The first trailer for Morbius sent Marvel fans into meltdown when it dropped yesterday, as it finally categorically confirmed that Sony’s Universe of Marvel Characters takes place within the MCU. And it did this in two ways. Most notably, in the form of a cameo from Michael Keaton, reprising his role as Vulture from Spider-Man: Homecoming. But there was also a reference to the wall-crawler himself as Jared Leto’s Michael Morbius walks past a vandalized poster of Spidey at one point, with the graffiti reading: “MURDERER.”
This is a clear reference to the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home, in which Mysterio publicly framed Peter Parker for his own death and his attack on London. There’s no doubt about it, then, Morbius is set in the MCU. Here’s the thing, though. That poster of Spider-Man isn’t Tom Holland’s version, it’s actually the suit worn by Tobey Maguire in the Sam Raimi movie trilogy, while the shot itself is pulled from Sony’s Spider-Man PS4 game.
Whatever the real-world reasons behind this – maybe licensing issues prevented Sony from using a Marvel Studios image? – fans are now left to work out how this weird blending of franchises could make sense. And this week, ComicBook.com put forward a fun theory that asks what if the poster Morbius walks past is for a movie based on the life of Holland’s Spidey? We know there are documentaries made about Captain America and Iron Man in this world, so why not Peter Parker, too?
CB goes on to suggest that the Raimi films as we know them exist in the MCU as fiction, with J. Jonah Jameson playing himself. As for the lack of Iron Man in the story, Pepper Potts may have requested that the late hero be left out.
This is a neat idea, to be sure, but obviously not one that holds up to much scrutiny. Still, it’s about the only explanation out there right now that can make sense of the wrong suit being on that poster in Morbius.
