Not much of a surprise, Marvel Studios’ “Blade” has been nixed from Marvel/Disney’s release calendar and won’t be coming out on November 7, 2025. This in all likelihood means that the film will also not be going into production next month, which is the date that was being eyed all year.
There is currently no director attached to “Blade” — Yann Demange (“71”) recently exited the project. Two years ago, Bassam Tariq (“Mogul Mowgli”) had also called it quits. However, The InSneider had recently reported that Marvel was eyeing a specific director, no name was mentioned. It is definitely not Jeymes Samuel, although I did report that he was one of many filmmakers who had met with Marvel for the job.
The latest “Blade” draft, written by Eric Pearson, is still the current version being used if production does ever come to fruition. Pearson is, at least, the sixth writer to have taken a crack at the script after Michael Green, Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Michael Starrbury, Beau DeMayo and Nic Pizzolatto.
“Blade” was announced five years ago, at San Diego’s ComicCon, and has been plagued by an endless array of delays caused by COVID, strikes, casting and, most pertinently, scripting issues. The film was originally set in the 1920s, but will now take place in the present day.
Star Mahershala Ali, who will play the titular character, is said to have been “increasingly frustrated” by the whole process. Mia Goth is still attached to co-star as Lilith, a vampire seeking the blood of Blade’s daughter, but she’s had to contend with some of her fellow actors leaving the project, including Aaron Pierre and Delroy Lindo.
So, the never-ending saga of Marvel’s ‘Blade’ reboot continues. Suffice to say, this is turning into one of the most legendary and chaotic pre-productions in recent history. A making-of documentary should absolutely be made about the behind-the-scenes drama that has taken place these last five years.
Ritchie and Statham have collaborated on six movies so far in their careers, so this will be lucky number seven. The others include “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,” “Snatch,” and “Wrath of Man.”