Morbius: Sony’s Powerplay

Following the unexpected success of Venom, it appears that Sony are all in on the development of Spider-Man-related properties, with Jared Leto’s Morbius next in line to hit cinema screens. But what exactly does this mean moving forward?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Tom Holland has been rumoured to appear in a Venom movie for some time now, and with Michael Keaton’s Adrian Toomes seemingly canonical within this new Sony-developed property, as seen in the recent trailer, it is inevitably only a matter of time before Holland’s Web-Crawler is set to take the stage.

Michael Keaton makes an unexpected return — Credit: Marvel Studios

Of course, there has been no official confirmation on behalf of Marvel or Sony regarding this blatant connection, so who really knows what is transpiring behind the scenes. Kevin Feige has been fairly transparent in his desire to keep the MCU under his thumb alone. But with the highly publicised Sony-Disney fallout regarding negotiations for Spider-Man’s future in the MCU, contracts will have undoubtedly been amended for the recent deal to have been satisfactory to both parties. And it is ever more likely that one of the conditions for this to happen was a clause allowing Sony some degree of control over MCU-based characters.

So, how exactly does this tie into Feige’s grand plan? Well, while this is purely wild speculation on my behalf, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was completely out of his control. Relinquishing such a powerhouse as the MCU to the grasp of the unproven Amy Pascal is not a strong strategic play by any account. But this does factor into Sony’s favour immaculately. Now the obscure properties, such as Morbius, have the benefit of being elevated to the status of any mainstream MCU entry by simply adding a reference here and there; loyal fans will not be able to contain their completist curiosity and will have no choice but to buy a movie ticket.

Now, it must be said that Pascal has shown that she is competent enough to create a hit all on her own, with the widely lauded Spider-Verse setting new highs for the Spider-Man brand. But trust is born through consistency, and I would not categorise Venom in the column of 'massive success'. The box office is there, but you can see the cracks under the surface. The absence of Spider-Man is a fault not easily overcome. That’s what makes this move so ingenious…

Venom — Credit: Sony Pictures

With the establishment of MCU connectivity, these individually weak properties are no longer random or aimless. We know everyone’s favourite Web-Slinger is on his way, so there is a clear and exciting endgame in place.

Thinking back to that Keaton cameo, Sony’s goals are becoming increasingly obvious. If you remember back to the time of Andrew Garfield’s short-lived stint under the mask, you may be aware that there were full intentions to create a villain-centric Sinister Six movie. Now that Venom is pushing forward with its sequel (with Andy Serkis helming the directorial seat) and Morbius has brought Holland’s Spider-Man into the fold, there is very little stopping them from advancing on these goals once again.

Expect to see Venom, Morbius, and now Vulture teaming up very soon. And let’s also not forget that other prominent characters, such as Scorpion and Mysterio, are also established through Homecoming and Far From Home respectively. One more addition and there you have a full-fledged supervillain team worthy of tackling the now battle-hardened Spider-Man of the MCU.

Is Holland's Spider-Man set to join Sony's plans? — Credit: Marvel Studios

I am very interested to see how audiences receive this dramatic shift in continuity — particularly hardcore MCU followers. There is lots of potential for failure but also avenues for exploring new horizons. I am not wholly against a Spider-Man-centralised corner of the MCU, but let’s just say I am cautiously hesitant. And hey, if they pull it off, I will give credit where it is due — the cards are in your corner now, Pascal.