Tyrese Gibson, who is set to play FBI Agent Simon Stroud in Sony Pictures' Morbius, gave some insight into the role, as well as his character's weaponry.
"That arm has all kinds of special effects and powers, and that’s going to mess people up when they see this movie," Gibson said of Stroud's high-tech arm in an interview with Maxim. The actor went on to talk about portraying a superhero for the first time, saying, "I’ve done some superhero shit, but I ain’t never been a superhero. I had to explain this to my daughter."
First appearing in 1974's Creatures on the Loose #30 by Doug Moench and George Tuska, Simon Stroud was introduced as a CIA agent who would later join the NYPD. At one point in the comics, Stroud does battle with Michael Morbius, only to later team up with the Living Vampire.
Sony's Morbius will serve as the origin story for Michael Morbius, a Spider-Man villain who receives vampire-like abilities. Morbius will be the second film set within Sony's Universe of Marvel Characters, following 2018's Venom. While there have been rumors and hints of a Venom/Eddie Brock appearance in Morbius, nothing has been officially confirmed.
Morbius was initially planned to release in July 2020, though that date has since moved because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Directed by Daniel Espinosa, Morbius stars Jared Leto as the titular character, Matt Smith as Loxias Crown, Adria Arjona as Martine Bancroft, Tyrese Gibson as Agent Stroud and Jared Harris in an undisclosed role. The film arrives in theaters March 19, 2021.