Since its announcement at 2019’s San Diego Comic-Con, Blade has been one of the most hyped films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That was five years ago. The last we heard, a source told The Hollywood Reporter that the project is on hold until they can “get it right.” Wesley Snipes (the star of the original Blade trilogy) may have said it best when he declared, “There’s only one Blade, and there’s only ever gonna be one Blade.”
Snipes says this line in the latest Marvel entry, Deadpool & Wolverine, in which he makes a cameo as the vampire hunter for the first time since 2004’s Blade: Trinity. The much-anticipated reboot starring Mahershala Ali planned to reintroduce the vampire hunter to viewers, but Snipes seems to have beaten them to the jump. Now anything is possible.
Originally set to debut in 2023, the Blade reboot lost its director, Bassam Tariq (Mogul Mowgli), just a month before filming was expected to begin. Marvel cited “continued shifts in our production schedule” as the reason for Tariq’s exit, according to THR, though he will remain on the project as an executive producer. He left Blade around the same time that writer Beau DeMayo (The Witcher, Moon Knight) reportedly made significant changes to the script. The film is now tentatively scheduled for a November 2025 release, following Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four. Until then, let’s get caught up on everything Blade.
What Will Blade Be About?
Blade is a vampire hunter who also happens to be a half-human, half-vampire himself. He devotes every waking moment to ridding the world of evil vampires, who often disguise themselves as underworld criminals, white-collar businessmen, and gangsters. In earlier films, Blade took on Deacon Frost, his oldest enemy and the vampire responsible for the death of his mother. Mahershala Ali has technically joined the MCU already, in one of the end-credits teasers for Eternals. As Dane Whitman (Kit Harrington), aka the Black Knight, discovers an old sword, Ali can be heard offscreen saying, “Sure you’re ready for that, Mr. Whitman?” Maybe Blade will act as a new Nick Fury, assembling Marvel’s supernatural and occult heroes.
Who Else Will Join the Cast?
Alongside Ali, Blade’s cast will include Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods) and Aaron Pierre (The Underground Railroad) in undisclosed roles. Harrington may also reappear as Dane Whitman. There is room, feasibly, for supernatural heroes such as the recently introduced Jack Russell (Gael García Bernal), Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly), and Man-Thing from Werewolf by Night to make cameos as well. But don’t hold us to it! Hell, Wesley Snipes could even come back. But don’t hold us to it!
When Will Blade Hit Theaters?
As part of Marvel’s Phase Five, Blade will not debut until November 2025. Though the film was originally set for a 2023 release, the loss of its director right before production pushed it back for quite some time. Hopefully it’ll be well worth the wait. For now, sit tight, daywalker, and try not to get bitten.
