The eagerly awaited Blade movie seems to have reached a dead end, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe project facing numerous challenges over the years. Unfortunately, the film has now come to a complete standstill, dashing hopes of seeing Mahershala Ali take on the role of the iconic Daywalker, which many consider a significant loss for the MCU.
Rapper and artist Flying Lotus recently took to X / Twitter to discuss his involvement in the project, revealing that Blade is no longer moving forward. "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," the DJ, who recently directed Shudder's new sci-fi horror ASH, explained. "Maybe it'll come around again but I doubt it. Would have been fun tho."
The day before Flying Lotus' tweet, costume designer Ruth E. Carter confirmed on The John Campea Show that she was set to design costumes for Blade before production fell apart. Adding to the disappointment, the film was meant to be set in the 1920s, which would have offered a unique backdrop for captivating costume and production design.
Adding to the series of setbacks, actor Delroy Lindo, who was also set to star alongside Ali, shared his thoughts on the project's demise just days before Carter's revelation. "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input," he told Entertainment Weekly. "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 back in 2019, and if everything had gone according to plan, fans would be eagerly anticipating its release this coming November. The project has seen several directors come and go, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, yet none have remained attached to the film.
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Given all the turmoil surrounding this adaptation, it's surprising to recall that just six months ago, in October 2024, the movie was removed from Marvel's release schedule without a new date confirmed. However, a month later, MCU boss Kevin Feige reassured fans that the studio remains dedicated to bringing Blade to the screen. "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 stated during an interview with Omelete in November 2024. "But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU."
