Sony is developing a film based on Morbius, the Living Vampire, a Marvel Comics antihero who first appeared in an issue of Amazing Spider-Man during the 1970s. The Hollywood Reporter says that movie, currently titled Morbius, will focus on the vampire-like character for one of the spin-off movies based on the Spider-Man franchise.

The Hollywood Reporter says that Morbius has been developed in secret at the studio. Writers Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama, who have worked on Power Rangers, Dracula Untold and ... uh, Gods of Egypt, submitted a script to Sony recently.

However, earlier this week rumors began to surface that Disney and Fox were again discussing a deal that would see the Mouse House acquire a number of Fox’s assets, which would include the rights to X-Men, Fantastic Four, The Simpsons, Avatar, and the original six Star Wars‘ distribution rights. That report stated the companies were attempting to keep their discussions quiet as they got closer to striking a deal, indicating the public wouldn’t know how close they were until the deal had already been made. However, a new report offers an update on those discussions.

The current R rated aesthetic of Deadpool with heads and arms getting chopped off and colorful language fits the character quite well. They'd have to tone it down quite a bit to fit him in with the MCU movie style.

Disney and Twenty-First Century Fox are closing in on a deal, and it could come as soon as next week, according to sources familiar with the matter.

CNBC has been reporting that Disney has held talks with the Rupert Murdoch-controlled media company to acquire its studio and television production assets, leaving Fox with its news and sports assets. Fox is also talking with CNBC parent company Comcast, but the talks with Disney have progressed more significantly.