Matt Smith Reacts in Disbelief to Keanu Reeves Watching Morbius on a Flight
Doctor Who and House of the Dragon star Matt Smith says he still can’t wrap his head around the idea that Keanu Reeves was recently spotted watching Morbius on a flight. The news surfaced during Smith’s conversation on Brittany Broski’s Royal Court podcast, where he reacted with genuine disbelief at Reeves taking in one of the most mocked superhero flops in recent memory.
Smith explained that he was stunned to learn Reeves had checked out Sony’s Spider-Man Universe spinoff—an entire sub-franchise that’s widely known for being derided for its quality. Hearing that a movie legend like Reeves had sat through it left Smith sounding as if he couldn’t believe the report was real.
“F*** off, you are joking!” Smith said, clearly incredulous that Reeves would watch the Jared Leto-led disaster. He added that Reeves must have been in a strange headspace, joking that it was “a moment,” possibly involving something like valium. Still, Smith made sure to praise Reeves immediately afterward, saying he loves the actor and emphasizing just how surprising the situation is.
Morbius Easter Eggs
When asked what he tends to watch while traveling, Smith didn’t hedge at all. His response was blunt: “Not f***ing Morbius, Jesus Christ.” He then joked that Reeves must have really dug deep into the British Airways library to land on that title.
Morbius originally arrived in 2022 as part of Sony’s ongoing run of Spider-Man Universe experiments, and it quickly became a target for both critics and fans. Over time, the film turned into a full-on meme thanks to its reputation for poor execution. Smith starred as Milo Morbius, who serves as the surrogate brother to Jared Leto’s lead character in the movie.
Four years later, there’s still no indication that any of Morbius’s characters are lined up to return. The reception didn’t soften much either—IGN’s review gave the film a 5/10, criticizing it for being an origin story that “lacks fangs and bite.” The write-up also pointed to shoddy computer-generated action sequences and an overly serious tone that, in their view, did not do the darker vibe any favors.
How to Watch Sony’s Spider-Man Universe in Chronological Order
Smith also isn’t new to this conversation. He has previously addressed the backlash Morbius received after release, including remarks that the project had been “thrown under the bus.” In an earlier interview with Rolling Stone, he said that you have to “roll with it,” framing the situation as something every film goes through when it doesn’t quite land. He also added that, ultimately, it’s still just a movie and that nothing changes the fact that it didn’t work out as expected.
Sony, meanwhile, kept moving forward with adaptations of Marvel characters it still controls. That includes 2022’s Madame Web and 2024’s Kraven the Hunter, alongside the more profitable Venom trilogy. At the moment, Sony doesn’t appear to have any additional live-action entries in the Spider-Man Universe currently in production.
For Spider-Man fans, the next major release is set for this month with the highly anticipated MCU title Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Sony also has another animated Spider-Verse movie planned for next year, giving players and viewers something fresh to look forward to on the animated side of the franchise.
