Keaton is a hot topic in comic book movies lately, as this year he reprises not only Vulture, but also Batman in The Flash. He seems to have a lot of fun in returning to these iconic roles, which is ironic considering how his performance in the Oscar-winning Birdman predicted exactly the opposite. And that’s a relief, as audiences are enjoying seeing their superhero granddad return to theaters.

RELATED: Michael Keaton’s Batman Spotted In Batgirl Set Photos And Video

The Morbius trailer sees Vulture talking to the titular character in what seems to be a hospital or prison setting, urging Morbius to go further into darkness. This is fitting due to Toomes’ incarceration at the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming. Whether he’ll don the full Vulture costume again remains unknown. However, it seems likely he’ll have a role similar to Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, as a wicked consultant rather than a main antagonist, which could be even better.

As for Morbius itself, the project seems like a gamble. The fact that it’s been constantly delayed since its original July 2020 date isn’t a great sign. And not in its favor is Jared Leto in the title role, and while he is a strong actor, his previous comic book performance as Suicide Squad’s Joker was not well received. Also, it’s unknown if audiences will be receptive to such an unknown character, and the film’s mix between Gothic horror and quirky humor. But then again, the Venom movies have been incredibly successful with audiences. It’s very possible that Morbius will be a similarly refreshing alternative to the average comic book film.

Morbius is the third installment in the ongoing Sony Spider-Man Universe, following the two Venom movies. Both Morbius and the upcoming Kraven the Hunter continue this trend of casting Spider-Man villains as anti-heroes and providing a more offbeat superhero film. It’s easy to be cynical about this franchise, as Sony is infamously stingy with their Spider-Man movie rights, but the experiment seems to be paying off.

How will Keaton fare in his return as Vulture? Will Morbius cement the SSU as a great series, or a misguided failure? Fans will find out much more about Morbius very soon.

Morbius releases exclusively in theaters on April 1st, 2022.

MORE: DC: 10 Things Only Comic Readers Noticed About Michael Keaton’s Batman

Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment