Morbius — the Jared Leto-starrer superhero movie part of Sony's Marvel universe — has been delayed once again. With COVID-19 continuing to cast a long shadow over theatres, Sony Pictures has decided to push Morbius from March 19 to October 8. It was originally scheduled to release on July 31, 2020. However, in March last year as we entered a global lockdown due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Sony Pictures saw fit to date the film for March 19, 2021. But here we are nine months later in a situation not much better, and the studio has pushed it back an additional seven months or so.
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This is one of the first major delays of 2021, and it signals that Hollywood blockbusters will continue to play the waiting game — more so when they come from studios that do not have a streaming service back-up plan. Back in December, AT&T-owned Dune — would premiere simultaneously on HBO Max and in US theatres.
Apple TV+ — seems to be operating by the same argument.
The new October 8 release date for Morbius places it a week after the aforementioned Dune (October 1) and a week prior to Ridley Scott's The Last Duel (October 15), starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Adam Driver. This also means that Sony's other 2021 Marvel movie, June 25. Of course, that's assuming that vaccinations would be going well and the theatrical situation will in turn be better.
With Morbius moving out of its early 2021 slot, expect other theatrical Hollywood releases to do the same soon as well. For now, we've the Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley-led No Time to Die (April 2).
Morbius is now slated to release October 8 in cinemas worldwide.