Mahershala Ali's Blade Movie: Dead or Alive?

The eagerly awaited Blade movie seems to have hit a dead end, draining the last drops of hope for its revival. This Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) project, which promised to bring Mahershala Ali's portrayal of the iconic Daywalker to life, has faced numerous setbacks and now appears to be indefinitely stalled. This development is a significant disappointment, especially considering Ali's anticipated role as Blade.

Adding to the growing pile of evidence that the project might be permanently shelved, rapper and artist Flying Lotus recently shared on X (formerly 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 tweeted, expressing doubt about its future while mentioning his recent work on Shudder's sci-fi horror film ASH.

Just a day before Flying Lotus' revelation, acclaimed costume designer Ruth E. Carter, during an appearance on The John Campea Show, confirmed her involvement in the now-defunct Blade project. She was slated to design costumes for a film set in the 1920s, a setting that promised visually stunning costume and production designs. This added another layer of disappointment as fans missed out on what could have been a visually spectacular take on the vampire hunter.

Compounding the series of unfortunate updates, actor Delroy Lindo, who was also set to star alongside Ali, shared his perspective on the project's collapse with Entertainment Weekly. Lindo described the initial excitement and inclusivity in the development process but lamented how it ultimately "went off the rails."

First announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, Blade was expected to hit theaters this November if everything had gone according to plan. The film has seen several directors come and go, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, but none could bring the project to fruition.

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Despite the removal of Blade from Marvel's release schedule in October 2024, and no new release date confirmed, MCU boss Kevin Feige remains optimistic. In a November 2024 interview with Omelete, he reiterated the studio's commitment to the character and Mahershala Ali's involvement, stating, "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."