The eagerly awaited Blade movie, set to be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has encountered numerous hurdles and now seems to be indefinitely stalled. This development is particularly disappointing as it means fans won't see Mahershala Ali portray 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," he shared. The DJ, who recently directed Shudder's new sci-fi horror ASH, expressed his doubts about the project ever coming back to life, despite it sounding like it would have been an exciting endeavor.
Adding to the series of unfortunate updates, costume designer Ruth E. Carter confirmed on The John Campea Show that she was set to design costumes for Blade before the project fell apart. Carter revealed that the film was intended to be set in the 1920s, which would have provided a unique and visually striking backdrop for both costume and production design.
Actor Delroy Lindo, who was also attached to the film, spoke about its collapse in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Lindo shared that Marvel had initially seemed keen on his input and that the project promised to be inclusive and exciting. "And then, for whatever reason, it just went off the rails," he lamented.
Blade was first announced at San Diego Comic Con in 2019, with hopes of a release in November 2025. However, the film has gone through multiple directors, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, without finding a lasting fit.
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Despite the turmoil surrounding the adaptation, it's only been six months since Blade was removed from Marvel's release schedule in October 2024, with no new date set. However, MCU boss Kevin Feige remains optimistic, stating in a November 2024 interview with Omelete, "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. But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU."
