April 1, 2022 is the seventh release date that Sony has scheduled for its Marvel Comics adaptation Morbius, but apparently 7 is the film’s lucky number because they’re sticking to this release date. Morbius will be in theatres this weekend – and according to Variety, independent tracking services are estimating that the film will have a first weekend haul somewhere in the range of 40 to 50 million dollars. Sony has lower expectations: they predict an opening weekend of $33 million.
$33 million is the same number DC’s box office disappointment Birds of Prey opened at, but that movie had a slightly higher budget than Morbius‘s $75 million. Of course, Sony is sure to be hoping for a number at the higher end of expectations, because this movie is part of the “Sony’s Universe of Marvel Characters” franchise they’re trying to build out of the Spider-Man-related characters they have access to. This franchise started with Venom, continued with Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and they have Kraven the Hunter (starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Madame Web (starring Dakota Johnson) coming in after Morbius.
Directed by Daniel Espinosa from a screenplay written by Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama, Morbius has the following synopsis:
One of Marvel’s most compelling and conflicted characters comes to the big screen as Oscar 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?
Jared Leto plays Morbius and is joined in the cast by Jared Harris as Morbius’ mentor, Tyrese Gibson as “an FBI agent trying to hunt down the living vampire”, Adria Arjona as Morbius’ fiancee Martine Bancroft, and Matt Smith as the villainous Loxias Crown.
The Morbius character was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Gil Kane in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man #101 back in 1971. Despite not being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe itself, Morbius will be connected to the recent Spider-Man movies through nods to the events of Spider-Man: Far from Home and an appearance by Michael Keaton as his Spider-Man: Homecoming character Adrian Toomes, a.k.a. The Vulture.
Produced by Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and Lucas Foster, the film has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, some frightening images, and brief strong language. Morbius was originally supposed to reach theatres on July 10, 2020.
Will you be watching Morbius this weekend?