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It’s been six years since Marvel said they were going to make a new Blade movie with Mahershala Ali as the lead. But even after all this time, they haven’t even started filming. Not a single scene. The movie has been stuck in a lot of problems behind the scenes.
Two different directors were brought on board at different times, Bassam Tariq and Yann Demange, but both of them ended up quitting. The script has been changed and rewritten many times. And to make things worse, some actors who were cast in the movie, like Aaron Pierre and Delroy Lindo, have also left. Basically, things have been a mess. Even Mahershala Ali’s lawyer said it’s the craziest thing he’s seen in his entire career.
In late 2024, Marvel boss Kevin Feige said the film is still happening. He said they love the Blade character, and they love Mahershala’s version of it too. He explained that if they change the direction of a project or face delays, they try to be honest with the public. He made it clear that Blade is still planned to be part of the Marvel universe.
But more recently, when Mahershala Ali was promoting another movie called Jurassic World Rebirth, he didn’t sound as confident about Blade actually happening. He said he’s taking things one day at a time and doing the best he can. He mentioned he just worked on another film called Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, which he’s very excited about. He got to do some sword fighting in that movie and really enjoyed it. He said he would love for Blade to happen, but he’s not sure what Marvel is doing right now. He’s just focusing on finding the next great acting role.
In another interview, when asked about Blade, he repeated that he’s ready and told the interviewer to call Marvel and let them know.
So, in short, Blade is not dead yet, but it’s stuck. Mahershala still wants to do it, but he’s also unsure if it’s ever going to move forward. Marvel says it’s coming, but nothing has actually happened so far.
Marvel Studios’ Blade release date speculation
If things had gone the way Marvel originally planned, we would’ve already seen the new Blade movie by now and moved on. The first release date was supposed to be 3rd November 2023. Then they pushed it to 6th September 2024. After that, they delayed it again to 7th November 2025.
Now, there isn’t any release date at all. No one knows when the movie will finally come out.
There have been a lot of empty promises and changes. At one point, in February 2023, Kevin Feige told a magazine that filming would start in the next 10 weeks. But nothing happened. To this day, they haven’t started filming, and the project still doesn’t even have a director.
At this rate, the earliest we might get to see the movie is sometime in 2027. But even that feels like a stretch. If things keep dragging on like this, it could even be 2028 before the movie comes out, if it happens at all.
The Blade movie was first officially announced way back in 2019 at San Diego Comic-Con. Kevin Feige stood on stage next to Mahershala Ali to share the big news. That moment got everyone excited. But since then, it’s just been delay after delay, and fans are still waiting.
For now, we’ll just have to wait and watch if Marvel ever gets it off the ground.
Who’s in the cast of Blade?
Only two cast members have been officially confirmed for Marvel’s Blade movie so far.
First, of course, is Mahershala Ali, who will be playing the lead role, Blade, also known as Eric Cross Brooks. Blade is a half-human, half-vampire who hunts down vampires and other dark creatures. He’s one of the more intense, darker heroes in the Marvel world.
Mahershala Ali is no stranger to superhero stuff. He played a villain named Cottonmouth in Netflix’s Luke Cage series and also voiced a character in the animated movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. So he’s got experience in this kind of world. Interestingly, he was actually the one who pushed for the Blade reboot in the first place. Right after he won his second Oscar, for Green Book, he called up Marvel boss Kevin Feige and asked to meet. During that meeting, he pitched the idea of a new Blade movie with himself in the main role. That’s how this whole thing really got going. Kevin Feige even said, “When Mahershala calls, you answer.” So clearly, Mahershala had some serious pull.
The second confirmed cast member is Mia Goth. She’s set to play Lilith, a villain from the comics. Lilith is a dark, supernatural character, so she fits right into Blade’s creepy, vampire-filled world. In 2024, Mia commented on all the production delays. She said that even though things have been moving slowly, it’s clear the people behind the scenes really care and are trying hard to make a great movie. That gave her a good feeling.
As for the rest of the cast, no one else is locked in right now. At one point, actors Delroy Lindo and Aaron Pierre were supposed to be in the film in mystery roles, but both of them have now left the project. There’s been no official news on who might replace them.
So right now, it’s just Mahershala Ali and Mia Goth officially attached. The rest is still a mystery. We’ll keep an eye out and update you as soon as anything new is announced.
Is there a trailer for the new Blade film?
Since the new Blade movie hasn’t even started filming yet, there’s no trailer out, nothing to show at all for now.
Once Marvel finally begins production and releases any footage, we’ll update this and share it right away. Until then, there’s nothing available to see.
Is there any previously made Blade movie?
Yes, there actually have already been Blade movies, three of them, in fact. All of them starred Wesley Snipes as the vampire-hunting superhero, and they were released between 1998 and 2004. These movies were a big deal at the time and are often seen as the beginning of the modern wave of superhero films that we see today.
The first two films, Blade and Blade II, were especially well-received by fans and critics. They featured a strong cast, including Kris Kristofferson, Stephen Dorff, Donnie Yen, Danny John-Jules, and Donal Logue. However, the third movie, Blade: Trinity, didn’t do as well. It brought in new faces like Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Biel, but overall, people liked it less than the first two. After that, the series ended, except for a short-lived TV version in 2006 with a completely new cast, which didn’t take off.
Even though some fans were upset that Wesley Snipes wasn’t coming back as Blade in the new Marvel version, he gave Mahershala Ali his full support. In a public statement, Snipes told fans to relax. He said the news surprised him, too, but that it’s just how the entertainment industry works. He wished the Marvel team well and gave a lot of respect to Stan Lee. He also congratulated Mahershala Ali and called him a beautiful and talented artist. Snipes even said he hoped they could work together one day.
Interestingly, Wesley Snipes did end up returning as Blade in a small supporting role in Deadpool & Wolverine. In that movie, Blade is shown as one of a group of forgotten characters stuck in a strange void, and he helps out the main characters. There’s even a moment where he jokes, “There’s only ever gonna be one Blade.” And with how slow and messy the new movie has been behind the scenes, some fans are starting to wonder if that line might end up being true.
As for the new Blade movie’s story, not much has been revealed. But if Marvel sticks to the original character’s background, the film will follow Eric Brooks, a half-vampire who uses his powers to hunt and destroy vampires. That kind of dark and gritty story will stand out from most other Marvel movies, if it ever finally hits the screen.