Mahershala Ali's Blade Movie: Is It Dead?

The eagerly awaited Blade movie appears to have met a grim fate within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Despite years of anticipation, the project has hit a series of roadblocks, resulting in a seemingly permanent halt. The most disappointing aspect for fans is the potential loss of Mahershala Ali's portrayal of the iconic Daywalker.

Rapper and artist Flying Lotus recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to reveal his involvement in the project, confirming its cancellation. "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 shared, also mentioning his recent directorial work on Shudder's sci-fi horror film ASH. He expressed doubts about the project's revival, adding, "Maybe it'll come around again but I doubt it. Would have been fun tho."

The day before Flying Lotus's announcement, costume designer Ruth E. Carter disclosed on The John Campea Show that she was set to work on Blade before its production collapsed. She revealed the film was intended to be set in the 1920s, promising unique and exciting costume and production designs.

Adding to the series of unfortunate updates, actor Delroy Lindo, who was also slated to star alongside Ali, shared insights into the project's downfall with Entertainment Weekly. He described the initial excitement and inclusivity he experienced during discussions with Marvel, but lamented how the project eventually "went off the rails."

Originally announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, Blade was expected to hit theaters in November of the current year if all had gone according to plan. The film has seen multiple directors come and go, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, without any managing to see the project through.

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Despite the removal of Blade from Marvel's release schedule in October 2024 and the absence of a new release date, MCU boss Kevin Feige remains optimistic. A month after the film's removal, Feige reassured fans during 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."