Mahershala Ali's Blade Movie: Is It Really Dead?

The much-anticipated Blade movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe appears to have hit a dead end. After facing numerous challenges over the years, the project seems to have stalled indefinitely, leaving fans without the chance to see Mahershala Ali take on the iconic role of the Daywalker. This development is undoubtedly a significant disappointment for the MCU community.

Rapper and artist Flying Lotus recently shared on X / Twitter that he was set to compose music for the film before it fell through. "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 stated. He expressed doubts about the project's revival but noted it would have been an exciting opportunity. Flying Lotus, who recently directed the sci-fi horror film ASH for Shudder, added, "Maybe it'll come around again but I doubt it. Would have been fun tho."

Adding to the series of unfortunate updates, costume designer Ruth E. Carter revealed on The John Campea Show that she was slated to work on Blade before its production collapsed. She mentioned that the film was intended to be set in the 1920s, promising unique and captivating costume and production designs.

Actor Delroy Lindo, who was also attached to the project alongside Ali, shared his insights with Entertainment Weekly just days before Carter's announcement. He described the initial enthusiasm from Marvel about his involvement and the inclusive approach to the film's development. "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input," Lindo said. "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."

Blade was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, with an intended release in November of the current year. However, the project has seen multiple directors come and go, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, without any lasting success.

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Despite the setbacks, it's been only six months since Blade was removed from Marvel's release schedule in October 2024, and no new release date has been confirmed. However, MCU boss Kevin Feige remains optimistic. In an interview with Omelete in November 2024, he reaffirmed the studio's commitment to the project. "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 said. "But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU."