It’s been a long while now since we saw the first trailer for Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man spinoff Morbius, but if you cast your mind back to January of 2020 you may recall a surprise appearance from Michael Keaton, seemingly reprising his Spider-Man: Homecoming role as Adrian Toomes, a.k.a. The Vulture, in the upcoming film.
But hold on… Keaton’s Vulture is from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Morbius is part of the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters… Is Keaton playing a different character? A different version of the same character? The same iteration character, in some kind of multiversal crossover? Just what exactly is going on?
Well, we’ll have to wait until January for the specifics, but Keaton has confirmed to THR that he is indeed playing The Vulture in the Jared Leto-led film, although he’s not exactly sure how or why as he didn’t understand when the filmmakers talked him through it.
“I’m nodding like I know what the fuck they’re talking about. I go, ‘Uh-huh.’ And I’m thinking, ‘You may as well be explaining quantum physics right now to me. All I know is I just know my guy. And I know the basics.’ So finally, they were looking at me, and they just started laughing. They said, ‘You don’t know what we’re talking about, do you?’ I said, ‘No, I don’t, no idea what you’re talking about.’”
SEE ALSO: Morbius director might have spoiled a HUGE cameo
Given that Morbius will release a month after Sony and Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man: No Way Home, which is expected to dive head first into the multiverse/Spider-Verse, it’s possible we’ll get an explanation for the cinematic universe hopping come December. However, it’s also worth noting that were it not for the pandemic Morbius would have released in July of last year, before the third Spider-Man movie had even started filming.
What do you think is going on with The Vulture’s appearance in Morbius? Be sure to let us know your theories on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
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. What at first appears to be a radical success soon reveals itself to be a remedy potentially worse than the disease.
Morbius is set for release on January 21st 2022, and sees Daniel Espinosa (Safe House) directing a cast that includes Jared Leto (Suicide Squad) as Dr. Michael Morbius, Adria Arjona (Pacific Rim Uprising) as Martine Bancroft, Matt Smith (Doctor Who) as Loxias Crown, Jared Harris (The Terror) as Morbius’ mentor, Michael Keaton (Spider-Man: Homecoming) as The Vulture and Tyrese Gibson (Fast & Furious) as an FBI agent.
