The writer behind the Wesley Snipes Blade trilogy, David S. Goyer, has expressed his willingness to assist Marvel chief Kevin Feige in revitalizing Mahershala Ali's long-awaited MCU reboot of the iconic vampire hunter. The project, initially announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, has faced numerous setbacks, leaving fans in limbo with no confirmed release date in sight.
Recent developments have cast doubt on the film's future. Rapper and artist Flying Lotus, who was set to compose the music for the film, shared on X/Twitter that the project has effectively been abandoned. "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 stated. Flying Lotus, who recently directed the sci-fi horror film ASH for Shudder, expressed skepticism about the film's revival but acknowledged the potential fun it could have offered.
Just a day before Flying Lotus' revelation, costume designer Ruth E. Carter, known for her work on Sinners, confirmed on The John Campea Show that she was tasked with designing costumes for Blade, which was intended to be set in the 1920s. This setting would have allowed for unique and visually striking costume and production designs.
Actor Delroy Lindo, who was initially cast alongside Mahershala Ali, also shared his disappointment with Entertainment Weekly. He described the initial enthusiasm and inclusivity in the project's early stages, only for it to derail inexplicably. "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input... And then, for whatever reason, it just went off the rails," Lindo remarked.
The film has seen multiple directors come and go, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, without any progress. Goyer, who penned the scripts for all three original Blade films and directed Blade: Trinity in 2004, expressed his confusion about the delays in an interview with ScreenRant. "I would," he responded when asked if he would write the reboot, adding, "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."
Despite the film being removed from Marvel's release schedule seven months ago, Kevin Feige remains committed to bringing Blade to the MCU. In an interview with Omelete in November 2024, Feige affirmed, "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... But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU."
Meanwhile, the success of Deadpool & Wolverine, which featured Wesley Snipes reprising his role as Blade in a cameo, has reignited interest in the character. The film grossed $1.3 billion globally, prompting Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds to advocate for a send-off film for Snipes' Blade similar to Hugh Jackman's Logan. Reynolds highlighted the original Blade's pivotal role 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."
Additionally, Reynolds is reportedly in the early stages of developing a Deadpool and X-Men ensemble film, as per THR. In this project, Deadpool would not be the lead, allowing other X-Men characters to take the spotlight and be "used in unexpected ways."
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