Why Sony Announced Venom 3 Just Weeks After Morbius Embarrassment
When a major movie franchise drops a dud, the studio responsible typically steps back to reevaluate… so why has Sony announced Venom 3 mere weeks after Morbius choked on critical and commercial garlic? Finally released in Spring 2022 after numerous delays, Morbius promised much. A horror-tinged antihero with MCU/Spider-Man connections, played by the Oscar-winning Jared Leto sounded suspiciously like a good idea on paper. In practice, Morbius has endured torrid reviews and a largely negative response online — a punchline spurred on by Leto's growing perception as a pretentious method actor. Not since the 2015 Fantastic Four reboot has a comic book movie been so unloved.
Studios have historically responded to such setbacks by altering the course of whatever franchise faltered. In Fantastic Four's case, future plans were simply axed, but the DCEU drastically changed heading after Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, while spinoff trouble prompted Star Wars' migration from theaters to Disney+. Sony itself aborted initial Sinister Six intentions after The Amazing Spider-Man 2 failed to stick the landing. Strange, then, how Sony has now confirmed Venom 3... a little more than 3 short weeks after its Morbius mauling.
Related: Sony's Sinister Six Tease Doesn't Understand The Spider-Man Villains At All
Sony's odd timing is partially circumstantial, with the studio's CinemaCon panel already scheduled for the same month as Morbius' release. No doubt Sony was hoping to ride into CinemaCon upon a wave of fang-frenzied buzz, rather than skulking in sheepishly like a vampire on the beach. Alas, it wasn't to be. Sony could have held off announcing further Sony Spider-Man Universe movies, at least while the Morbius chuckles died down.
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