Before The Avengers assembled on the big screen and Spider-Man weaved his cinematic web, a fearless half-vampire hero set the stage for future superhero blockbusters with a sword-sharp edge. So can you imagine a world without Marvel’s mightiest champions? It’s hard to believe, but the MCU as we know it may never have unfolded without the groundbreaking success of Blade. With Wesley Snipes masterfully embodying the vampire slayer in 1998, the movie not only thrilled audiences globally but also set the stage for an era of superhero dominance.
Fast forward to the anticipation surrounding the return of this iconic character, as Marvel Studios announced the casting of two-time Oscar laureate Mahershala Ali to reprise the role, igniting fan fervor anew. Despite several delays, the indomitable spirit of Blade endures. But Ali is “increasingly frustrated” by all of the Blade delays, according to a recent THR report.
Blade: Is Marvel Having a Hard Time Recreating Wesley Snipes’ Iconic Role?
Here we are, almost three decades after Wesley Snipes first brought Blade to life on the big screen, and Marvel is still struggling to recreate the magic that he brought to the character. The Blade reboot has been plagued with delays due to the global pandemic, guild strikes, and a carousel of creative shifts, leaving fans wondering if we will ever get to see Mahershala Ali take on the iconic role.
When Marvel Studios announced in 2019 that Ali would be stepping into the shoes of Blade, it seemed like a match made in heaven (see ComicBook). Ali seemed like the perfect actor to bring the character to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, five years later, the project is still stuck in development hell.
According to a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter, the Threat Matrix actor, 50, is growing “increasingly frustrated” with the delays surrounding the project. According to reports, Marvel is holding off on selecting a new director to take over for Yann Demange, who abruptly left the project, until the screenplay is finalized. This is the second director to depart after Bassem Tariq left in 2022 due to the delays.
#Blade update 🧛🏿♂️
• Set in present day
• Mia Goth is still attached — Unclear which role but was previously going to play the vampire Lilith
• Script will be rewritten over the summer and then sent out to directors
• Mahershala Ali sees 'Blade' as his 'Black Panther'… pic.twitter.com/AEHrfShp8u
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) June 20, 2024
Despite the chaos surrounding the project, Ali remains committed to bringing Blade to the big screen. As per the outlet, the Oscar winner “has envisioned Blade as his Black Panther” and has “exercised an inordinate amount of influence” on Blade in a way few other actors have on Marvel flicks.
What else To know About Mahershala Ali’s Blade?
Mahershala Ali is said to be very much in control of the creative decisions surrounding the film, even going as far as bringing in his True Detective creator, Nic Pizzolatto, to work on Blade’s script. The story has undergone multiple changes, with different iterations set in different time periods and featuring different characters.
However, it was all in vain because the actors and writers went on strike and ended the film. As one of the agents puts it:
People have missed about three windows to shoot other movies or shows.
Even Wesley Snipes, the original Blade—who masterfully embodied the character in three flicks—has been vocal about the delays, openly mocking the film on social media (via Variety).
In a 2021 interview with Yahoo, Snipes revealed that he had spoken with Ali about the physical demands of the role. He stressed the importance of being in the best physical shape to handle the action-packed requirements of playing Blade:
We spoke. The issue of him being cast wasn’t between us, I’m cool with that. I don’t walk around as Blade, so I’m not attached to the character like that. I feel no emotional loss, zero, and I’m happy that he’s being recast and will more than likely do a great job.
It’s clear that the project has faced numerous challenges, and it may be some time before we see Ali don the iconic sunglasses and leather jacket.
With no word on how much these delays have cost Marvel, fans can only hope that the studio can get the project back on track and deliver a Blade reboot that is worthy of the character’s legacy. For now, all we can do is wait and see if Blade will finally rise again in 2025.
The first Blade movie is available to rent on Apple TV.
