All The MCU Blade News We’ve Heard So Far

Republished By Plato

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Vampires are coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and that means its heroes need a vampire hunter to keep the night at bay. Blade is one of the MCU’s most anticipated upcoming movies, and rounds out a growing Marvel monster-verse, but it’s had a complicated production since it was announced at San Diego Comic-Con back in 2019.

To help make sense of its director changes, casting announcements, and delays, here’s everything we know so far about Marvel’s Blade:

When is Marvel’s Blade coming out?

Marvel Studios’ Blade has a Sept. 6, 2024 release date. This puts it squarely in the middle of the MCU’s Phase 5, and about a year ahead of the first of the next Avengers movies, which Blade could have some part to play in.

Blade was originally planned to hit movie theaters on Nov. 3, 2023, but got bumped to the following year. According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, the delay mostly had to do with Disney replacing the movie’s original director.

Who is directing Blade?

Yann Demange, who has previously directed for the HBO series Lovecraft Country, was announced as the director of Blade after the original director, Bassim Tariq, left the project in September 2022, just two months before production was originally set to begin.

Demange is expected to start filming Blade in Atlanta in spring 2023.

Who’s starring in Blade?

The movie will star Mahershala Ali, who has headlined True Detective, The Green Book, and Moonlight, as Blade. Mia Goth (Pearl, Infinity Pool), Delroy Lindo (The Good Fight, Da 5 Bloods), and Aaron Pierre (Krypton, The Underground Railroad) have been cast unannounced roles.

Who’s writing Blade?

Nic Pizzolatto, the guy behind True Detective — or at least the first three seasons of it. Pizzolatto has also worked on movie’s like 2021’s The Guilty. This will be the second time that Pizzolatto has written for a role that would be played by Mahershala Ali, who also starred in the third season of True Detective.

What’s the story of Blade?

That’s unclear. Neither Marvel nor Marvel Studios producer Kevin Feige have divulged plot details for Blade yet. Presumably, it will feature Blade battling a heretofore unseen threat in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: vampires (who are not named Dr. Michael Morbius)!

What is Blade’s connection to The Eternals?

Mahershala Ali’s version of Blade made a (voice-only) cameo appearance in a post-credits scene for The Eternals, during which Dane Whitman (played by Kit Harington), aka the Black Knight, opens a case containing the Ebony Blade, a powerful, magical, and cursed sword. Blade can be heard offscreen asking Dane, “Sure you’re ready for that, Mr. Whitman?”

While the Eternals themselves appear to be embarking on more cosmic adventures, it seems likely that Blade will stick to good old planet Earth, potentially fighting alongside more street-level supernatural heroes like Black Knight, Gael García Bernal’s Werewolf by Night, Man-Thing, and Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight.

Wesley Snipes as Blade stands in a bright white room from the original Blade (1998) movie

Is Blade a remake?

No, it’s more of a reboot. The first cinematic adaptation of the vampire-killing superhero started in 1998 with Blade, and continued for two more movies: 2002’s Blade 2 and 2004’s Blade Trinity. That trilogy starred Wesley Snipes as Blade and was filled with bombastic vampire action, and even featured an entry directed by Guillermo del Toro.

Will Wesley Snipes be in the new Blade?

Neither Marvel nor Snipes have indicated that the original Blade actor would return for an appearance in Mahershala Ali’s Blade, but it’s not off the table. While Snipes said he was surprised by Marvel’s announcement in 2019, he said in a statement at the time that “it’s ALL GOOD.”

“Much peace to the MCU crew — always a fan,” Snipes said in a statement to Comic Book. “Honor and respect to the grandmaster Stan. Congratulations and Salaam to Mahershala Ali, a beautiful and talented artist whose expressions I look forward to experiencing for many years to come. Inshallah, we will someday work together. Most importantly to my loyal fans, the incredible outpouring of love is overwhelming. I am grateful for the never-ending support. So, ‘nah fret nah worry, it’s not de end of de story.’ Welcome to the Daywalker Klique.”