Summary

Sony approached Ari Aster about directing Morbius, but the lauded auteur rejected their offer.
Aster's decision showcased his desire for originality, as seen in his recent work, such as Beau Is Afraid and Eddington.
While Morbius may have benefited from Aster's guidance, his distinct style and genre-bending creativity would likely not align with Sony's vision.

Sony attempted to hire a lauded horror auteur to direct one of the worst Spider-Man movies in their failed spinoff universe. Sony owns the film rights to Spider-Man, working in connection with Marvel for the last several live-action outings starring Tom Holland as the titular wall crawler. However, Sony chose to create a universe of their own Spider-Man characters based around the villains they had the rights to use, like Morbius, Kraven, and Madame Web.

Sony saw success with Venom, which had stellar box office returns despite mixed reviews. Still, it was enough to propel the franchise into a trilogy. Sony also released the Aaron Taylor-Johnson-led Kraven, which leaned toward a violent R rating but failed to capitalize on the character, and Madame Web, which came under notorious scrutiny for its poor quality and underutilized cast. However, one of the first movies they produced was based on the vampiric villain Morbius. Morbius had more than a few issues, with controversial actor Jared Leto in the lead. The film was directed by Daniel Espinosa, who previously directed Safe House with Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington, and the sci-fi feature Life. However, Sony apparently attempted to hire a horror icon prior to Espinosa's involvement.

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By Catherine Armecin Martin

While appearing on the Mixed Signals podcast, director Ari Aster revealed that Sony approached him to direct Morbius. Aster blasted onto the scene with 2018's terrifying Hereditary, and continued to flex his aptitude for the genre with films like Midsommar and Beau Is Afraid. However, his career could have taken a very different trajectory had he taken Sony's offer. Aster didn't delve much into the details surrounding Sony's offer or plans for Morbius, but given the lauded director's career path, it was likely a quick rejection.

Beloved Filmmaker Ari Aster Continues To Follow His Own Path, No Matter What

We'll See How Eddington Turns Out

Had Aster taken Sony's offer, the director would have tackled Morbius instead of Beau Is Afraid. While Beau Is Afraid didn't garner the attention his earlier films did, it was his boldest swing yet, helped by a budget he would not have had access to if it weren't for the hits he had in Hereditary and Midsommar. Morbius would have likely constrained the director, but his continued path suggests he wants to branch out with original ideas.

While Aster's presence on Morbius could have changed the story and even the cast, the director has continued to impress with his distinct use of genres. Beau Is Afraid is hard to define, playing into dark comedy and psychological drama, and his new film, Eddington, is a modern western that retains the director's darkly comedic tone. It's possible that Morbius could have seen a path to success under the guidance of Ari Aster. Still, as inspired an idea as it seems, the director would have been wrong for the film, as he continues to thrill with originality and freedom.

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