Morbius' Venom References Create A Major Vulture MCU Problem

Caution: spoilers ahead for Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Everyone loves a good MCU reference - but is Morbius going too far? 20 years ago, Marvel selling movie rights to major studios such as Fox and Sony helped keep the comic book company afloat during perilous times. As the modern MCU goes from strength to strength at Disney, however, external Marvel movie franchises might be considered a nuisance to Kevin Feige and co. Spider-Man remains the most significant character Marvel lacks complete control over, and Tom Holland's presence in the MCU can only happen because of a dual agreement between the two studios... but at what cost?

When Holland's Spidey first swung into Captain America: Civil War, the basic arrangement between Marvel and Sony seemed simple enough. Both studios would co-produce Spider-Man MCU films (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home...), while Marvel could also use Holland in team-ups (Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame...). On the other side of the divide, Sony would produce movies based around Spider-Man villains (Venom, Morbius, Kraven...) that sat quite apart from the MCU. After the great Tom Holland custody battle of 2019 was resolved, reports claimed Sony's Spider-Man Universe would become more closely related to the MCU and, sure enough, Venom: Let There Be Carnage finally confirmed a link between the two franchises.

Next on Sony's superhero slate is Morbius, starring Jared Leto as the titular living vampire. Already, Morbius trailers are teasing MCU connections... as well as Venom links... and callbacks to Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man films. Crossover potential is always exciting but, at some point, Sony needs to piece these references together in a passably logical manner. Judging from the second Morbius trailer, that spider might've already been squished.

Morbius References Maguire, Garfield, Venom & The MCU

Morbius certainly isn't shy about dropping Easter eggs, and seemingly not fussy about which franchise it references either. Representing the Sam Raimi movies, the "murderer" graffiti Jared Leto's Morbius walks past shows Tobey Maguire's iteration of Spider-Man. Also, the Daily Bugle logo is almost identical to the one atop J.K. Simmons' newspapers, which was usually wedged between unflattering photos of Spider-Man. Connections to The Amazing Spider-Man are less obvious, but the OSCORP logo spotted in Sony's Morbius trailer matches the company Andrew Garfield investigated during the 2010s.

Moving into the modern era, Morbius acknowledges the MCU's existence. The big clue is, of course, Michael Keaton once again playing Adrian Toomes. Keaton made his MCU debut as Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming, ending the movie in jail. Morbius picks up that thread with an incarcerated Toomes trying to recruit the Living Vampire for his Sinister Six supergroup. Additionally, New York City perceiving Spider-Man as a murderer seems to follow the ending of Spider-Man: Far From Home, where Peter Parker was framed for the Mysterio incident (unconfirmed rumors believe the graffiti will show Tom Holland's Spider-Man, not Maguire's, in the finished movie).

Finally, Morbius anchors itself firmly to Sony's Venom universe, and Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock. FBI agents Stroud and Rodriguez compare the Morbius case to some crazy incident in San Francisco - a clear allusion to Venom's movie antics - before Morbius himself jokes about Venom while apprehending small-time gangsters. His uncanny impression connects to Tom Hardy's Eddie acting as a vigilante, allowing his inner symbiote to chomp on bad guys.

Morbius' Venom & MCU References Don't Fit With Venom 2

It's all well and good Morbius firing off references like Rocket Raccoon at his most trigger-happy, but how do all the multiverse pieces fit together? Any and all nods to Maguire and Garfield could feasibly be hand-waved as mere Easter eggs. The OSCORP and Daily Bugle logos, as well as the Maguire graffiti, needn't necessarily have any deeper meaning beyond fun visual cues fans can enjoy.

