Mahershala Ali's Blade Movie Project Appears to Be Dead

The much-anticipated Blade movie, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, seems to have hit a dead end, leaving fans disappointed. Despite years of anticipation and multiple obstacles, the project appears to have stalled indefinitely, dashing hopes of seeing Mahershala Ali portray the iconic Daywalker. This development is perhaps one of the most significant setbacks in the MCU's history.

Rapper and artist Flying Lotus, who was set to compose music for the film, recently confirmed on X / Twitter that Blade is no longer moving forward. "I guess we are so far from it even being a possibility now but. Yeah I was signed on to write music for the new BLADE movie before it fell thru," he stated. Flying Lotus, fresh off directing Shudder’s sci-fi horror ASH, expressed doubt about the project's revival but acknowledged it could have been a fun endeavor.

Just a day before Flying Lotus's tweet, renowned costume designer Ruth E. Carter, during an appearance on The John Campea Show, revealed she was slated to design costumes for Blade. She added that the film was to be set in the 1920s, promising unique and visually striking costume and production design.

Adding to the string of disappointing updates, actor Delroy Lindo, who was also attached to star alongside Ali, shared his thoughts on the project's collapse with Entertainment Weekly. "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input," he said. "And in the various conversations I had with producers, the writer, the director at the time, it was all leading into being very inclusive. It was really exciting conceptually, but it was also exciting in terms of the character that was going to form. And then, for whatever reason, it just went off the rails."

Blade was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, with an intended release in November of the current year. However, the project has seen a revolving door of directors, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, none of whom stayed with the film.

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Every Upcoming Movie and TV Show

View 18 Images

Despite the setbacks, it's surprising to note that it has only been six months since Blade was removed from Marvel's release schedule in October 2024, and no new release date has been confirmed. However, a month after the film was pulled, MCU boss Kevin Feige reassured fans of the studio's commitment to the project. "We are committed to Blade. We love the character, we love Mahershala's take on him. And rest assured: whenever we change direction with a project, or are still figuring out how it fits into our schedule, we let the audience know. You're all up to date on what's happening," he told Omelete in November 2024. "But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU."