After Wesley Snipes’ Blade trilogy, Marvel Studios regained the rights to the character and started working on a script in 2013. In 2019, Kevin Feige announced the Blade film with Mahershala Ali in the lead role at San Diego Comic-Con. The film ran into several behind-the-scenes issues, with multiple changes in writers and directors. In a recent interview, Feige gave the latest update on the film.
The Marvel Boss shared that the studio was very much committed to the project. However, fans might be a little disappointed as he may have shut down one rumor about the film. When asked if Snipes was part of the project, Feige shared that the film was all about Ali’s Blade.
Kevin Feige Shares About The Possibility Of A Wesley Snipes Cameo In MCU’s Blade
Wesley Snipes took on the lead role of a vampire hunter in the 1998 film Blade. The film became a surprise hit and his collaborative effort with Marvel almost saved the company from bankruptcy at the time. However, the Blade trilogy dipped in quality with each film and Snipes was out of the role after 2004’s controversial third film.
Mahershala Ali was the studio’s choice to reprise the role in a reboot project under the MCU. He made an uncredited cameo in Eternals and fans have been waiting for his big movie ever since. Ahead of the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, Kevin Feige has finally provided an update on the Blade film.
Speaking to Blavity’s Shadow and Act, Feige shared that Marvel remains committed to Ali’s Blade project. He shared that it was their commitment to making it right that was causing this long delay and frustrating everyone involved. Feige shared that the film has a new writer now and that he had read half of his new draft and felt satisfied. Feige shared with Blavity:
We are committed to the movie, and we’re so committed to it that we’re not going to make it until it’s right, which has been frustrating for us, and for some fans, because it’s taken a while. We have a writer working on it now. I’ve read half of his new draft, and it’s feeling good so far.
When the interviewer asked about the possibility of Snipes appearing in the film, Feige replied that the MCU film was about Ali’s character. He shared that Snipes is one of the greatest actors, but added that Ali had been committed to the project for the last four or five years. It appears that Feige doesn’t want to take the attention away from Ali. He shared:
Wesley’s the greatest. Wesley’s great. Mahershala, who’s the one who came in four, five years ago and said, ‘I want to play it,’ is what this new movie’s about.
Interestingly, Snipes’ exit from the original Blade trilogy was not exactly a smooth one. The film was infamously known for all the BTS drama surrounding it. According to Patton Oswalt, Snipes was very difficult to work with on the set of the movie (via AV Club). Oswalt also mentioned that Ryan Reynolds’ role was expanded in the movie to compensate for Snipes’ absence from the set.
Mahershala Ali Reportedly Almost Quit The Film After Bizarre Script
Bassam Tariq and Watchmen fame Stacy Osei-Kuffour were initially attached as the director and screenwriter of the film. However, Tariq left the film due to the delays in the production start date. In 2022, Yann Demange was brought in as the director, with Michael Starrbury and later Nic Pizzolatto writing the script. In November 2023, Michael Green was hired to write a new script.
As of June 2024, Demange has exited the film, and Eric Pearson is the current writer. Mahershala Ali and Mia Goth are confirmed to remain attached to the film. In their feature about Marvel in November, Variety reported that the Blade script was being rewritten from scratch after Ali contemplated quitting over the earlier script.
The earlier iteration featured a female-centric story filled with life lessons, relegating him to a secondary role. However, he told EW last December that he was sincerely encouraged for the film.
Blade is currently set for a release date of November 7, 2025.
