In response to controversy over casting an able-bodied actor for the titular role in “Morbius” (2022), Marvel Studios has released a statement claiming that disabled actors are too difficult to manage onset, and the studio was more comfortable working with the completely professional Jared Leto instead.
“We don’t want to take on the liability of having a disabled person on set,” said Marvel, noting that it can’t discriminate against someone simply for sending dead rats and used condoms to co-workers.
Michael Morbius, the vampiric antihero with a rare blood disease, uses crutches to move. But it would be too much of a burden to cast an actor who actually has to use crutches to move.
The famous comic book movie studio defended Leto’s 45-minute bathroom trips as essential for understanding Michael Morbius’ complex inner struggle but balked at the idea of providing accommodations for a disabled actor.
“Isn’t that taking things a little too far?” the studio asked as it spent a few hundred million more dollars on special effects for its next movie. “We have a budget and a schedule.”
Leto was unavailable for comment, as he had taken up a nocturnal schedule to get into the mind of a vampire.