Morbius director Daniel Espinosa feared for his leading man due to how intensely Jared Leto prepared for his role as The Living Vampire.

Espinosa pointed to a scene in the movie which sees Leto's character, Dr. Michael Morbius, lock himself in a room to try and resist his hunger for blood. "I got scared for Jared,” Espinosa told Variety. "He really commits. You have to watch out for it." Another scene had Morbius breaking some glass. "I could sense the crew backed off," Espinosa recalls of the incident. "It was a bit spooky."

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Despite Espinosa's worry regarding Leto's over-commitment to the role, the director feels that he was the only person who would suit the part. "Jared Leto was the only actor that could really play the part of Morbius. That wasn't really a choice – it was predestination," he said.

Although introduced in the comics as an enemy of Spider-Man, Espinosa doesn't believe that the movie version of the character should be seen as a villain. His vampirism is a result of searching for a cure that will help society, not an act of villainy. "And in his search for goodness, he transforms into something he detests," Espinosa explains. "He has to accept the ugliness he has within him, and that there's something beautiful about it. It will be his strength, what makes him unique."

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Morbius is part of Sony's Spider-Man universe. The character first appeared in 1971's The Amazing Spider-Man #101 and was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Gil Kane. A scientist afflicted by a rare disease, Morbius seeks out an unconventional cure for his illness which leaves him with a form of vampirism. He also gains many of the supernatural powers associated with vampires with none of the weaknesses, apart from a hunger for blood.

It's this transformation that originally drew Leto to the part. "I'm attracted to roles where there's an opportunity to transform – physical transformation, but also mental, emotional, any and all," Leto said. He also appreciated the chance to bring a character from the Marvel comics into live-action for the first time and portray his newly-acquired vampiric abilities. "There's a lot to discover about this character. It was fun to explore his increased strength and speed," explained Leto. "And he can use echolocation – how do you translate that into a performance, the ability to see using your sense of hearing?"

Morbius is in cinemas on April 1.

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Source: Variety