Unsurprisingly, Jared Leto as a vampire superhero, set in the same universe as theVenomfilms, lands on the slightly campy side of the genre. Its unique presentation harkens back to a bygone era, which, while often made the butt of jokes, may just be the perfect fit for a character like The Living Vampire. Filmmakers have wanted to adapt Morbius to screen in a variety of existing series, only to see him cut at every turn. His upcoming debut sees the character introduced, not as aSpider-Man villain, but as the complicated hero of his own story.
Morbiushas a particular style in mind. The quick-cutting action, the bombastic heavy metal, the tremendous amount of CGI, the jarring shifts in tone, the protagonist’s godlike level of power, all evoke the edgy style of the late ’90s and early 2000s. The trailer even abuses the oft-mocked techniquepopularized by Zack Snyder, alternating between heavily sped up and slowed down footage to sell a dynamic action scene.
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Elements of the trailer are pretty funny, though rarely with intention. Michael Morbius quips and swaggers like a villain once his powers come in, but speaks with a level of analytical specificity when he’s in science mode. It could almost be described as gothic, though edgy might be a better term of art. Audience investment may vary here, in fact, the current generation of twelve-year-olds might connect with this film in a way that defines their youth. BecauseMorbiusis in veryinteresting company for its stylistic decisions.
The big comparison point forMorbiuswould logically beVenom, given they share a studio, producer, and general pitch, but the film’s stylistic influence dates back a bit further. TheBladetrilogy, in all its CGI heavy, dark color-graded, pounding score-led glory, seems to hold a special place in the making of this film. In fact, the filmmakers behindBladewanted to insert the character into that early superhero effort but cut him from the first two films.Bladewas a trendsetter, itself slightly piggybacking off ofThe Matrix’s leather-clad martial arts action, and was surrounded by other films in the genre. Perhaps no film better exemplifies the iconic strain of half-comical, half-awesome edge than 2002’sQueen of the Damned.
Michael Rymer’s opusQueen of the Damned, loosely based on an Anne Rice book of the same name, is not a great film. In fact, its soundtrack is significantly better remembered than any aspect of its actual content. But, what it lacked in writing, acting, and general quality, it made up for in pure aesthetic. At best, it can be considered a cult hit, but arguably, it’s a perfect cultural touchstone for the possible fate ofMorbius.Queen of the Damnedcurrently holds a 17% on Rotten Tomatoes, and while that’s certainlyno indication ofMorbius’qualityand the film could still be great,Damnedis beloved by some regardless.Morbiuscould be a cultural touchstone for the modern youth, a superhero for a very specific type of fan. And Michael Morbius may be the perfect character for that type of film.
Morbius was created in 1971 by Roy Thomas forAmazing Spider-Man #101. The character was one of Spider-Man’s few horror-based villains, Morbius came into existence just after the Comics Code Authority lifted a ban on vampires. Morbius went on to star inVampireTalesandJourney Into Fearcomics throughout the ’70s before his best-known series,Morbius the Living Vampirein 1992. The nineties were the decade Morbius was best suited for, and the creators indulged in plenty of blood and violence in the character’s solo outings.
While slightly restrained as a Spider-Man villain, Morbius is always a brooding, grim and gritty character who rides a very thin line between horror and self-parody. Now that he’s off the main Marvel villain leash, he has the freedom to take everyone’s favorite role; morally complex anti-hero. Truly tailor-made for the kids who grew uploving Shadow the Hedgehogand wishingVenomhad gotten its well-deserved R-Rating.
All of the things that makeMorbiuslook a bit dated or a little silly could actually work in its favor by locking it into a niche audience. Marvel really doesn’t have an edgelord amongst its current roster. The darkest parts were probably in the now-canceled Netflix shows, most MCU heroes are lovable, colorful, and quippy. TheVenomfilms were an obvious candidate for this role, but they’re actually a lot funnier than anyone would’ve guessed before their release.Morbiuscould be the dark and brooding answer to DC’s cadre of black-clad vigilantes. In this era of dour Superman andborderline depressing Batman, Marvel could do well with a hero like Morbius, and this new film might look funny now, but it could be the next big thing amongst a certain kind of fan.
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