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Marvel’s Blade has undergone several delays leading to a full-blown removal. While this doesn’t dash all hope of ever seeing the film, it’s a significant mark against it. The MCU makes long-term plans that used to be a bit more consistent. Of all of their announced projects, Blade drew attention. Unfortunately, it’s been a long march through wasted potential and lost creative talent.
Marvel Announced Blade in 2019
In July 2019, Kevin Feige stood before the discerning Hall H crowd at the San Diego Comic Con to announce Blade with Mahershala Ali in the title role. Marvel Cinematic Universe adaptations gain a lot of attention when they work with characters who already have movies. It’s a double-edged sword, as it also invites viewers to compare the work to the compelling original trilogy. Wesley Snipes, who portrayed the character in those three entries, issued his support for Ali in a brief tweet. Ali cemented his status with a voice-only cameo in Eternals, promising more Blade to come. Three years later, Marvel has delayed Blade several times, with multiple creative talents lost along the way.
The first writer who joined Blade was Stacy Osei-Kuffour. The Hollywood Reporter announced her involvement in February 2021. That July, Deadline reported Marvel settling on Bassam Tariq of Mogul Mowgli fame as the film’s director. Just over a year later, Marvel told Deadline that Tariq left the director’s chair. Marvel also reportedly scrapped Osei-Kuffour’s script for the piece and hired Michael Starrbury to craft a new one. In November 2022, shortly after Marvel initially planned to start filming, Yann Demange signed on to direct. They also brought in True Detective‘s Nic Pizzolatto to beef up Starrbury’s script. In November 2023, Marvel ditched the second full script in favor of Michael Green’s effort. Green also bailed, leaving Eric Pearson to take a whack at it. Yann Demange also stepped away in all the script chaos. That’s five writers, two directors, and no Blade movie to show for it.
Where is Marvel’s Blade now?
At the time of writing, Blade doesn’t have a director. Marvel unceremoniously removed the project from its 2025 release calendar, seemingly moving beyond its usual delays. Deadline reported the disappointing surprise on October 22, 2024. In its place, Disney intends to upgrade Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator: Badlands to a theatrical release. That new Predator entry will take Blade‘s November 7, 2025 release date. Marvel still has several empty slots that could theoretically contain Blade, but its position remains unknown. Still, Blade‘s consistent shifting down the schedule isn’t necessarily a cause for despair.
In a recent interview with Black Tree TV, Kevin Feige explained the studio’s work on Blade. He stated, “The most important thing for us is not rushing it and making sure that we’re making the right Blade movie.” To hear Feige tell it, the trepidation and false starts are signs of Marvel’s desire to ensure that they create something unimpeachable. Marvel has moved away from its previous release strategy. The studio intends to limit its cinematic drops, and Blade isn’t even the only project they keep delaying. The SAG-AFTRA strikes prompted Marvel to push everything back a few months, including Blade. Removing Blade from the release schedule feels fatal, but it may just be another distraction.
Blade still feels like one of Marvel’s most promising projects, even after all of the rewrites and delays. Some even suggest that Mahershala Ali could be part of the slowdown. The actor clearly wants to get this right, prompting him to threaten to leave over script concerns. Blade could be stuck for good, but it’s also entirely possible that Marvel is taking time to sharpen their take on the Daywalker.
