Marvel Studios made headlines when they announced the much-anticipated Blade reboot at the prestigious San Diego Comic-Con in 2019. This announcement was a significant moment for fans, and it’s hard to believe that it’s been six long years since that exciting reveal! While other Marvel projects showcased during that event, such as Eternals, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, have successfully hit theaters, Blade remains in limbo. During an engaging conversation with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, renowned writer David S. Goyer expressed his bewilderment at the challenges Marvel has faced in bringing Blade to life.

“I believe that the essence of Blade is rooted in a straightforward narrative. It’s not an intricate plot. When embarking on a cinematic journey like this, one must carefully distill what the core promise of the film is.” Goyer elaborated. “The expectation for a new Blade is that it should feature thrilling action sequences, evoke a sense of fear, possibly carry an R-rating (though that’s not a strict requirement), and maintain simplicity in its storyline. It’s baffling to me why this project has encountered so many obstacles. Mahershala Ali is an extraordinary talent, and the reasons for these delays elude me.“

In the interim, while the Blade reboot has struggled to get off the ground, the iconic original Daywalker, Wesley Snipes, made a triumphant return to the screen in Deadpool & Wolverine. Goyer acknowledged the nostalgia and excitement surrounding Snipes’ cameo, stating, “However, this situation complicates things if you’re aiming to launch another version of the character.“

The journey of the Blade reboot has been nothing short of tumultuous. Initially, it was set to be helmed by director Bassam Tariq, but Marvel raised concerns about whether he was the right fit for such a pivotal project. As a result, the studio provided Mahershala Ali with a list of possible directors, yet Ali chose to conduct his own search and ultimately selected Yann Demange. Unfortunately, Demange later exited the project as well. Blade was reportedly on the verge of commencing production in 2023 when the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike occurred, followed closely by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strike, which brought everything to a halt. Despite the strikes concluding, Blade has remained dormant. Notably, Delroy Lindo and Aaron Pierre, who were initially attached to the project, have since departed, leading to the hiring of new writers to revamp the script. As it stands, the film has been officially removed from Marvel’s release schedule, leaving fans to wonder when, or if, they will see Ali’s character again. Currently, Ali’s only contribution to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been a brief vocal cameo in the post-credit scene of Eternals.