The vampiric anti-hero first appeared in 1971’s Amazing Spider-Man #101, in a story written by Gil Kane and penciled by Gil Kane. Dr. Michael Morbius is a brilliant scientist whose attempts to cure his rare blood disease result in his developing vampire-like qualities. Dubbed “the living vampire” to avoid censure from the Comics Code Authority, Morbius uses his enhanced strength, echolocation abilities, and hypnotism to quench his thirst for blood. Readers are likely already imagining Leto stalking around the Morbius set, waiting to attack director Daniel Espinosa or co-star Adria Arjona. Fortunately, the 50-year-old actor did not go to such extreme lengths. As part of what he called “immersive work,” Leto told Variety that he had met with “doctors and patients who could teach him about living with a rare, incurable blood disease.” To master his character’s need to walk with a cane, Leto avoided the old trick of putting a pebble in his shoe and studied with real cane users. “For me … it’s an opportunity to learn,” Leto explained. Unlike his Suicide Squad experience, these methods raised concerns for Leto from his castmates. “I remember fearing for this guy’s spine,” Arjona said. Espinosa echoed these sentiments, admitting that he got scared for Leto. “He really commits,” Espinosa explained. “You have to watch out for it.” If Taylor-Johnson is preparing for the role by skulking through NYC in a black Spidey suit, we cannot say. Morbius opens on April 1.
