, Stroud senses the good within Morbius and perhaps, on some level, suspects he isn't the man they're after. The pair are typically at each other's throats in the Marvel comic books, so a potential team-up on the big screen would represent a flip of the usual Morbius-Stroud dynamic.
Loxias Crown Hunts A Doctor?
An unseen figure stalks a doctor through a hospital, grabbing her by the throat. Once again, the trailer footage implies Morbius is the unseen assailant, but attacking a fellow doctor seems desperately out of character for Michael, even in his bloody new mindset. Could the real culprit be Matt Smith's Loxias Crown, using his vampiric powers to effortlessly catch his prey?
Morbius Summons A Mass Of Bats (A Comic Power Change?)
Possibly taking place at the containment facility from before, a fully-transformed Morbius summons and controls a massive flock of bats that surround him en masse. This isn't a power that derives from the Marvel comics, hinting at a potential new addition to Morbius' live-action arsenal, depending on whether he's actually influencing the animals in this scene.
The Best Glimpse Yet At Morbius' Monster Form
Like bat summoning, Morbius' ability to switch in and out of his vampiric form is original to Sony's Spider-Man Universe, and throughout the trailer footage, Jared Leto adopts various stages between human and vampire. This shot offers the best glimpse yet at Michael Morbius in his full monster mode. The unsettling visual confirms Morbius' horror movie influence, and looks far more impressive than the first trailer's over-the-shoulder money shot.
Morbius' Venom Joke Reveals Humor & Shared Universe Connections
Once again proving Morbius and Venom share a universe, Jared Leto apprehends a gang of criminals while uttering the line, "I am Venom... I'm just kidding." As well as providing another example of Michael's morbid humor, the gag cements Venom as a famous vigilante during Morbius' timeline. Additionally, Morbius fighting crime reveals how, somewhere between showing off his powers and evading police, Jared Leto finds time for traditional superhero activities.
- Eternals (2021)Release date: Nov 05, 2021
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)Release date: Dec 17, 2021
- Morbius (2022)Release date: Jan 21, 2022
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)Release date: May 06, 2022
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)Release date: Jul 08, 2022
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever/Black Panther 2 (2022)Release date: Nov 11, 2022
- The Marvels/Captain Marvel 2 (2023)Release date: Feb 17, 2023
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)Release date: May 05, 2023
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)Release date: Jul 28, 2023
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