Small Details You Missed In The Final Morbius Trailer
It feels like forever since the last time we had a solid update on the status of "Morbius." At one point, we were supposed to have seen Jared Leto's take on the Spider-verse vampire at the beginning of this year, but that date was changed after Sony decided the new film absolutely had to be shown in theaters. Thankfully, we have a new full trailer to tide us over until "Morbius" finally debuts in January 2022.
There is a metric ton of details to digest in this new trailer, and that's not even including the subtle dialogue nods to other characters from Sony's various incarnations of Spider-Man. We've watched this new trailer and combed over all the small things that you probably missed while reminding yourself that, yes, "Morbius" is nearly here. When you're done pinching yourself, put on your thinking cap and see if you noticed these same small details that we picked out of the new trailer.
A familiar building on the Horizon
At 1:17 in the trailer, the Horizon Labs building briefly shows up in the New York skyline. It's not as well known to wider audiences as a building like Oscorp, but it's still pretty important. Created during Dan Slott's run on "The Amazing Spider-Man" in 2010, Horizon Labs lets scientists create whatever they like as long as their inventions better the company and society as a whole. Peter quickly gets hired by the company after managing to turn off an experimental machine which creates artificial Vibranium. It continues to be a big part of Peter's life, even after Doctor Octopus transfers his brain into the hero's body. However, he's ultimately fired by the company before striking out on his own to create Parker Industries.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn't really leaned into Peter's significant scientific prowess too much, so it'll be interesting to see how Sony's Spider-Man Universe deals with elements like Horizon Labs. Obviously it depends how "Spider-Man: No Way Home" plays out, but if Tom Holland's Wall-Crawler leaves the MCU, he could easily get a job at Horizon Labs.
The Oscorp building makes an appearance
The New York Skyline in the trailer also features a nod to one of Spider-Man's greatest foes: Norman Osborn A.K.A. the Green Goblin. Yes that's right, the Oscorp building shows up at 1.41 in the new footage. The building confirms that Norman exists somewhere in Sony's Spider-Man Universe and, by extension, so does his son Harry Osborn. Surprisingly, the company's font on the building is the exact same one used in "The Amazing Spider-Man" franchise, where the company is the root of all evil.
Not only is the company responsible for the death of Peter's parents, it's also where Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) starts growing new limbs before he transforms into the Lizard, and it's where Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx) becomes Electro. "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" also introduces Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), who eventually dons the experimental Green Goblin armor after losing his mind due to a degenerative disease. The sequel even shows off various weaponry connected to the Sinister Six in an attempt to set up various (doomed) sequels in the series... athough the villainous team could potentially show up in "Spider-Man: No Way Home."
Adrian Toomes' interest in Morbius
The "Morbius" trailer gives us our second sneak peek at Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton), who previously made a brief appearance in the first teaser for the film. The last we saw of Toomes, aka Vulture, was in the post-credits scene of "Spider-Man: Homecoming." The villain is now imprisoned after the events of that movie and looks to still be in the hands of the police in "Morbius." Despite living the last several years in prison, Toomes knows who Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) is and looks like he wants to work with him on some level.
"Hey, Doctor Michael, you and I should stay in touch," Toomes says to Morbius in the trailer. Why these two characters are coming face to face remains to be seen, but they are surrounded by law enforcement. With Vulture rumored to appear in the upcoming "Spider-Man: No Way Home" film, we might see Morbius show up as well, as these two characters definitely have some sort of future together. For now, it doesn't look like they'll have another meeting in "Morbius," as this new peek at Toomes is from the same scene as the clip from the original teaser.
Extra! Extra! Read all about it in the Daily Bugle
One of the quickest, but nonetheless most noteworthy connections to previous Spider-Man stories comes around the trailer's two minute mark, when Morbius looks down at a copy of a newspaper. Sharp eyes will be able to make out the paper's title in the few moments that it remains on screen. It is the Daily Bugle, the very same newspaper run by professional Spider-Man hater (and unknowing Spider-Man employer), J. Jonah Jameson.
Obviously, Jameson's anti-superhero sentiments don't disappear simply because Sony has kept Spider-Man out of the picture in this universe. The headline of this particular issue of the Bugle reveals that Morbius has been arrested as a suspect in the case surrounding the "Vampire Murders." However, it appears that Jameson is either publishing fake news or Morbius has escaped custody, because he doesn't seem to be police custody when he reads the paper.
Aside from presenting a potential public-image issue for Morbius, however, the inclusion of the Daily Bugle may mean something else entirely for fans. The character of J. Jonah Jameson (especially when played by J.K. Simmons), has long been adored by "Spider-Man" fans everywhere. They would no-doubt be delighted to see the irate editor if he does end up making an appearance. However, this might be too much to ask for, as Jameson (and by extension, Simmons) has recently appeared in Disney's MCU.
A possible return for the Black Cat
Venom and Morbius aren't the only antiheroes in the "Spider-Man" universe that Sony plans on giving spinoff movies to. Felicia Hardy, otherwise known as Black Cat, has been the subject of a much-delayed adaptation for quite some time. That said, the "Morbius" trailer suggests that she could be set to enter the cinematic universe sooner rather than later.
The trailer features a shot of the Daily Bugle newspaper and a headline in the top right-hand corner that reads: "Black Cat: Friend or Foe?" Could this be the studio's way of telling us that a Black Cat movie or TV show is on the horizon? Or is it just a fun easter egg for the fans? Either way, it opens the door to some interesting possibilities.
The nod to Black Cat could also pave the way for another superhero to enter the fray. Sony originally planned to team the cat burglar with Silver Sable for a "Silver and Black" movie, but that caper was canceled back in 2018. However, projects for each character are supposedly alive and well, as director Gina Prince-Bythewood stated last year that both characters are still in Sony's plans.
A small nod to a famous vampire
Marvel character or not, it really wouldn't be a vampire movie without giving a nod to one of the most iconic fanged fiends in history. We're, of course, referring to Transylvania's most notorious inhabitant, Count Dracula. Not only does Leto's doctor-turned-blood-guzzling antihero have a similar wardrobe to the Count pre-transformation (check out that suit), his journey back from his batty encounter is very reminiscent of Bram Stoker's legendary vampire, as well.
During his talk with Tyrese's dubious lawman, Simon Stroud, it's revealed that Morbius went missing for two months only to be found on a shipping container that washed up near Long Island. Fans of the classic vampire novel will recall that Dracula's reign of terror begins after he's transported by boat from his homeland to London, killing everyone on board before it docks. Judging by the armed soldiers who meet a grisly end in the trailer, Morbius could have taken a similar course of action.