Marvel’s Blade was a ground-breaking effort during the turn of the century for more than one reason.
First and foremost, Wesley Snipes’ unique hero Blade, a part-vampire and part-mortal, who becomes a vampire hunter to protect human beings brought forth a very refreshing action flick in the era where Hollywood studios seemed obsessed with making romantic comedies.
Secondly, the 1998 hit kick-started a franchise that made more than $400m across three movies and established itself as Marvel’s first successful franchise. Moreover, it paved the way for more Marvel comic book adaptations.
Why John Boyega Didn’t Want to Work in Blade Reboot
In Blade Wesley Snipes’ character fought against vampires, Blade 2 saw him partner with vampires to finish the Reapers, and Blade: Trinity featured an alliance between Blade and Nightstalkers.
Across the three movies in the space of six years (1998 to 2004), plots changed, the directors changed, and even the majority of the supporting cast changed but Snipes kept reprising the role brilliantly, making the character his own.
Once Marvel Studios regained the rights to the Blade property from New Line Cinema in 2012 and decided to bring another Blade chapter, the issue of finding the new vampire hunter arose.
Snipes, who’s now in his 60s, certainly can’t be expected to show off Blade’s superhuman strength, stamina, and fighting skills. Moreover, reports of a few uneasy encounters during the filming of Trinity, which also featured Ryan Reynolds, suggested his return was always going to be tough.
In 2018, during AwesomeCon, a fan asked Star Wars actor John Boyega his thoughts on carrying forward the franchise as Blade. Boyega said the opportunity would be like a “spit in the face of Wesley [Snipes]”, although he added that “meetings with Marvel about potentially taking on a Marvel superhero” have taken place.
In 2019, Marvel chief Kevin Feige announced that Mahershala Ali will be taking the reins to hunt vampires in the Blade reboot.
Read more: John Boyega’s $51.8B Star Wars Franchise Debut Was in Danger Due to Tom Cruise
What’s Going On With Mahershala Ali’s Blade Reboot
The Moonlight star, who has won two Oscars for Best Supporting Actor, is certainly a high-profile and talented enough addition to succeed a strong figure like Snipes, but the way the movie’s production and release date is getting pushed back farther and farther, one shouldn’t hold their breath to see the vampire hunter back in action anytime soon.
The reboot was initially scheduled to hit the theaters in the second half of 2023. Then it was pushed to September 6, 2024, before getting a release date of February 14, 2025. The face-off between humans and vampires on the V day would certainly be a poetic occasion.
However, considering the ongoing actors and writers strike in Hollywood, it would be best to reserve your Valentine’s Day one and a half years down the road for something else, for now at least.
The good news for Blade fans is that more cast members have been confirmed including Pearls’ Mia Goth and The Good Fight’s Delroy Lindo.
Source: NME
