What Happened To Scott Speedman’s Michael?

Many fans have wondered what happened Scott Speedman’s character Michael Corvin in the Underworld franchise, as he seemingly vanished despite being an integral character. The first Underworld had the simple but effective pitch of vampires versus werewolves — with a dash of romance thrown in — and became a solid hit and helped make Kate Beckinsale a certified action movie star. It wasn’t long until the sequel Underworld: Evolution arrived, which pit Death Dealer Selene (Beckinsale) and her lover Michael against the originators of the vampire and werewolf races. The franchise then featured a prequel Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans, but Beckinsale wasn’t involved

However, she did return for 2012’s Underworld: Awakening and 2017’s Underworld: Blood Wars, which noticeably didn’t feature Scott Speedman. The Felicity actor played a prominent role in the first two movies, and it was expected that Michael Corvin would stay by Selene’s side as their war progressed. This couldn’t be further from reality, though, as future Underworld movies didn’t bring Michael back — even though Underworld: Evolution wasn’t the last time Michael was seen. Here’s what happened to Scott Speedman’s Underworld character.

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What Happened To Michael Corvin In Underworld

Scott Speedman’s Character Vanished On His Own

The first two Underworld movies focused on the romance between Selene and Michael, with the latter revealed to be the first hybrid of vampire and werewolf. Underworld: Awakening was something of a soft reboot for the Underworld movie series, taking place after humanity has learned of the existence of vampires and werewolves and all but wiped them out. Selene was frozen for 12 years by a biotech company, and she awakens to find she and Michael have a daughter named Eve, who is a vampire/werewolf/immortal hybrid.

While Michael does briefly appear in Underworld: Awakening, he’s not played by Scott Speedman. Series creator Len Wiseman later explained that after focusing on the Selene/Michael dynamic in the first two movies, part 4 was intended to revolve around Selene and her hybrid daughter.

Underworld’s Michael Corvin is thus played by a stand-in with Speedman’s likeness CGI-ed on top, who is repeatedly shot by police before being captured and frozen. Selene later finds Michael’s frozen body and tries to release him, but after she defeats Stephen Rea’s main villain, she comes back to learn he’s broken free and has run off on his own.

Why Scott Speedman Didn’t Appear In Underworld: Blood Wars

It’s Unclear Why The Actor Was Replaced By CGI

Michael’s role in Underworld: Awakening left the door open for him to return as a main character, but the fifth movie Underworld: Blood Wars slammed that shut. The film involves yet another battle between vampires and werewolves, with both Michael and Eve missing. In the finale, Selene is battling new Lycan villain Marius (Tobias Menzies), when she gets a drop of his blood in her mouth.

This triggers his blood memories, which includes him tracking down Michael — played again by a stand-in — stringing him up and slitting his throat to drain him of his blood, which helps Marius transform into a powerful hybrid creature. It’s unknown if Scott Speedman was approached for Underworld: Blood Wars and turned it down, or if producers decided the character had run his course.

Speedman hasn’t addressed his Underworld exit in the years since he last appeared, and franchise overseer Len Wiseman has also not acknowledged the actor’s absence. Either way, the franchise gave Michael a rather blunt ending that somewhat undermines his status as one of the most powerful creatures within the world of the franchise. That said, Michael Corvin did previously overcome a slight case of death in Evolution, so it’s not impossible he survived. In order for that to happen, though, the Underworld franchise will have to continue past Underworld: Blood Wars.

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Is Michael Coming Back To Underworld?

If Underworld 6 Arrives It Likely Won’t Feature Scott Speedman

Creative writing could bring Scott Speedman’s Michael Corvin back to the Underworld franchise in the future. Since the series deals with vampires, werewolves, and other aspects of the supernatural, there are endless possible ways to cheat death. This would be trickier to accomplish with Michael based on how he died in Underworld: Blood Wars, but it’s not impossible. Reversing his death wouldn’t even be necessary to bring Scott Speedman back.

A possible Underworld 6 could include flashbacks to Selene’s past as part of the narrative. This would allow him to return in some fashion and dive deeper into what happened to Michael in the Underworld franchise. However, with Kate Beckinsale seemingly uninterested in more Underworld sequels, the series is more likely to reboot than continue on from the story set up in Blood Wars.

If a reboot happens, that should officially be the final straw for Michael. It has been over half a decade since the last installment came out, though, and there are no official plans for a reboot. Kate Beckinsale might continue to doubt that Underworld 6 will happen, but Sony isn’t likely to easily throw away a franchise that made more than $500 million across five lower-budget movies. At this point, it’s even possible that another Lycan spinoff could be made that puts Scott Speedman in a starring role.

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What Scott Speedman Has Been Up To Since Leaving Underworld

The Michael Corvin Actor Has Had An Active Career

Scott Speedman last appeared in the Underworld franchise in 2006’s Underworld: Evolution. However, despite Michael Corvin gradually being written out of the franchise, Canadian actor Speedman has had an active and quite successful career in the time since. His next notable movie role came in 2008 when he starred alongside Liv Tyler in cult home-invasion horror movie The Strangers. He continued to appear on the big screen in the decades that followed, including in 2014’s The Captive, 2016’s The Monster, 2019’s Run This Town, and most recently in 2022’s Crimes of the Future.

While playing Michael Corvin in Underworld may still be among Scott Speedman’s most well-known roles on the big screen, on the small screen he’s had much more success. He appeared in 2012 military drama Last Resort, followed a few years later by playing Baz Blackwell in the crime-drama Animal Kingdom, in which he had a main role from seasons 1-3 and returned as a guest star in season 6.

However, the most prominent roles of Scott Speedman’s post-Underworld career consist of two shows: Grey’s Anatomy and You. You was a 2021 psychological thriller from A+E that became a hit on Netflix. Speedman appeared as Matthew Engler, a withdrawn and emotionally distant father and husband. His role on Grey’s Anatomy, the hit medical drama, has, of course, been career-making. Speedman plays Dr. Nick Marsh, a role he first took up in a guest star capacity in season 14, before becoming a main cast member from season 18 onward. So, while Michael Corvin may have vanished from Underworld, Scott Speedman didn’t vanish from screens.

Underworld (2003)

Underworld is a 2003 action-horror film directed by Len Wiseman. The plot revolves around Selene (Kate Beckinsale), a vampire warrior caught in a centuries-old conflict between vampires and Lycans, a race of werewolves. As she delves deeper into the ongoing war, Selene uncovers hidden truths that challenge her allegiance and perception of both factions. The film features a dark, gothic aesthetic and blends elements of horror and thriller genres.

Director

Len Wiseman

Release Date

September 19, 2003

Studio(s)

Screen Gems , Lakeshore Entertainment , Laurinfilm , Subterranean Productions LLC , Subterranean Productions UK Ltd. , Underworld Produktions GmbH

Cast

Kate Beckinsale , Scott Speedman , Michael Sheen , Shane Brolly , Bill Nighy

Runtime

122 Minutes

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