The Marvel Universe is vast and complex, and with the growing success of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU), fans are eager to see which characters will cross over into future films. Two characters generating considerable buzz are Morbius, the Living Vampire, and Venom, the infamous anti-hero. With the arrival of Venom 3, many are asking the same question: Will Morbius be in Venom 3? In this article, we will explore the potential for such a crossover, looking at what we know about these characters, the film universe they inhabit, and whether a Morbius appearance in Venom 3 is likely.
Morbius and Venom: Origins and Evolution
Before diving into the possibility of a crossover, it’s essential to understand who these characters are and how they fit into the broader Marvel and Sony landscapes.
Venom: The Symbiotic Anti-Hero
Venom, also known as Eddie Brock when unbonded with the symbiote, is one of the most iconic characters in Marvel comics. Created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane, Venom first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #300 in 1988. His dark, violent nature quickly captivated readers. Though originally a Spider-Man villain, Venom has evolved into a complex anti-hero with his own motivations, often walking the line between heroism and villainy.
Sony’s Venom films, starting with Venom (2018), introduced audiences to this darker side of the Marvel Universe. In the movies, Tom Hardy portrays Eddie Brock, a disgraced journalist who becomes the host for the alien symbiote, Venom. Together, they form a symbiotic relationship, fighting both external threats and internal moral dilemmas. With the commercial success of Venom and its sequel Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), the character’s popularity continues to rise.
Morbius: The Living Vampire
Morbius, created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Gil Kane, debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man #101 in 1971. Dr. Michael Morbius is a scientist who, while attempting to cure himself of a rare blood disease, accidentally transforms into a living vampire. While he craves human blood, he also struggles with his humanity, making him another fascinating anti-hero within the Marvel Universe.
Jared Leto brought Morbius to life in Sony’s Morbius (2022). The film attempted to introduce audiences to this complex character, though it received mixed critical reception. Still, Morbius remains a key figure in Sony’s plans to build out its Spider-Man Universe, which houses both Venom and Morbius.
Shared Universe: Sony’s Spider-Man Universe
Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU) is a separate entity from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), although there are connections and crossover potentials between the two. While the MCU primarily focuses on characters directly related to Disney’s ownership, Sony retains the rights to Spider-Man and associated characters. As a result, they have been building out their own cinematic universe with films like Venom, Morbius, and upcoming projects like Kraven the Hunter.
Sony has hinted at a broader, interconnected universe that could eventually bring many Spider-Man-related characters together. The idea of crossovers within the SSU is not just speculation—Sony has laid the groundwork for these crossovers to happen. For example, the Venom: Let There Be Carnage post-credits scene featured a tease that Venom is aware of the MCU’s Spider-Man, hinting at possible future connections.
Hints and Teases: The Post-Credit Scenes
One of the major talking points when considering a Morbius appearance in Venom 3 is the post-credits scene of Morbius (2022). In this scene, Adrian Toomes, a.k.a. the Vulture (played by Michael Keaton), who first appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), meets with Morbius. Vulture suggests they team up, implying a sinister plot that could involve multiple villains. This scene was significant because it connects Morbius to the wider Spider-Man universe, including characters from the MCU.
While the scene leaves many questions unanswered, it also opens the door for Morbius to interact with other characters in the SSU, including Venom. This post-credits scene has led to fan speculation that Sony is setting up a version of the Sinister Six, a team of supervillains from the Spider-Man comics. If this is the case, Morbius and Venom could find themselves on opposing sides, or perhaps even on the same team in future films.
See also: Will Venom 3 Be Rated R?
Morbius and Venom: Will They Meet?
The question remains: will Morbius appear in Venom 3?
While no official announcements have confirmed Morbius’ involvement in Venom 3, several factors make this crossover plausible.
The Business Perspective
From a business standpoint, it makes sense for Sony to connect these characters. Both Venom and Morbius have dedicated fan bases, and a crossover would likely generate significant buzz and box office interest. Studios are always looking for ways to build excitement and expand their universes. A film that includes both Venom and Morbius would allow Sony to leverage the popularity of both characters, drawing in a wider audience.
Storyline Potential
In terms of storytelling, there are multiple ways Sony could bring Morbius into Venom 3. One option is to position Morbius as a supporting character or ally to Venom. Since both characters walk the line between hero and villain, their meeting could start with conflict but eventually lead to collaboration against a common threat.
Another possibility is that Sony might be setting up a larger, interconnected storyline across several films, with Venom 3 serving as a stepping stone. The post-credits scene from Morbius could hint at a larger villain team-up that might begin in a future movie. Morbius could play a pivotal role in that story arc, either in Venom 3 or a subsequent film.
The Sinister Six Theory
One of the biggest theories surrounding the SSU is that Sony is working towards a Sinister Six movie. The Sinister Six is a group of villains from Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery, and Morbius could be a key player in such a storyline. If this theory holds, we may see Venom and Morbius come together as part of a larger ensemble cast of characters, either as adversaries or uneasy allies.
The Sinister Six theory aligns with Sony’s approach of building up individual character films before bringing them together in a larger crossover. Venom and Morbius would likely play central roles in such a project.
Challenges and Considerations
Though there are many reasons to believe Morbius could appear in Venom 3, there are also challenges that could prevent this from happening.
Critical Reception of Morbius
One of the most significant obstacles is the mixed critical reception of Morbius. The film failed to meet expectations at the box office, and reviews were largely negative. This could make Sony hesitant to bring Morbius into future projects too soon. If the character doesn’t resonate with audiences as intended, his inclusion in Venom 3 could risk backlash or disinterest from fans.
Balancing Characters
Another challenge is how to balance both characters in a single film. Venom 3 will need to continue developing Eddie Brock and Venom’s story, and adding Morbius could complicate the plot. If not handled carefully, the film could become overcrowded or lose focus on Venom’s narrative arc.
Sony would need to find a way to integrate Morbius without overshadowing the main storyline or distracting from the core elements that fans love about the Venom franchise.
Connection to Spider-Man
Finally, both Venom and Morbius are traditionally connected to Spider-Man in the comics. However, Sony’s SSU has been building these characters largely independent of Spider-Man thus far. It’s unclear how or when Spider-Man will be fully integrated into this universe, and whether his absence might affect the storytelling in Venom 3. If Sony plans to bring Spider-Man into the SSU, this could influence whether Morbius and Venom meet in the third Venom film.
Conclusion
At this point, there is no concrete confirmation that Morbius will appear in Venom 3, but the possibility remains strong. Sony has been steadily expanding its Spider-Man Universe, and a crossover between Morbius and Venom would make sense both from a business and storytelling perspective. The post-credits scene in Morbius certainly hints at larger plans involving multiple characters, and Morbius’ connection to the Sinister Six theory could provide a natural pathway for his involvement in Venom 3.
However, challenges remain, including balancing character arcs, managing audience expectations, and dealing with the mixed reception of Morbius. Whether or not Morbius will feature in Venom 3 may ultimately depend on how Sony chooses to continue developing its Spider-Man Universe and its plans for future crossover events.
For now, fans will have to wait for official announcements, but the groundwork has certainly been laid for a potential meeting between these two iconic anti-heroes. Whether they clash or collaborate, the prospect of Morbius and Venom sharing the screen is an exciting possibility for fans of the SSU.
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