The writer of the Wesley Snipes Blade trilogy, David S. Goyer, has expressed his readiness to assist Marvel chief Kevin Feige in revitalizing Mahershala Ali's long-awaited MCU reboot of the vampire hunter. The project, first announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, has faced numerous setbacks and is currently on an indefinite hold.
Recent updates from those involved with the project paint a picture of a production that has fallen apart. Rapper and artist Flying Lotus, who was set to compose the music for the film, took to X/Twitter to express his disappointment, stating, "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. Maybe it'll come around again but I doubt it. Would have been fun tho." His comments came shortly after costume designer Ruth E. Carter confirmed on The John Campea Show that she was supposed to design costumes for a 1920s-set Blade film before it collapsed.
Actor Delroy Lindo, who was also attached to the project alongside Mahershala Ali, shared his frustration with Entertainment Weekly, saying, "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input. And in the various conversations I had with producers, the writer, the director at the time, it was all leading into being very inclusive. It was really exciting conceptually, but it was also exciting in terms of the character that was going to form. And then, for whatever reason, it just went off the rails."
The film has cycled through several directors, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, but none have remained with the project. Just seven months ago, Blade was removed from Marvel's release schedule, and no new release date has been set. However, Kevin Feige has reassured fans that Marvel Studios remains committed to bringing Blade to the MCU. In an interview with Omelete in November 2024, Feige stated, "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."
David S. Goyer, who penned all three films in the original Blade trilogy and directed Blade: Trinity, expressed his confusion and eagerness to contribute to the reboot. Speaking to ScreenRant, he said, "I would... 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."
Meanwhile, the MCU film Deadpool & Wolverine, which featured Wesley Snipes reprising his role as Blade in a cameo, was a massive success, grossing $1.3 billion globally. Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds has advocated for Snipes' Blade to receive a farewell film similar to Hugh Jackman's Logan. Reynolds credits the original Blade films with paving the way for the superhero genre, 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."
In other developments, Reynolds is reportedly in the early stages of developing a Deadpool and X-Men ensemble film, where Deadpool would not be the main character but would share the spotlight with other X-Men characters, allowing them to be "used in unexpected ways."
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