Matt Smith Is Confused About His Morbius Character's Comic Backstory Too
"Morbius" star Matt Smith is as confused as we are when it comes to understanding his character's comic backstory in relation to his movie role, according to a report by Screen Rant.
The upcoming film has been shrouded in mystery from the get-go, begging questions about whether the characters will be inhabiting the same world as Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" films, and who exactly Smith will be playing as per comic book lore. Being the latest Marvel Comics film to be produced and distributed by Sony Pictures, "Morbius" is a highly-anticipated release, especially given its fast-approaching premiere date.
Is Smith playing Loxias Crown?
Smith's villain role, opposite Jared Leto's antihero Michael Morbius, was initially listed as minor comic villain Loxias Crown, who is a figure afflicted by pseudo-vampirism in the source material. According to the backstory, Crown's condition was triggered after he was bitten by Morbius, the living vampire, after which he went on to transform into Hunger, characterized by a ravenous, uncontrollable bloodthirsty appetite. Hunger also had several run-ins with Spider-Man and his Peter Parker persona in the comics, as the villain's schemes included kidnapping innocent people from the streets and keeping them hostage in the sewers.
Smith's role cannot be described solely as a live-adaptation version of Crown, as his character seems to be much more complex than its comic book origins. Smith explained how he is still confused about the character, unsure whether it is even the sole rendition of Crown:
"The truth is, I wasn't aware of the great big history of the character [Loxias Crown] in many respects. Because the script I was presented with doesn't really delve into the past of him – or indeed the future. And isn't someone else playing him? It's all a bit confusing to me, to be honest with you. I took as my Bible just the actual script, which is the honest truth of it. And it was all a bit odd whether it was Loxias [Crown] or not. I'm still not quite sure, to be honest."
While it is odd that Smith himself is unsure about the nitty-gritty of his character, this could very well be an attempt to keep the secrecy surrounding "Morbius" alive, lest it potentially reveals greater plot points. However, there seems to be the notion that there might be more than one version of Crown in the film, although it is too early to speculate as to which direction the narrative might veer into. While nothing is written in stone as of yet, the film might just feature tie-ins with other iconic Marvel Comics figures, including Ghost Rider and of course, "Blade."
"Morbius" will be available in theaters on April 1, 2022.