In a recent announcement, Disney confirmed a new release date for the highly anticipated Blade movie featuring the talented Mahershala Ali. This announcement, unfortunately, revealed yet another delay for the film, adding to the series of challenges it has faced in its production journey.
As part of Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Blade joins other MCU films like Captain America: New World Order and Daredevil: Born Again. Mahersha Ali will be seen in the lead role while rumors are suggesting that Mia Goth might take on the role of Lilith, although this has not been officially confirmed.
Blade’s Release Date Postponed For Another Year
The release date for Marvel Studios’ Blade, featuring the talented Mahershala Ali, has undergone yet another change. Originally slated for a September 6, 2024 release, the highly anticipated film will now tentatively hit the theaters on February 14, 2025. This shift in the schedule follows a series of challenges and delays during the production process.
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Blade faced disruptions and had to navigate through various obstacles. While rumors were circulating about production starting on May 30, ongoing issues, including the Writer’s Guild strike, forced a temporary halt to pre-production activities.
The latter part of 2022 turned out to be a tumultuous time for Blade, ticked off by the exit of director Bassim Tariq. As a result, the release date that was initially pushed from November 3, 2023, to September 6, 2024, has now been further rescheduled to February 14, 2025. We don’t know if this date will be the final release date or not.
Marvel Delays The Release Of 5 More Movies
It seems like not only Blade but Marvel Studios recently made significant changes to its release schedule by delaying six upcoming movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). These delays have become common post the COVID-19 pandemic, as the film industry continues to navigate the challenges and uncertainties it brought.
Marvel Studios has been adjusting its release strategy in response to feedback and some backlash from passionate MCU fans whose expectations for Phase 5 were not fully met.
The first film to bear a delay in its release date was The Marvels, which was initially slated for July but was pushed back to November. This marked the beginning of a larger wave of changes to the MCU timeline.
In a recent news announcement by The Hollywood Reporter, it was confirmed that Marvel Studios has delayed the releases of five upcoming movies in the Multiverse Saga. These adjustments come amidst an ongoing Writers’ Guild strike and other factors that influence production schedules and creative decisions.
It is worth noting that Deadpool 3 also encountered a change in its release date, but in this case, the movie’s premiere was moved ahead from November 8, 2024, to May 3, 2024. Here’s the list of MCU films that have been postponed.
Captain America: Brave New World
Captain America: Brave New World, originally slated to be the second-to-last film in Phase 5, has been pushed back in its release date. The movie was supposed to hit theaters on May 3, 2024, but now fans will have to wait a little longer due to the new release date announced which is July 26, 2024, almost three months after its original date.
Thunderbolts
Not long after starting its production, Thunderbolts, the much-anticipated team-up movie showcasing a memorable roster of anti-heroes and reformed villains, encountered an unforeseen obstacle. Marvel’s ambitious endeavor to bring this iconic group into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was temporarily halted due to the ongoing writers’ strike. Consequently, the film’s initial release date of July 26, 2024, had to be rescheduled to December 20 of the same year.
Fantastic Four
Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four has generated an incredible amount of hype, making it no surprise that the film has secured Marvel’s prestigious release slot at the beginning of May. The original date of February 12, 2025, has been shifted to May 2, 2025, indicating the studio’s confidence in the project. Marvel has a history of launching major releases in May, including iconic films like Iron Man, the Avengers series, and most recently, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. This track record sets a promising stage for the MCU’s first foray into Marvel’s beloved First Family.
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty
After securing the May 2, 2025 release slot for Fantastic Four in the MCU, it was only natural for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to follow suit. The highly-anticipated film has been rescheduled to May 1, 2026, aligning it with the release dates of its four predecessors. Despite the challenges posed by Jonathan Majors’ court case, Marvel fans are eagerly anticipating the return of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and are excited to witness their epic assembly once again when the movie finally arrives.
Avengers: Secret Wars
Just as expected, the delay of Avengers: Secret Wars seemed inevitable given the previous release date adjustments. Marvel’s intention to give this sixth installment the same level of prominence as its predecessors decided to shift the sequel from May 1, 2026, to May 7, 2027, a logical step as the Multiverse Saga approaches its conclusion.
The MCU will be back in the theaters with The Marvels, which arrives on November 11 and Blade will release on February 14, 2025.
Source: The Direct
