Sony’s critically panned Spider-Man universe vampire film became an ironic meme phenomenon where users sarcastically praised it as a masterpiece, leading Sony to mistakenly re-release it to theaters where it bombed again.
Critical Failure
Morbius premiered in April 2022 to dismal reviews (15% Rotten Tomatoes) and weak box office ($167 million on $75 million budget). The film stars Jared Leto as Dr. Michael Morbius, a scientist who becomes a vampire trying to cure his rare blood disease.
Critics and audiences found the film boring, generic, and lacking coherent vision—standard superhero mediocrity rather than spectacular disaster.
Ironic Meme Explosion
Weeks after release, Twitter users began ironically praising Morbius as a masterpiece:
- “It’s Morbin’ Time!” (fake catchphrase Morbius never says)
- Claims it earned “one trillion dollars” (#MorbiusSweep)
- Photoshopped headlines about sequel announcements
- Fake emotional testimonials about the film changing lives
- “One of the movies of all time”
The jokes escalated into elaborate shared fiction where Morbius was cinema’s greatest achievement.
Sony’s Misread
Mistaking ironic enthusiasm for genuine interest, Sony re-released Morbius to 1,000+ theaters in June 2022. It earned just $85,000 opening weekend—confirming the praise was pure sarcasm.
The re-release failure became a legendary Hollywood miscalculation and case study in misunderstanding internet culture.
”Morbin’ Time”
The phrase “It’s Morbin’ Time!” (parodying Power Rangers’ “It’s Morphin’ Time!”) became the meme’s centerpiece despite never appearing in the film. Users created fake screenshots and clips “proving” characters said it.
Jared Leto Confusion
Jared Leto appeared to lean into the memes, posting TikToks reading the “Morbius script” (actually pages from the novel Morbius by Michael Nyman). Whether he was in on the joke remained unclear.
Cultural Legacy
Morbius joined The Room and Cats in the pantheon of films immortalized by mockery rather than quality—proof that ironic cult status can exceed original artistic intent.
References: Sony Pictures, Box Office Mojo, Rotten Tomatoes, Variety, The Verge