Matt Smith Joins Jared Leto In Sony’s ‘Spider-Man’ Spin-Off ‘Morbius’

Even though Sony had an incredible 2018, in regards to the studio’s ‘Spider-Man’ efforts ‘Spider-Verse’ and “Venom,” we still are skeptical of its upcoming output. Most notably, the upcoming Jared Leto film, “Morbius.” But skepticism aside, it does appear that Sony has given Leto at least one actor to perform with that could elevate the project.

READ MORE: Sony Announces 2020 Release Dates For What Appears To Be ‘Venom 2’ & Jared Leto’s ‘Morbius’

Variety is reporting that Matt Smith has joined the cast of “Morbius,” in an unknown role. For those not familiar with “Morbius,” and unless you’re a major Marvel comic book fan you’re probably not, the film is going to focus on the character that is known as a “living vampire,” meaning he has all the vampiric qualities but is not actually dead. “Morbius” tells the story of Dr. Morgan Michaels, who becomes the titular anti-hero after experimenting on himself in an experimental procedure. You know, that old trick.

Directed by Daniel Espinosa, “Morbius” is the latest spin-off of the “Spider-Man” universe that Sony is attempting to build up since the launch of “Venom” late last year. The studio is hoping that Jared Leto, and now Smith, can help create another Marvel franchise that is “Spider-Man”-adjacent without actually featuring the Wallcrawler, as he’s currently being controlled by Marvel Studios.

READ MORE: ‘Venom’ Producer Says ‘Morbius’ Will Film In February & Hilariously Explains Why An R-Rating Won’t Be Necessary

Smith is probably best known for his work on the classic sci-fi/fantasy series “Doctor Who.” However, in recent years, the actor turned heads in the first two seasons of Netflix’s “The Crown.” He’s also appeared in the forgettable (putting it nicely) sequel “Terminator: Genisys” and last year’s “Mapplethorpe.” This year, he’ll be featured in a little film called “Star Wars: Episode IX,” but his role is not yet known.

There’s no release date set for “Morbius,” but production is expected to begin soon, with a 2020 release being a safe bet. Update: “Morbius” has been dated for July 31, 2020. It’s not facing any competition yet, but it’s early days and not all the studios have penciled in films yet that far out.

Sony will open Jared Leto’s Morbius on July 31, 2020

— Aaron Couch (@AaronCouch) January 26, 2019