Matt Smith Talked To Doctor Who Co-Star Before Taking Marvel Movie Role

Morbius actor Matt Smith consulted his Doctor Who co-star Karen Gillan before accepting his role in the Marvel film. Morbius tells the tale of Michael Morbius, a biochemist who accidentally infects himself with a form of vampirism while trying to cure himself of a rare blood disease. The film is helmed by Life director Daniel Espinosa, and along with Smith, stars Jared Leto in the titular role. Morbius is set to be released in theaters on April 1st after having its premiere date repeatedly pushed back due to COVID-19.

Both Smith and Gillan are no strangers to franchises, of course, as they both starred on the hit BBC series Doctor Who for three years. As many know, after her departure from the series, Gillan went on to portray the role of Nebula in the MCU, appearing in six films overall, if one counts the upcoming films Thor: Love and Thunder and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. While Smith has also had a successful acting career beyond his stint as the iconic Doctor, Morbius will mark the actor's first foray into the realm of Marvel Comics, in which he will play the villain Milo.

In a recent interview with Digital Spy, Smith has revealed that he actually spoke with Gillan before deciding to officially take the role in Morbius. According to Smith, he phoned Gillan to ask her what being a part of the Marvel world was like and if she had "had a nice time." Smith has stated that Gillan confirmed that he should definitely take the role, and has gone on to mention that he trusted her instinct given how many Marvel films she's been a part of. See Smith's full quote below:

"I phoned Karen and said, 'What's it like? Have you had a nice time?' and she's like, 'Yeah, go for it, do it'. So I did. Good old Kaz. I mean, she's a seasoned pro, she's made about 9 of them."

Smith's hesitation is understandable, given that many actors who have found their way into the MCU have found themselves somewhat stuck in it given how many films they are contractually expected to appear in. With Smith's wide body of work, it makes sense that the actor might have concerns about pigeonholing himself somewhat. Despite this, Smith has stated that he very much enjoyed working on Morbius, noting particularly that the role allowed him to lean "into all the villainous stuff." It seems that Gillan's advice has not led Smith astray yet.

It is always good to hear that an actor has enjoyed working on a project, though fans of Smith's kind-hearted Doctor may want to prepare themselves. Smith has indicated that he did not hold himself back in his villainy, so audiences are likely in for a unique side to the actor that is rarely seen. With that said, Smith's passion for the character indicates that both fans of Marvel and Smith are in for a treat, and will not want to miss Morbius when it hits theaters next month.

More: Why Michael Keaton’s Morbius Appearance Could Hurt The Movie

Source: Digital Spy