Mahershala Ali's Blade Movie: Is It Dead?

The much-anticipated Blade movie, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has seemingly drained of all its lifeblood. This project, announced with great fanfare at San Diego Comic Con in 2019, has encountered numerous obstacles, leading to its current state of indefinite hiatus. The most disappointing aspect for fans is the potential loss of Mahershala Ali's portrayal of the iconic Daywalker.

Rapper and artist Flying Lotus recently took to X / Twitter to confirm the project's demise, revealing that he was initially signed on to compose the film's music. "I guess we are so far from it even being a possibility now but. Yeah I was signed on to write music for the new BLADE movie before it fell thru," he shared. Flying Lotus, who recently directed Shudder's sci-fi horror ASH, expressed his doubts about the film's revival, saying, "Maybe it'll come around again but I doubt it. Would have been fun tho."

Adding to the string of disheartening updates, acclaimed costume designer Ruth E. Carter, during her appearance on The John Campea Show, disclosed that she was set to work on Blade's costumes before the project collapsed. Carter also revealed that the film was planned to be set in the 1920s, promising unique and exciting costume and production designs.

Actor Delroy Lindo, who was also slated to star in the film alongside Mahershala Ali, shared his experience with the project in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Lindo highlighted the initial enthusiasm from Marvel, stating, "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input. And in the various conversations I had with producers, the writer, the director at the time, it was all leading into being very inclusive. It was really exciting conceptually, but it was also exciting in terms of the character that was going to form. And then, for whatever reason, it just went off the rails."

Despite these setbacks, MCU boss Kevin Feige remains optimistic about the Blade project. Just a month after the film was removed from the release schedule in October 2024, Feige reaffirmed the studio's commitment during an interview with Omelete in November 2024. "We are committed to Blade. We love the character, we love Mahershala's take on him. And rest assured: whenever we change direction with a project, or are still figuring out how it fits into our schedule, we let the audience know. You're all up to date on what's happening," he stated. "But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU."

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It's been just six months since Blade was removed from Marvel's release schedule, and no new release date has been confirmed. The project has seen multiple directors come and go, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, yet none have managed to steer the film to completion. Despite these challenges, Feige's comments suggest that Marvel remains dedicated to bringing Blade to the screen in some form.