Marvel announced five years ago, at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, they were inviting Blade into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a new reboot. Five years later, well, Marvel’s planned Blade MCU movie has still yet to even find its way in front of the cameras.
It’s no secret that the brand new Blade movie has been bumped all over the release calendar the last few years, and it’s currently without a date at all after getting pulled from its theatrical release date of November 7, 2025. Not helping is that the movie is without a director at the moment, with Yann Demange (“Lovecraft Country”) departing the project in the wake of Bassam Tariq (Mogul Mowgli) exiting the film back in 2022.
Studio President Kevin Feige reassured fans this weekend at the D23 Brazil 2024 event that Marvel is still planning to reboot Blade with star Mahershala Ali and bring the character into the MCU.
Speaking to Brazilian entertainment website Omelete, Feige said, “We’re committed to Blade. We love the character, we love Mahershala’s version of him. And rest assured: whenever we change direction with a project, or are still trying to figure out how it fits into our schedule, we let the public know. You’re up to date on what’s going on. But I can tell you that the character will be coming to the MCU.”
The silver lining? Much like Deadpool & Wolverine, which brings a new level of violence to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it sounds like Blade will definitely be rated “R.” They just have to pinpoint the story and lockdown talent first.
“For the last few years, as we’ve been trying to crack that movie, the most important thing for us is not rushing it. And making sure we are making the right Blade movie,” Feige previously shared.
He continues, “There were some great Blade movies years ago… they were all rated R. So I think that’s inherent – like Deadpool – inherent with the character of Blade.”
At this time, Mahershala Ali attached to star as the title character, and Mia Goth (X, Pearl, MaXXXine) is also on board to star in the film.
The vampire-slaying character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan, introduced in July 1973’s The Tomb of Dracula #10. Wesley Snipes played Blade across three films from 1998 through 2004, and he was played by Sticky Fingaz in a short-lived TV series.
