Mahershala Ali's Blade Movie Project Seems Cancelled

The much-anticipated Blade movie, set to be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has seemingly hit a dead end. After years of facing numerous challenges, the project appears to have stalled indefinitely, dashing hopes of seeing Mahershala Ali portray the iconic Daywalker. This development represents a significant setback for the MCU.

Rapper and artist Flying Lotus recently confirmed the project's demise on X (formerly Twitter). He revealed that he was set to compose the music for the film before it 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 also directed the new sci-fi horror film ASH on Shudder, expressed doubts about the project's revival but noted that it would have been an exciting opportunity.

Adding to the series of unfortunate updates, costume designer Ruth E. Carter shared during an appearance on The John Campea Show that she was tasked with designing costumes for Blade. She revealed that the film was intended to be set in the 1920s, promising unique and intriguing costume and production designs.

Actor Delroy Lindo, who was also attached to the film alongside Mahershala Ali, spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the project's collapse. He mentioned feeling included and excited about the film's potential, both conceptually and in terms of character development. "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input," Lindo said. "And in the various conversations I had with producers, the writer, the director at the time, it was all leading into being very inclusive. It was really exciting conceptually, but it was also exciting in terms of the character that was going to form. And then, for whatever reason, it just went off the rails."

Blade was announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, with an original release planned for November of the current year. The film has seen multiple directors come and go, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, without any managing to stay with the project.

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Despite the film being removed from Marvel's release schedule in October 2024, it has yet to be rescheduled. However, MCU boss Kevin Feige remains optimistic. Just a month after the film was pulled, Feige emphasized the studio's commitment to the project during an interview with Omelete in November 2024. "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," he said. "But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU."