Entertainment Movies Drama Movies Sony Delays' Morbius' Release Again amid Omicron Surge The Marvel movie starring Jared Leto was originally slated for a July 2020 release, a plan delayed multiple times amid the coronavirus pandemic By Natasha Dado Published on January 4, 2022 10:32AM EST Fans will have to wait just a little bit longer for Jared Leto's vampire movie Morbius. On Tuesday, Sony confirmed to PEOPLE the release of the Marvel movie has been bumped back from Jan. 28 to April 1. On the news, Reuters cited concerns "about whether audiences will feel comfortable heading to theaters" amid the current surge of the Omicron variant. The thriller was originally slated for a July 2020 release, which was pushed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Then delayed to a March 2021 opening, the release was rescheduled to October, before the date was changed again to early 2022, per The Hollywood Reporter. Jared Leto Has a Thirst for Blood in New Morbius Trailer: Watch Columbia Pictures Jared Leto Shares Chilling First Look at His Performance as Marvel Villain Morbius Last week, the United States reported its single highest number of daily COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic nearly two years ago. In the U.S., the spread of the Omicron variant is being attributed to the surge in cases. According to The New York Times, the record-shattering COVID-19 daily case total exceeded 488,000 last Wednesday. The case numbers may be higher since many people are taking at-home tests and not necessarily reporting positive cases to public health departments. In the upcoming film, Leto, 50, stars as Michael Morbius, a doctor with a rare blood disorder. Taking drastic and dangerous measures in hopes of curing himself, he eventually transforms into a haunting vampire – and must navigate the consequences. Directed by Daniel Espinona, Morbius also stars Matt Smith, Adria Arjona and Al Madrigal. Meanwhile, Michael Keaton reprises his role as Adrian Toomes/Vulture, a part he played in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming. Though this is Leto's debut in the Marvel Universe, he's played a comic book villain in the past. The House of Gucci star portrayed the Joker in the Suicide Squad in 2016. As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC, WHO and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.