The writer of the Wesley Snipes Blade trilogy, David S. Goyer, has expressed his readiness to step in and help revive Mahershala Ali's stalled Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) reboot of the iconic vampire hunter. The once-anticipated film has faced numerous challenges, leading to significant delays and uncertainty about its future.
Last month, artist and DJ Flying Lotus took to X / Twitter to reveal his involvement in the project, stating that he was initially signed on to compose the film's music before the project fell through. "I guess we are so far from it even being a possibility now but. Yeah I was signed on to write music for the new BLADE movie before it fell thru," he shared, also mentioning his recent directorial project, the sci-fi horror film ASH on Shudder. He expressed doubts about the film's revival but noted it would have been an exciting opportunity.
Just a day before Flying Lotus's tweet, costume designer Ruth E. Carter, known for her work on Sinners, confirmed on The John Campea Show that she had been set to design the costumes for Blade. She revealed that the film was intended to be set in the 1920s, promising unique and visually striking costume and production design.
Actor Delroy Lindo, who was also attached to the project, shared his disappointment with Entertainment Weekly about the project's collapse. "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input," he said, highlighting the inclusive and exciting nature of the initial discussions, which ultimately led nowhere.
Blade was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, with a planned release this November. However, the film has seen a revolving door of directors, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, none of whom stayed with the project. In a recent interview with ScreenRant, Goyer expressed his confusion and eagerness to contribute to the reboot, stating, "I would... I’ve always loved the character and I love him. I’ve been sitting on the sidelines wondering, ‘What in the world is going on? Why is it taking so long?’ Because I’m a huge Marvel fan myself, and I’ve just been totally puzzled."
Seven months ago, Blade was removed from Marvel’s release schedule, and no new release date has been announced. However, Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios, reassured fans during an interview with Omelete in November 2024 that the studio remains committed to bringing Blade to the MCU. "We are committed to Blade. We love the character, we love Mahershala's take on him. And rest assured: whenever we change direction with a project, or are still figuring out how it fits into our schedule, we let the audience know. You're all up to date on what's happening," he said, affirming that Blade will eventually join the MCU.
Meanwhile, the MCU film Deadpool & Wolverine, which featured a cameo by Wesley Snipes reprising his role as Blade, was a massive success, grossing $1.3 billion globally. Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds has called for Snipes' Blade to receive a send-off film similar to Hugh Jackman's Logan. Reynolds acknowledged the pivotal role that the original Blade films played in paving the way for superhero cinema, stating on X/Twitter, "There is no Fox Marvel Universe or MCU without Blade first creating a market. He’s Marvel Daddy. Please retweet for a Logan-like send-off."
Reynolds is also reportedly in the early stages of developing a Deadpool and X-Men ensemble film, as reported by THR. This project would see Deadpool sharing the spotlight with three or four other X-Men characters, allowing them to take center stage and be utilized in unexpected ways.
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