The same can't be said for the Venom and MCU links, and this is where problems arise, since Morbius cannot simultaneously exist within both universes. In the Venom: Let There Be Carnage post-credits sequence, Eddie Brock is somehow transported from his universe into the MCU, where he sees Tom Holland's Peter Parker plastered all over the news. The scene finally confirms both Venom movies happen in a different reality to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

As such, Jared Leto can't be pulling Venom faces in one Morbius scene, then cavorting alongside Michael Keaton's Vulture the next. Either Morbius is set within the MCU and the vampire's knowledge of Venom makes no sense, or Leto exists in the same world as Tom Hardy and the presence of Vulture doesn't work. Somehow, Morbius must reconcile mentions of Eddie Brock with the presence of a familiar MCU villain. Can it actually be done?

How Michael Keaton's Vulture Can Fit Into Morbius

Morbius Michael Keaton Adrian Toomes Vulture

One possibility is that Morbius takes place in the MCU, and the Venom Jared Leto and the FBI refer to isn't Tom Hardy. That would mean Venom already exists in the MCU and has been wreaking havoc off-screen, which would represent a fairly anti-climactic introduction into Marvel's movie world.

A more likely scenario is that Michael Keaton's Vulture in Morbius isn't the same guy from Spider-Man: Homecoming. Michael Morbius and Eddie Brock would then co-habit the same fictional sandpit (which makes sense since both are part of Sony's villain series), and Adrian Toomes would be a parallel version - a Michael Keaton-shaped villain, but with a totally different journey compared to Spider-Man: Homecoming. Mirror Keaton would certainly help explain how the Morbius multiverse Easter eggs fit together, but might also risk shortchanging fans expecting the real deal. Surely the appeal of Vulture's Morbius return is the satisfaction of continuing a story Spider-Man: Homecoming started - the familiar, prom chauffeur Adrian Toomes harboring a grudge against Tom Holland's Spider-Man and joining the Sinister Six to get revenge. Starting from scratch with a completely unknown character and unfamiliar backstory could prove underwhelming.

If Morbius' Adrian Toomes is a parallel version, wouldn't Sony also be inclined to make the difference more apparent? Mirror Vulture could have a distinguishing facial feature - a "Spock's beard," if you will - or be clad in his traditional comic outfit. Instead, Michael Keaton's Morbius character looks like MCU Vulture, squawks like MCU Vulture, and is in prison like MCU Vulture. At the very least, Sony is intentionally giving fans the impression Keaton is reprising his original role, rather than playing a new version.

Does Sony Have An MCU Multiverse Plan?

how powerful is tom hardy venom compared to tom hollands spiderman

With Morbius yet to release, Sony and Marvel may yet pull out a cunning plan to neatly explain why Jared Leto's solo film connects two disparate franchises, despite Venom: Let There Be Carnage's post-credits sequence confirming the separation between each studio's output. If there isn't a full and proper explanation, that could cause problems - and more so for Marvel than Sony.

From Sony's perspective, getting the rub of the mighty MCU is a huge bonus. Critically and/or commercially, Sony's superhero releases have struggled since Spider-Man 3 all the way back in 2007, whereas the MCU currently reigns as box office king. Being able to legitimately claim the likes of Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Morbius are "MCU movies" acts as a cinematic gold sticker, elevating the Sony Spider-Man Universe higher than if it were comprised of self-contained movies. With all due respect to Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock, Marvel doesn't need the prestige of being connected to Venom, and isn't getting the same boost as its esteemed business partner.

Marvel's primary concern is ensuring its own nebulous continuity isn't compromised by anything that happens in Sony's world. Venom: Let There Be Carnage achieved this by showing Eddie's mysterious shift from one universe to another, setting up something cool for Spider-Man: No Way Home. But because Morbius is referencing both worlds right off the bat (pun very much intended), it doesn't seem the teleportation gimmick is getting wheeled out again. Morbius could be set within the MCU, but reference Venom anyway without any clear explanation. That would hurt Marvel, but Morbius is Sony's movie - and MCU continuity is not Sony's concern.

More: Morbius Trailer Breakdown: 39 Story Reveals & Spider-Man Easter Eggs