Summary

Blade
reboot undergoes continuous changes, with Mia Goth potentially making her MCU debut in an unclear role amidst setbacks.
Mahershala Ali envisions
Blade
as his
Black Panther
, but production struggles with ongoing story changes and director exits.

Blade’s
troubled history includes multiple script rewrites, director changes, cast adjustments, and uncertain premiere date as Marvel seeks new director.

The long-awaited Blade reboot from Marvel has gone through a number of changes since its announcement in 2019, and it’s now been revealed that Mia Goth will perhaps make her MCU debut in the film, but her role currently remains unclear due to recent setbacks. Goth stars in the upcoming third entry in Ti West’s X franchise, MaXXXine, which is set to hit theaters on July 5, 2024. Following that, she’ll appear as The Bride in Guillermo del Toro’s reimagining of Frankenstein for Netflix, for which a release date has yet to be set.

As per a report from The Hollywood Reporter, Blade is still set to star Mahershala Ali, who “has envisioned Blade as his Black Panther, according to sources.” The troubled production, however, has gone through a number of story changes over the last five years, and per THR’s report, the version that was expected to shoot last year was set in the 1920s, and featured Mia Goth as “a vampire villain named Lilith who wanted the blood of Blade’s daughter.”

The latest update now has Blade taking place in the present day, and while Goth still remains attached to star in the film, it’s unclear at this point if she’ll still be portraying Lilith, the Marvel character known as the Mother of Demons who was first introduced in Ghost Rider #28 back in 1992.

Blade’s Troubled History, Explained

Blade was first announced in 2019 by Marvel boss Kevin Feige at San Diego Comic-Con, with Mahershala Ali attached to star as the titular vampire originally portrayed by Wesley Snipes. In 2021, Stacy Osei-Kuffour (Watchmen) was brought on board to write the film, with Bassam Taruiq (These Birds Walk) set to direct. However, by fall 2022, the creator of X-Men ‘97, Beau DeMayo, was brought in to pen his own take on the project, which was said to be a period piece, and Taruiq exited the film due to creative differences and continuous scheduling shifts.

Director Yann Demange (Lovecraft Country) was then tapped to helm the project, with a number of writers taking a stab at the script, including True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto, Michael Starburry (When They See Us), and Micheal Green (Logan). By June 2024, Eric Pearson (The Fantastic Four) was rewriting the screenplay once again, but in the midst of him trying to wrangle everything to get production back on track, Demange “amicably” waved goodbye to the film, as Taruiq did before him.

Related Mahershala Ali’s Rep Says Blade Delay Is ‘Craziest Thing in My Professional Experience’ Mahershala Ali’s representation, lawyer Shelby Weiser, can’t seem to fathom the countless delays her client’s MCU project has faced.

As of right now, Marvel is still searching for a new director as Pearson continues to work on the script, and it remains uncertain whether the film will make its 2025 premiere window, or if it will once again be delayed. As far as casting goes, Delroy Lindo and Aaron Pierre were at one point set to star alongside Mahershala Ali, but as per the THR feature, they have since been let go from the project. While Mia Goth is still attached to appear in the film according to sources, there’s been no confirmation from either Marvel or Goth’s representatives at this point to confirm if that is true.

The original
Blade
trilogy starring Wesley Snipes is available to rent or purchase on all VOD platforms.