### Development

[Artisan Entertainment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artisan_Entertainment) announced a deal with [Marvel Entertainment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Entertainment) in May 2000 to co-produce, finance, and distribute several films based on [Marvel Comics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Comics) characters, including [Morbius, the Living Vampire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius,_the_Living_Vampire).[\[27\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius_(film)#cite_note-ArtisanDeal-29) Previously, the character was set to appear in [*Blade*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_(1998_film)) (1998), portrayed by director [Stephen Norrington](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Norrington) in a cameo appearance ahead of a larger role in a sequel. However, the character was cut from the first film and not introduced in [*Blade II*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_II) (2002) after Norrington chose not to return for that film.[\[28\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius_(film)#cite_note-MorbiusCameo-30) In May 2017, Sony announced plans for a new [shared universe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_universe) featuring [Spider-Man](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man)\-related properties beginning with [*Venom*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venom_(2018_film)) in October 2018;[\[29\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius_(film)#cite_note-SonyMU-31) this was later titled “[Sony’s Spider-Man Universe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony%27s_Spider-Man_Universe)”.[\[30\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius_(film)#cite_note-SSU-32) In July, [*Spider-Man: Homecoming*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man:_Homecoming) (2017) director [Jon Watts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Watts) expressed interest in featuring Morbius and [Blade](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_(character)) in the then untitled [*Spider-Man: Far From Home*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man:_Far_From_Home) (2019), believing that the character’s dark tone could work well within the [Marvel Cinematic Universe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Cinematic_Universe) (MCU).[\[31\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius_(film)#cite_note-MorbiusFarFromHome-33) That November, [Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Sazama_and_Burk_Sharpless) submitted a script to Sony for a *Morbius* film, after a “secret development process” at the studio.[\[32\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius_(film)#cite_note-WritersNov2017-34) [Jared Leto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jared_Leto) became “loosely attached” to star in the title role, but would not commit to the film until he was happy with its direction; Leto asked to personally meet with several director candidates.[\[33\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius_(film)#cite_note-LetoEspinosa-35)

📷Jared Leto stars in the role of Morbius. Director Daniel Espinosa joined the film after meeting with Leto while he was on tour with his band [Thirty Seconds to Mars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_Seconds_to_Mars).

By the end of April 2018, Sony had approached [Antoine Fuqua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Fuqua) about potentially directing the film. He expressed interest in taking on the project, and said that if he was to make a film in the superhero genre he would want to make it “something that’s closer to what I get excited about.”[\[34\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius_(film)#cite_note-FuquaApr2018-36) He ultimately chose not to take on the project.[\[33\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius_(film)#cite_note-LetoEspinosa-35) Other directors that Sony approached about the film included [F. Gary Gray](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Gary_Gray), who considered directing the film but ultimately turned down the role,[\[35\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius_(film)#cite_note-GrayTHS-37) and [Daniel Espinosa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Espinosa), who previously directed the film [*Life*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_(2017_film)) (2017) for the studio.[\[33\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius_(film)#cite_note-LetoEspinosa-35) In May, while [on tour in Germany](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monolith_Tour) with his band [Thirty Seconds to Mars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_Seconds_to_Mars), Leto met with Espinosa to talk about the film,[\[33\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius_(film)#cite_note-LetoEspinosa-35) and the pair were both confirmed for the project at the end of June. [Avi Arad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avi_Arad), [Matt Tolmach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Tolmach), and [Lucas Foster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucas_Foster) were producing,[\[8\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius_(film)#cite_note-LetoEspinosa2-10) and filming was expected to begin by the end of 2018. Sony was expected to fit the film into its already-set Marvel release slate shortly.[\[33\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbius_(film)#cite_note-LetoEspinosa-35)