Marvel Studios has officially shelved its troubled “Blade” reboot, ending years of speculation and behind-the-scenes turmoil, according to faroutmagazine.co.uk. The project, initially announced at 2019’s Comic-Con with Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali attached, has faced relentless setbacks—from pandemic delays to the 2023 writers’ strike—before ultimately succumbing to unresolved script issues.
According to The Playlist’s Rodrigo Perez, multiple writers attempted to salvage the film, but creative differences and logistical hurdles proved insurmountable. While Ali will still appear as the vampire hunter in future Marvel projects—possibly “Midnight Sun” or “Avengers: Secret Wars”—the standalone film is now dead.
The original Blade trilogy, starring Wesley Snipes, was a cult hit in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. However, integrating the character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been fraught with challenges. Ali made a brief, uncredited vocal cameo in Eternals (2021), while Snipes unexpectedly returned in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).
The reboot’s cast, including Aaron Pierre, Delroy Lindo and Mia Goth (set to play villain Lilith), departed due to ongoing production issues. Marvel, meanwhile, moves forward with “Thunderbolts,” “Ironheart,” and “Fantastic Four: First Steps”—all due this summer—plus “Avengers: Doomsday” in 2026.
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