Premiere: November 7, 2025
Probably the biggest surprise of SDCC 2019 was the unveiling of a new Blade film starring Mahershala Ali. Unfortunately, we still know nothing more about the project and while an October release date sounds right for a vampire film, it’s nothing more than a guess at this point. Overseen by Marvel Studios EP Eric Carroll, this reboot should do a thorough job of expanding the world of the Daywalker, introducing horror elements never before seen in the MCU. In August of 2020, Murphy’s Multiverse discovered a new production company, Grass-Fed Productions, had been created which could well mean things are getting started on this reboot!
The project found its writer in Stacey Osei-Koffour, who worked on HBO’s highly acclaimed Watchmen series, and that will become the first Black woman to write a Marvel Studios screenplay. In order to give Osei-Koffour a bit more time to polish the script, production on the project moved from late 2021 to July 2022. In July of 2021, Marvel Studios brought Mogul Mowgli director Bassam Tariq on to direct the film.
Following a few months where the project kept being developed behind closed doors without much news being released, the end of 2021 saw it gain a bit more traction. Blade himself made his first MCU appearance on an Eternals post-credit scene, even if off-camera and the cast reportedly doubled as Delroy Lindo was said to be in final negotiations to join the project. Lindo’s role is still undisclosed, but it would seem like he might fit the Jamal Afari part, the comic character Whistler (from the Wesley Snipes series, played by Kris Kristofferson) was based on. On the same report, it was stated that the feature it was eyeing a late Summer 2022 production start which would put it on schedule for a potential Halloween of 2023 release.
Actress Milan Ray (The Wonder Years reboot) was cast as a key character in June 2022, lending credence to the rumor that the movie could focus on Blade’s daughter, Fallon Grey. In early 2023, it was reported that Ray had to leave the project due to scheduling conflicts. In April 2023, horror star Mia Goth joined the cast.
In what can only be seen as a major setback regarding the project, director Bassam Tariq left the feature’s director’s chair in late September 2022, roughly a year before the project’s determined release date. This would mean that Blade‘s premiere would unsurprisingly be delayed to an, as of yet, undisclosed date. Following Tariq’s departure, and the rumors that the available 90-page script was a bit lackluster, X-Men ’97 head writer Beau DeMayo was called in to rewrite the entire movie from scratch. A few weeks later the movie got a new release date as part of a significant shift in the Marvel Studios movie slate, and was scheduled to premiere on September 6th, 2024. Following the WGA and SAG strikes, the date was moved to November 7, 2025.
Rumors that Elegance Bratton would be taking over the director’s chair surfaced in October 2022, showing that Marvel was indeed moving forward with the project ahead of its new late 2024 release date. Finally, in November of 2022, director Yann Demage joined the project along with writer Michael Starrbury. The script underwent several major revisions with Michael Green taking the most recent shot following Nic Pizzolato‘s work on it. With all the revisions, it’s unclear which talent is still attached to the film.
Cast
- Mahershala Ali as Eric Brooks / Blade
- Mia Goth in an unknown role
- Delroy Lindo in an unknown role
