Based on a well-earned reputation as one of the worst comic book adaptations to come along in a long time, Morbius doesn’t exactly stand out as the sort of role an in-demand character actor with a long and illustrious history in the superhero genre would be desperate to play.
After all, the meme-happy misfire bombed twice in theaters after Sony completely and hilariously failed to read the irony in the room, while Jared Leto ended up winning a Razzie for Worst Actor. Into the bargain, it also ends with what might just be the worst post-credits scene of all-time, setting up a potential sequel and crossover that the studio would be foolish to even consider.
And yet, David Dastmalchian – veteran of such favorites as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Ant-Man trilogy, The Dark Knight, The Suicide Squad, the Arrowverse’s The Flash, Gotham, and Batman: The Long Halloween – admitted to Inverse that Morbius still ranks as the comic book part he covets above all others.
“That was always kind of one of my dream characters to play, because that’s one of my favorite comic book series of all time. I love Morbius. I love the dark horror of Marvel and DC. I think they both have such great horror corners.”
To be fair, Morbius would have been a drastically different – and definitely vastly superior – film if Dastmalchian was drafted in to headline the ensemble at the expense of Leto, so let’s hope when the inevitable recasting or reboot comes along he’s at the very top of the wish-list, because the reliable star deserves a major leading role of his own.