Somehow, Wesley Snipes‘ Blade made a full-fledged appearance in an MCU film before Mahershala Ali‘s take on the character. Six years ago, when Marvel Studios One Above All, Kevin Feige, electrified the Hall H crowd during Marvel’s SDCC ’19 panel by announcing the Ali-led Blade film was in development, that would have seemed impossible; however, getting that film off the ground has proven quite a chore for Feige and the Marvel Studios Parliament.
Production on Blade has been delayed multiple times beginning with the decision of original director Bassam Tariq to leave the film in 2022. At least five different writers have taken a turn on the script after original scribe Stacey Osei-Koffour parted ways with the project with Marvel Studios’ vet Eric Pearson (Black Widow, Thunderbolts*) having most recently penned a draft. Without a director since Tariq’s replacement, Yann Demange, bailed in June 2024, there was simply no way Blade was making it in front of cameras and was ultimately removed from the studio’s 2025 theatrical slate. Fans have begun to believe that they may never see the film but according to Feige, that’s simply not the case as the studio and Ali remain committed to the project.
“You can start and have a good script and make it a great script through production, but we didn’t feel confident we could do that on Blade,” said Feige during a recent press event at Marvel HQ. “We didn’t want to do that to Mahershala and didn’t want to do that to us.“
“We didn’t want to put a leather outfit on [Ali] and have him start killing vampires,” he explained, adding that after looking at a couple of different versions of the film that would have been period pieces, the studio “landed on modern day and that’s what we’re focusing on.”
As for when the studio expects the film to begin principal photography or hit theaters, Feige didn’t say, choosing to tease a seven-year plan that would keep the MCU going strong through 2032…if we’re all lucky, Blade might make it to theaters between now and then.
Source: Deadline
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