Credit: Sony PicturesYesterday — despite the fact that the trailer was showing before films like Spider-Man: No Way Home all weekend long — Sony Pictures confirmed that its next Marvel movie, Morbius, will be delayed from January 28, 2021 to April 1, 2021.
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The Daniel Espinosa film, starring Jared Leto in the title role, is officially described as:
One of the most compelling and conflicted characters in Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel 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?
This is the latest in a rash of Marvel film delays. Marvel Studios already pushed the release dates for upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe projects like Thor: Love and Thunder (July 8, 2022) and Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness (May 6, 2022).
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Now, fans have taken to social media to react to the Morbius news. Although the official reason for the delay is a rising number of COVID-19 Omicron cases, some fans are convinced there are ulterior motives, like adding secret cameo appearances.
Edward Douglas has had enough (and clearly isn’t overly excited about Leto’s next outing), quipping:
I think I’ve finally reached my breaking point with this pandemic. I don’t think I can make it through three more months of Morbius trailers.
I think I've finally reached my breaking point with this pandemic. I don't think I can make it through three more months of Morbius trailers.
— Edward Douglas (@EDouglasWW) January 4, 2022
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Nick ‘Professor Hulk’ Santos would like to set the record straight about the reason behind the movie delay, bashing those who believe it is to covertly add characters from other comic universes:
I love all the speculation as to why Morbius was delayed. It’s really as simple as Sony not wanting to digitally distribute their films and the rising numbers of COVID cases. The delay is not there to add Andrew [Andrew Garfield], Batman, Homer Simpson, or any other absurd reason.
I love all the speculation as to why Morbius was delayed. It's really as simple as Sony not wanting to digitally distribute their films and the rising numbers of COVID cases. The delay is not there to add Andrew, Batman, Homer Simpson, or any other absurd reason.
— Nick 'Professor Hulk' Santos (@ProfHulksLab) January 4, 2022
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DiscussingFilm pointed out that this is the seventh time Morbius has been delayed amid the ongoing pandemic:
‘MORBIUS’ has been delayed for a 7th time.
From…
July 10, 2020
July 31, 2020
March 19, 2021
October 8, 2021
January 21, 2022
January 28, 2022and now April 1, 2022.
‘MORBIUS’ has been delayed for a 7th time.
From…
July 10, 2020
July 31, 2020
March 19, 2021
October 8, 2021
January 21, 2022
January 28, 2022and now April 1, 2022.
See what other release dates have changed: https://t.co/waj4ShE3Pr pic.twitter.com/aV1BXMKkKS
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) January 4, 2022
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RiceBall: Feed Your Inner Nerd feels that the upcoming Marvel vampire film should skip theaters altogether at this point:
At this point #Morbius feels it just needs to go on a streaming platforms , but they won’t do that after the turnout for The Eternals and Spider-Man No Way Home within a span of a few weeks
At this point #Morbius feels it just needs to go on a streaming platforms , but they won't do that after the turnout for The Eternals and Spider-Man No Way Home within a span of a few weeks
— RiceBall: Feed Your Inner Nerd (@Feedmericeballs) January 4, 2022
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Kevin Cushing (presumably jokingly) posted one of the more amusing theories on social media — that this is all a marketing tactic to build hype for a movie that may have otherwise flown under the radar:
Is this like some Bizarro advertising tactic? Like, nobody knows who Morbius is, but they’ll know about the movie after hearing of it being delayed a thousand times! Bwahahaha!
Is this like some Bizarro advertising tactic? Like, nobody knows who Morbius is, but they’ll know about the movie after hearing of it being delayed a thousand times! Bwahahaha! https://t.co/kV9rs36xk1
— Kevin Cushing (@KevinMCushing) January 4, 2022
What are your thoughts on Morbius being delayed again?