Marvel Studios’ reboot of Blade may not have a set release date yet, but the project is still very much alive, and Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali remains committed to the title role.
Although first announced back in 2019 at San Diego Comic-Con, the film has experienced a rocky road with delays, script revisions, and changes in the creative team.
Six years later, Blade continues to develop behind the scenes.
Kevin Feige recently shared an update, acknowledging that the long wait has come down to wanting to get the story just right.
He confirmed that four different versions of the film were in the works at one point, including two period pieces, one even set in the 1930s.
But ultimately, Marvel decided to move forward with a modern-day setting. “We landed on modern day and that’s what we’re focusing on,” Feige explained to Deadline.
The movie hit pause following the exits of two directors: Bassam Tariq and more recently Yann Demange.
On the challenges of getting Blade off the ground, Feige was candid, “You can start and have a good script and make it a great script through production, but we didn’t feel confident we could do that on Blade,” he said.
“We didn’t want to do that to Mahershala and didn’t want to do that to us.”
Feige made it clear that the goal was never to rush production.
“We didn’t want to put a leather outfit on him and have him start killing vampires,” he said, pointing out that the studio was looking for more than just surface-level action, they want the story to carry weight and match the talent of the actor leading it.
Though fans have been curious if Black Panther director Ryan Coogler might step in to direct after the success of Sinners, Feige dismissed the idea for now, confirming that Coogler remains focused on Black Panther 3.
As for Mahershala Ali, he’s been tight-lipped in public appearances.
During a Vogue interview promoting Jurassic World Rebirth, Ali dodged a question about his Marvel involvement, joking, “Leave me out of it. That’s a Scarlett question,” when co-star Jonathan Bailey asked how many MCU films he had done.
Despite its absence from Marvel’s calendar, Blade remains in active development.
While it may be taking longer than expected, the team is aiming to deliver a film that lives up to its iconic legacy, and to the expectations that come with Mahershala Ali’s name.