It Really Does Sound Like Whatever Mahershala Ali's Blade Movie Was Going to Be Is Dead

The much-anticipated Blade movie, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has seemingly hit a dead end. After facing numerous challenges over the years, the project appears to have stalled indefinitely, leaving fans without the chance to see Mahershala Ali portray the iconic Daywalker. This development is undoubtedly a significant disappointment for the MCU community.

Rapper and artist Flying Lotus recently took to X / Twitter to share 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. Flying Lotus, who recently directed Shudder's sci-fi horror film ASH, expressed doubts about the project's revival but noted it would have been an exciting opportunity.

Adding to the series of unfortunate updates, costume designer Ruth E. Carter confirmed on The John Campea Show that she was slated to work on Blade's costumes. She revealed that the film was intended to be set in the 1920s, promising unique and captivating costume and production designs.

Actor Delroy Lindo, who was also attached to star alongside Ali, shared his experience with the project in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input," he said. Lindo described the initial excitement and inclusivity of the project, but lamented that it eventually "went off the rails" for unspecified reasons.

Blade was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, with a planned release in November of the current year. 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, and no new release date has been confirmed. However, MCU boss Kevin Feige remains optimistic. In a November 2024 interview with Omelete, he reaffirmed the studio's commitment to the project, 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."