The much-anticipated Blade movie, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has seemingly run out of steam, facing numerous obstacles over the years and now appearing to be indefinitely stalled. This development is particularly disheartening for fans, as it means they won't see Mahershala Ali take on the iconic role of the Daywalker, which might be one of the most significant setbacks for the MCU to date.
Rapper and artist Flying Lotus recently shared on X / Twitter his involvement with the project, revealing that he was set to compose the music for Blade before the film 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 stated. The DJ, who directed Shudder's new sci-fi horror ASH, expressed doubts about the project's revival but noted it would have been an exciting opportunity.
Just a day before Flying Lotus' tweet, costume designer Ruth E. Carter, during an appearance on The John Campea Show, confirmed her role in designing costumes for Blade, which was intended to be set in the 1920s. This setting promised unique and compelling costume and production designs, adding to the disappointment of the film's collapse.
Completing the trifecta of bad news, actor Delroy Lindo, who was set to star alongside Ali, discussed the project's demise in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input," he said, describing the initial excitement and inclusivity of the project before it "went off the rails."
Blade was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, with a planned release in November 2025. However, the film has seen multiple directors come and go, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, without any lasting progress.
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Despite the setbacks, it's been only six months since Blade was removed from Marvel's release schedule in October 2024, with no new release date announced. However, MCU head Kevin Feige remains optimistic. A month after the film's removal, Feige emphasized Marvel's commitment to the project in an interview with Omelete in November 2024, 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."
