Jared Harris Reflects on His Role in the Critically Panned 'Morbius'

Jared Harris, known for his Emmy-nominated roles in "Mad Men" and "The Crown," recently shared his thoughts on his unexpected role in the critically panned film "Morbius." Despite his acclaimed career, he explained that financial obligations sometimes drive actors to take on projects that may not align with their artistic choices. "I have got a mortgage to pay, you know," Harris told the British publication, i newspaper.

Reflecting on what went wrong with "Morbius," which stars Jared Leto as the titular character, Harris noted that such films often succeed with a playful tone. “You can’t treat it as though it’s Shakespeare,” he said, suggesting that a lighter approach could have benefited the film.

In "Morbius," Harris plays Dr. Emil Nicholas, a mentor to Leto’s character and Matt Smith’s Milo. However, the film received a dismal 15% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 287 reviews and grossed only $73 million in North America, totaling $167 million worldwide.

Matt Smith, who also starred in the film, acknowledged its poor reception, stating, “It was thrown under the bus. But you just have to roll with it... It is what it is.”

Critics like Owen Gleiberman from Variety echoed these sentiments, describing "Morbius" as a generic Marvel movie lacking originality and depth. He criticized the film for its formulaic approach and one-dimensional characters, questioning whether it represented a new direction for Marvel films.