Marvel Studios' Blade reboot lost original helmer Bassam Tariq back in September, and immediately began the search to find a new filmmaker to take over. The rumor mill threw several different names into the mix, but the project has now officially enlisted a new director.
THR reports that Yann Demange will step in to replace Tariq, and the movie has also brought a new writer on board, with Emmy award-winning scribe Michael Starrbury hired to pen a brand new script for the feature.
Demange's other credits include thrillers '71 and White Boy Rick. He is currently developing a series take on David Cronenberg’s sci-fi horror movie, Scanners.
After pausing pre-production following Tariq's departure, it seems Kevin Feige and co. decided to go back to the drawing board for a "page-one rewrite," so whatever the original plan was for the Daywalker's MCU debut (not counting his off-screen voice cameo in Eternals post-credits scene) may have changed significantly.
Given the violent nature of vampire-slaying hero, there's been some speculation that this reboot might join Deadpool 3 as the studio's first R-rated feature. The trade notes that "the new intent is for Blade to be dark and gritty in tone, falling on the edgier side of Marvel fare," but it sounds like the aim is still to bring it in at the usual PG-13/12.
Mahershala Ali is (thankfully) still set to play the title character. Production is scheduled to begin in Atlanta next year, with the movie dated for release on September 6, 2024.
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Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.