The production of the R-rated Blade reboot is experiencing another change within the MCU, leading fans to speculate that the vampire movie may never be released.
Despite its status as an MCU reboot of the 1998 Wesley Snipes-starring film about a half-human-half-vampire who hunts creatures of the night, the superhero movie has faced its fair share of challenges.
Despite its initial announcement in 2019 with Mahershala Ali set to play the lead role, the project has faced several obstacles, the most recent being the departure of its second director.
According to The Wrap’s exclusive confirmation, director Yann Demange, known for Top Boy, has stepped down from helming the MCU’s Blade. This marks the second departure from the project, following Bassam Tariq’s exit.
Additionally, the script for the new Blade film is currently being written by Eric Pearson, who joins a lengthy list of writers who have been involved with the project over the years. This list includes names such as Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Beau DeMayo, Michael Starrbury, Nic Pizzolatto, and Michael Green.
One can confidently state that yet another disappointment has caused fans to feel uneasy, as evidenced by one individual’s comment on the news: “This movie will never be released, might as well cancel it.”
“No… I believe they are simply biding their time until they can feature real vampires,”joked one person, as another chimed in, “How difficult can it be to create a film about a vampire hunter? It’s just such a disappointing mistake.”
Despite my usual optimism towards the MCU, I have to admit that every piece of Blade news for the past several years has given off a sense of impending disaster. Despite this, people have remained steadfast in their belief that this project will come to fruition. However, I am uncertain if it will indeed happen.
It is highly possible that we may see a Midnight Suns movie featuring Blade as the main character, and perhaps even a Disney+ project to introduce Blade and vampires into the larger universe beforehand. However, the prospects for a standalone Blade film in theaters seem bleak. Despite my desire to remain optimistic, it seems unlikely at this time.
According to an insider from The Wrap, the frequent changes within the MCU are attributed to their desire to perfect the reboot, particularly with their shift towards prioritizing quality over quantity.
During the Q2 2024 earnings call for Disney, CEO Bob Iger announced that he has been collaborating closely with the studio to decrease production and prioritize quality, especially in regards to Marvel.
“Our plan is to gradually decrease our volume and produce around two TV series per year, rather than the previous four. Additionally, we will be reducing our film output from four per year to a maximum of three, or possibly two.”
“We are diligently strategizing our future plans, with a few promising films slated for release in 2025. After that, we are eagerly anticipating the release of both Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars.”
In the wake of a disappointing 2023 for the MCU, the switch-up was implemented, as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Secret Invasion, and The Marvels all had underwhelming performances in their own unique ways.
Even though there are concerns about Blade’s potential, the Marvel horror movie is still scheduled to debut on November 7, 2025.
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