Feige regrets not rebooting Blade with Mahershala Ali

There are some projects in the cinematic universe that seem to defy the normal timeline, and nothing exemplifies this more than the enduring saga of the Blade reboot.

Behind the scenes at Marvel Studios, there’s a peculiar mix of ambition and delay surrounding the development of a new film based on the iconic vampire hunter, Blade. Kevin Feige himself has recently expressed some decidedly humorous frustration over the protracted timeline, jokingly feeling like a gigantic loser and failure for not being able to get the project off the ground promptly.

The journey for this film started with an announcement back in 2015. After several years of anticipation, the project finally received official traction in 2021 when it was slated to star the highly acclaimed two-time Academy Award winner, Mahershala Ali, as the titular hero.

The path to production, however, proved to be a winding road filled with creative changes and industry hurdles. Early attempts at scripting took place in the 1920s, but those initial concepts were ultimately scrapped, though elements of the costumes and sets may have found their way into other projects.

The directing process also saw shifting sands. Bassam Tariq was announced as the initial director, but he exited the project just a month before production was scheduled to begin in 2022. Later in the year, French filmmaker Yann Demange was brought on board, but production faced another significant pause due to the WGA strike.

These industry delays pushed back the anticipated release date, ultimately pushing the film’s potential debut into 2025.

The film navigated an interesting path regarding its rating and status. While it earned a promising R rating in 2023, it was eventually removed from the official Marvel release calendar entirely in 2024. Mahershala Ali has chosen to remain silent on the matter since.

Meanwhile, other stars involved in the wider MCU landscape continue their own exciting arcs. Wesley Snipes, who famously portrayed Blade in Deadpool & Wolverine, recently cemented his place as a legend by breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest career as a live-action Marvel character, totaling 25 years and 340 days.

As Marvel continues its momentum, the focus now shifts to upcoming installments. The next major cinematic event poised to arrive is Spider-Man: Brand New Day, set to hit cinemas in the United States on July 31 and in the United Kingdom on July 29.