Spider-Man Spin-Off 'Morbius' Adds Former 'Doctor Who' Star Matt Smith

Matt Smith, best known for starring in Doctor Who from 2010 through 2014, is joining the Spider-Verse. The Emmy-nominated actor has been cast in Morbius, the upcoming villain spin-off starring Jared Leto as the "living vampire" who sometimes fights Spider-Man and sometimes fights crime. Will he fight Matt Smith? We have no idea!Variety has the news of Smith's casting, but the details are under wraps at the moment. However, Smith's post-Who career has seen him taking on a number of villainous roles (including a bizarre cameo in the disastrous Terminator: Genisys), so that would be a good guess. With unique look and wiry frame, it's easy to imagine him vanishing under latex to play another supernatural Marvel character. After all, Morbius needs someone to punch a lot.Morbius is coming together on the heels of Venom, which proved that audiences around the world are apparently okay with movies starring Spider-Man villains but not Spider-Man. However, Venom is among the most popular members of Spidey's rogues' gallery and Morbius is...well, niche is the kind word. Created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man in 1971, Dr. Michael Morbius is a scientist who accidentally turns himself into a vampire while trying to cure his blood disease. Whoops! Naturally, he gains super-powers, a thirst for blood, and the desire to sometimes be a bad guy and sometimes be a good guy, depending on who is writing that particular comic book run.

Will audiences flock to see Morbius? Jared Leto is a famous name, but not necessarily a bankable name. And is it too late for him and Matt Smith to trade roles? Just look at Smith and tell me that "long-suffering vampire vigilante" is not a role he was born to play.

Anyway, Smith is keeping busy with the geek properties following his work in the first two seasons of Netflix's The Crown, which saw him earn an Emmy nomination. And before we see him do whatever he does in Morbius, we'll see him in this year's Star Wars: Episode 9, where he is taking on some kind of mystery role.

Safe House director Daniel Espinosa will direct Morbius from a script by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. Will Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock have a trailer-friendly cameo to help sell audiences on Sony's second (third, if you count Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) attempt to build a new comic book universe? We shall see.