On the heels of the announcement that we're getting Hugh Jackman back as Wolverine in Deadpool 3, we have some late-night breaking news out of Marvel Studios. The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Bassam Tariq (Mogul Mowgli; These Birds Walk) will no longer helm the upcoming Blade reboot, which is set to star Academy Award-winner Mahershala Ali in the title role.
In a statement to THR, Marvel Studios confirmed the unexpected exit, “Due to continued shifts in our production schedule, Bassam is no longer moving forward as director of Blade but will remain an executive producer on the film. We appreciate Bassam’s talent and all the work he’s done getting Blade to where it is.”
Tariq also shared his own statement, "It's been an honor working with the wonderful folks at Marvel. We were able to put together a killer cast and crew. Eager to see where the next director takes the film.”
Filming is tentatively scheduled to begin in November, with the long-awaited superhero feature already set for a November 3, 2023 release, but it's now unclear whether production or the release date will be pushed back or not.
In addition to Ali, Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods; Malcolm X) and Aaron Pierre (Krypton; Mufasa: The Lion King) were recently cast in the film in undisclosed roles.
According to their sources, the script is also being revised. The original screenplay was penned by Stacy Osei-Kuffour (Watchmen; The Morning Show) and Tariq, but has undergone several rewrites in the months since, with Beau DeMayo (The Witcher; Moon Knight) tasked with penning the most recent draft.
The search is already on for a new director so we might get an official announcement relatively soon, but if it drags on at all, then we'd imagine Kevin Feige will reshuffle a few release dates, possibly pushing Blade into 2024.