In the late 1990s, before the superhero genre dominated Hollywood, Marvel ventured into the film industry with “Blade.” Starring Wesley Snipes as a half-vampire, half-human vampire slayer, “Blade” premiered in 1998. The film was a game-changer for Marvel, grossing $131.2 million worldwide and proving that Marvel characters could be successful on the big screen. This success led to two sequels, establishing “Blade” as Marvel’s first significant movie franchise and setting the stage for future comic book adaptations.
Fast forward to 2019, Marvel Studios reignited excitement by announcing a “Blade” reboot, this time with Mahershala Ali, a two-time Oscar winner, in the titular role. While fans were thrilled, the journey to bring “Blade” back has been tumultuous, marked by numerous delays, director changes, and script rewrites.
Here’s a detailed timeline of the “Blade” reboot’s development:
July 20, 2019: Announcement at Comic-Con
Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios chief, announced the “Blade” reboot at San Diego Comic-Con with Mahershala Ali in the lead role. At the time, no director or screenwriter was attached.
February 5, 2021: Stacy Osei-Kuffour Hired as Screenwriter
Stacy Osei-Kuffour, known for her work on HBO’s “Watchmen” and Hulu’s “Pen15,” was brought on board to write the screenplay.
July 19, 2021: Bassam Tariq Signs as Director
Bassam Tariq, known for “Mogul Mowgli,” was announced as the director.
November 5, 2021: Ali’s First MCU Appearance
Ali’s voice cameo as Blade appeared in the post-credits scene of “Eternals,” setting up his character’s future in the MCU.
November 19, 2021: Delroy Lindo Joins Cast
Veteran actor Delroy Lindo signed on for an undisclosed role.
February 22, 2022: Aaron Pierre Joins Cast
Aaron Pierre, known for “The Underground Railroad,” joined the cast in an undisclosed role.
July 23, 2022: Official Release Date Announced
At San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that “Blade” would begin filming in October 2022 and release on November 3, 2023.
September 27, 2022: Bassam Tariq Exits as Director
Tariq exited the project due to production delays and the script originally Stacy Osei-Kuffour’s wrote will undergo a complete rewrite.
October 3, 2022: Beau DeMayo Joins to Rewrite Entire Film
‘Moon Knight’ writer Beau DeMayo brought on to rewrite Marvel’s vampiric reboot from the ground up following exit of director Bassam Tariq.
October 11, 2022: Release Date Pushed to 2024
Marvel Studios rescheduled “Blade” for September 6, 2024, as part of a broader release calendar shift.
November 21, 2022: Yann Demange and Michael Starrbury Join
Yann Demange became the new director, and Michael Starrbury was hired to write a new script.
February 14, 2023: Feige Provides Production Update
Kevin Feige announced that production would start in approximately 10 weeks.
April 12, 2023: Mia Goth Joins Cast
Mia Goth joined the cast for an undisclosed role.
April 28, 2023: Nic Pizzolatto Signs as Screenwriter
Nic Pizzolatto, known for “True Detective,” signed on as a screenwriter just before the WGA strike began.
May 5, 2023: Production Halted Due to Writers Strike
Pre-production on “Blade” was paused due to the writers strike.
June 13, 2023: Release Date Pushed to 2025
Amid ongoing strikes, Disney moved the release date to February 14, 2025.
November 1, 2023: Michael Green Joins as Screenwriter
Michael Green, known for “Logan,” was hired to rewrite the script after Mahershala Ali expressed dissatisfaction with earlier drafts.
November 9, 2023: Release Date Pushed Again
The release was further delayed to November 7, 2025, due to the ongoing strikes.
December 6, 2023: Ali Expresses Optimism
Mahershala Ali shared his encouragement about the project’s progress and direction.
March 17, 2024: Aaron Pierre Leaves Project
Aaron Pierre confirmed his departure from the project.
June 12, 2024: Yann Demange Exits, Eric Pearson Joins as Screenwriter
Yann Demange left as director, and Eric Pearson, known for his work on various Marvel projects, was brought on as the new screenwriter.
June 21, 2024: Delroy Lindo Departs
Delroy Lindo left the project due to delays caused by the strikes.
Current Team Members
As of today, the key individuals still attached to the “Blade” reboot are:
Mahershala Ali as Blade
Eric Pearson as the screenwriter
Mia Goth in an undisclosed role
Is the Project Still Worth It?
Given the numerous setbacks, delays, and changes in the creative team, one might wonder if the “Blade” reboot is still worth pursuing. The constant reshuffling of directors and writers, along with significant delays, have cast doubt on the project’s viability. However, Marvel Studios’ commitment to producing every announced title and Mahershala Ali’s continued enthusiasm suggest there is still hope for a successful adaptation.