Viral 'Morbius' Memes Fail To Save Marvel Film As it Flops Hard Again At The Box Office

Following its re-release by Sony Entertainment, the Jared Leto-led movie 'Morbius' has had another dismal run at the box office. The vampire-themed action movie first debuted in the United States on April 1, 2022, hoping to outperform the antihero picture "Venom," as the two films had similar tales that straddled the line between right and wrong.

The film, unexpectedly, bombed at the box office after an above-average first week, as more and more potential viewers avoided going to the theaters due to the avalanche of negative reviews that spread across social media.

The negative reviews ultimately prompted a flurry of viral memes, which inspired Sony to re-release the picture, although in a decision that has once again resulted in a colossal disaster for the media conglomerate.

When "Morbius" was first released, fans expected a barrage of action thrills, as well as the plethora of little details that have come to characterize what a good superhero film should be. Ultimately, the film made over $163 million worldwide and garnered mixed reviews from critics who panned the narrative, visual effects, and post-credits scenes.

"Morbius" has since performed abysmally at the box office, spirally down from its initial high start to the lower trenches of the grossing chart for movies. However, it has thrived elsewhere, in the realm of online memes, due to a slew of smart gags riffing on the flop Sony feature.

Having been unable to recoup the kind of profit they had probably planned out at the onset of its budgeting, some showrunners at Sony sort to harness the popularity "Morbius" had garnered as an online comic relief to gross more earnings by re-releasing the film.

However, according to Forbes, their Morbius re-release made just $300,000 on 1,037 screens, making it an ill-advised choice. "Top Gun: Maverick," which raked in $86 million in its second weekend, was considerably ahead of the picture in terms of box office receipts.

https://twitter.com/JaredLeto/status/1532849263809396736?s=20&t=J0fvufu8sQ-ANOX4lFYa0Q

The secondary flop of "Morbius" demonstrates how online viral moments do not always imply a chance to profit, especially when it does not come from a place of genuine devotion. More unfortunately, even the famous online joke "Morbin' Time," a Power Rangers-inspired parody that caught lead actor Leto's notice, was only able to help generate a few new numbers of viewers.

Given how poorly the re-release did, it's doubtful that any other studio would follow Sony's lead in the future. However, one must admire the foresight that led to the now-laughable concept that "Morbius' meme-related buzz will somehow translate into box office action.

Taking risks is an important element of the film industry, and it has been proved time and time again to be one of the most important factors in box office success. However, for a picture that flopped the first time around and is already available at home, Sony should have known better than to push for a second go-around.

Despite the negative reviews that firmly established "Mobius" as one of Marvel's lowest-grossing films, critics reserved some praise for Leto's portrayal of Dr. Michael Morbius and Matt Smith's performance as Lucien / Milo.

Leto's "Morbius" was a scientist with a rare blood illness whose attempts to heal himself resulted in his developing a sort of transgenic vampirism, giving him all of the superhuman skills but none of the traditional flaws associated with vampires. However, he battled the bloodlust that came with his new abilities, which caused him to fray at times.

On the other hand, Lucien/Milo, Morbius' surrogate brother who suffers from the same rare blood condition, accepts his role as a vampire wholeheartedly when he gains the same abilities, eventually becoming the story's villain.

Leto and Smith are both well-known actors, with the former having won an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Golden Globe Award for his work. As a result, their acting ability cannot be questioned, and "Morbius" may have been a success if given a fresh story, better visual effects, and other tweaks.

Fans have seen several films that were box office flops acquire a sequel or remake, raising the question of whether "Morbius 2" is in the works.

As per Screen Rant, "Morbius" ending definitely foreshadows the return of numerous key characters in a possible sequel. Following the passing of his father figure Dr. Emil Nicholas (Jared Harris) and brother Milo, the titular Michael Morbius would presumably return for any incarnation of Morbius 2, with the fallen doctor destined to be a considerably more bitter possibility.

Sony has made no indications that a sequel would be made since the re-release. Even if the entire content is revamped for a future comeback, audience reaction suggests that such a move may not be successful. As a result, the absence of a second standalone "Morbius" picture is not only predicted but also appears to be the only logical end to the tale of two flops.