Wesley Snipes made his debut in 1986 and quickly rose to prominence as a celebrated black actor in Hollywood. The 61-year-old actor had a diverse range of roles before embracing a superhero role in the Blade trilogy. The collaboration with Marvel proved mutually beneficial, boosting both the studio’s success and Snipes’ career.
However, it’s interesting to discover that Blade wasn’t Marvel’s first attempt to partner with the Demolition Man actor. Snipes’ initial refusal also could have had a significant impact on Marvel’s trajectory.
Wesley Snipes’ Black Panther Was A Possibility In The Early 90s
During the early 1990s, Wesley Snipes almost made a Black Panther movie. In 1992, when Marvel was grappling with financial struggles, they approached the King of New York actor to take on the role. Snipes had been riding a wave of consecutive successes at the time, with films like New Jack City, Jungle Fever, and White Men Can’t Jump. Snipes recounted:
“We didn’t have the technology we have now. Pixar didn’t exist. None of the things, the CGI capabilities that we have now existed, and you know, people… Even the thought of the name Black Panther in the zeitgeist of Hollywood had a reference to the national revolutionary group versus the comic book. So it was hard to make. Long story long, we didn’t end up making it, the rights went back, converted back, and then ‘Blade’ came along. [I] rocked with that.”
The Recall actor played a pivotal role in resurrecting Marvel from its struggling phase, portraying Eric Brooks / Blade in the trilogy that later contributed to Marvel’s $29B success. However, the fate of the now $2.19B Black Panther might have taken a different turn had the Coming 2 America actor chosen to pursue the role.
Wesley Snipes Was Supportive Of The 2018 Black Panther Movie
Although Wesley Snipes didn’t get the opportunity to make Black Panther or join the MCU’s version, the Game of Death actor endorsed the 2018 movie. The Detonator actor commended director Ryan Coogler‘s efforts to create a culturally impactful movie. Snipes conveyed to The Hollywood Reporter:
“Even though I am not a part of this particular project, I support it 1,000 percent, and I am absolutely convinced that it will be a catalyst for change and open other doors and other opportunities. We need that kind of diversity and different flavor now.”
Interestingly, Wesley Snipes had gone through three drafts of the Black Panther script. The Gallowwalkers actor’s commitment to the movie is evident, even though he struggled to find the right director. This dedication suggests Snipes invested significant effort into the project’s development.
However, given the context of the 1990s and the absence of the Avengers, the prospect of Black Panther thriving as a standalone film was precarious.
Source: Collider
