Is Blade cursed? At this stage, it's getting harder to escape the feeling that it might be!
Marvel Studios first announced the reboot while closing out its Hall H panel at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con. Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali hit the stage to join Kevin Feige, confirming he would play the MCU's Daywalker in a moment which shocked everyone.
The pandemic followed, as did a voice cameo in Eternals, but things haven't progressed well in the years since. Blade has lost several creatives, with original director Bassam Tariq leaving over "creative differences." We also learned this week that Yann Demange left the project back in March.
In terms of writers, Eric Pearson is penning the latest draft after Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Beau DeMayo, Michael Starrbury, Nic Pizzolatto, and Michael Green all attempted to crack at the screenplay.
The Hollywood Reporter has a piece up on Hollywood attorneys, including Ali's representative Shelby Weiser.
"Mahershala Ali will be boarding the next Jurassic World and toplining Marvel's Blade...someday," the trade notes before sharing a direct quote from Weiser: "That deal was in 2019, and they still haven’t shot it, which is pretty much the craziest thing in my professional experience."
Despite that scathing assessment, Ali reportedly remains committed to Blade and it sounds like everyone involved wants to get the movie right. While it was once set to be a period piece (we've even heard of a draft revolving around the vampire hunter's daughter), Daniel Richtman has reiterated recent reports about the movie now being set in the present day.
The idea is said for it to lead directly into a Midnight Sons movie which is being written by Blade Runner 2049's Michael Green. Chances are Pearson is contributing to his Blade script to add MCU references, a normal occurrence for many Marvel Studios titles.
"We’re working on it. That’s the best I could tell you," Ali said of the project last December following reports he'd considered leaving the movie. "I’m really encouraged with the direction of the project. I think we’ll be back at it relatively soon."
"I’m sincerely encouraged in terms of where things are at and who’s on board and who’s leading the way as far as the writing of the script and the directing and all that," the actor added. "So that’s the extent of what I can tell you."
Needless to say, it's looking increasingly unlikely that Blade will meet its planned November 7, 2025 release date.