Seven-Year Blade Delay
Marvel's 'Blade' Reboot Stalled for Seven Years; Kevin Feige Disappointed, Mahershala Ali Remains Ready.
Anonymous
Key Points
1
Mia Goth was connected to a potential 1920s Blade story, including a chemistry test with Mahershala Ali, costume fittings, and a wig fitting; a full wardrobe was even built for supporting actors, later sold, and some pieces ended up reused in Ryan Coogler’s period vampire film.
2
Blade’s development endured multiple leadership and writing shifts: Bassam Tariq exited in 2022, Yann Demange stepped in and later dropped out in 2024, and by late 2023 the project had reportedly gone through at least five writers with iterations ranging from period pieces to modern-day.
3
The project was taken off Marvel’s release calendar in fall 2024, with industry chatter that Marvel was aiming for a budget under $100 million for Blade.
4
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige publicly acknowledged disappointment, saying he feels like a “gigantic loser and failure” for not getting Blade off the ground and tied the delays to Marvel’s over-expansion into Disney+ streaming and a broader rethink of development processes.
5
Mahershala Ali has continued to express readiness to play Blade, with remarks like, “I’m ready. Let them know I’m ready,” underscoring ongoing interest despite the project’s stalled status.
Seven years after Marvel announced a Blade reboot starring Mahershala Ali, the project is effectively dead — and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige is not hiding his frustration. IGN reports that Feige publicly said the delays make him feel like a "gigantic loser and failure," a rare admission from the head of the world's biggest superhero franchise.
The film was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019. It never entered production. It was quietly removed from Marvel's release calendar in fall 2024. In the meantime, the original Blade — Wesley Snipes — returned to screens via a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, giving the franchise its only recent on-screen moment.
A Revolving Door of Directors and Scripts
Blade cycled through talent at a rate few big films survive. Director Bassam Tariq exited the project in 2022. Yann Demange stepped in and then dropped out in 2024. By late 2023, the script had reportedly passed through at least five different writers. CBR notes the story shifted wildly — from a 1920s period piece to a modern-day setting — with no version ever making it to cameras.
The period-era version got surprisingly far. Actress Mia Goth was connected to the 1920s story and had a chemistry test with Ali. Costume fittings happened. A full wardrobe was built for supporting actors. That wardrobe was later sold off, and some pieces reportedly ended up reused in Ryan Coogler's separate period vampire film.
Disney+ Streaming Boom Starved Blade of Oxygen
Feige pointed to a clear cause for the chaos. Marvel's aggressive push into Disney+ streaming stretched the studio thin. The company prioritized producing a high volume of shows and films, and that left projects like Blade without the attention needed to get off the ground. Feige has since described that expansion as a mistake requiring a full rethink of how Marvel develops projects. Comic Book reported his comments directly tied the Blade failure to that broader overreach.
Budget concerns also played a role. Industry sources indicated Marvel was targeting a budget under $100 million for Blade — a tight number for a superhero film. That constraint may have clashed with the creative ambitions of the directors and writers cycling through the project.
Ali Still Ready, but No Clear Path Forward
Through all of it, Mahershala Ali has stayed patient. The two-time Oscar winner has repeatedly said he wants to play the role. His message to Marvel has been blunt: "I'm ready. Let them know I'm ready." CBR confirmed Ali remains willing, even as the project sits without a director, a finished script, or a release date.
What comes next is unclear. IGN notes that Feige has acknowledged the project's failure without announcing a formal cancellation or a new plan. Discussions about a standalone Ali-led film remain unresolved. Marvel has not named a replacement cast or a new creative team.
Snipes' Cameo Keeps the Franchise Alive — Barely
While the reboot stalled, the original Blade got his moment back. Wesley Snipes reprised the role in Deadpool & Wolverine, the 2024 blockbuster starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. The cameo gave fans a taste of the character and reminded audiences why Blade matters. Snipes first played the vampire hunter in 1998, and his trilogy helped launch the modern superhero film era.
That cameo also raised a question Marvel has not yet answered: if Snipes can return so easily, where does Ali's version fit? For now, the Blade franchise exists in a strange limbo — visible on screen thanks to Snipes, but stuck in development thanks to everything else. Comic Book noted the saga continues as Marvel builds out its next slate of films.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativeNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
16
Articles
14
Reach
30
A
AnonymousAuthor