Blade is one of the most anticipated projects in phase 5 of the Marvel cinematic universe (MCU), with the participation of Mahershala Ali – who won two Oscars with the projects Moonlight (2017) and Greenbook (2019). ). However, after half a decade of development, this project is still facing many difficulties as it constantly has to change directors and delay the production schedule. It is expected to be released on November 7, 2025, but so far, Blade has not yet begun filming.
The Blade project was announced by Marvel Studios at Comic-Con 2019
According to initial expectations, Blade is a film in phase 5 of the MCU – Photo: Internet.
Blade was first announced at San Diego Comic Con 2019, when Marvel Studios revealed a series of ambitious projects after Avengers Endgame. Actor Mahershala Ali also attended the event and wore a hat emblazoned with Blade's logo, as a way of proudly announcing that he would take on the role of Marvel's famous vampire hunter. At that time, Marvel Studios had not yet found a suitable director and screenwriter for the Blade project.
Many sources said that, according to the original plan, president Kevin Feige wanted to build Blade as a television series – a land that was still very new to Marvel Studios at that time. However, after Mahershala Ali proactively contacted them, they immediately changed their plans and wanted to turn Blade into a bigger, more “huge” project – an epic cinematic blockbuster that must be enjoyed. at cinemas. With the passion that Ali has shown for this movie, Marvel Studios knows they need to make Blade as carefully and seriously as possible.
Blade officially gets its first director and writer in 2021
The Blade production process encountered difficulties for many different reasons – Photo: Internet.
After exciting moments at Comic-Con 2019, Marvel Studios, as well as the entire world cinema industry, had to temporarily “sleep” for about a year due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. A series of their projects fell into a frozen state, including Blade.
It won't be until 2021 that Blade's production will start, with the participation of writer Osei-Kuffor (in February 2021) and director Bassam Tariq (in July 2021). Osei-Kuffor has been very successful with HBO projects such as PEN15 or Watchmen – a series that shows how effectively the female screenwriter can exploit complex stories in the vast superhero world. Meanwhile, Bassam Tariq has a slightly more modest track record, with his most notable work being Mogul Mowgli.
This can be considered a quite familiar move of Marvel Studios, when they choose directors and screenwriters who are not really famous but possess rich artistic works, such as Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck. or Jon Watts. This helps them bring new breeze to their movies, with the hope of creating many unique “dishes” for MCU fans in particular and Hollywood in general.
Blade appeared in the MCU in 2021
However, this appearance only has sound and no image – Photo: Internet.
Blade officially joined the MCU at the end of 2021 with a small cameo role, with only sound but no image, in the post-credits scene of Eternals. In this scene, Dane Whitman (played by Kit Harington), decides to seek the help of the heirloom sword Ebony Blade to rescue the muse Sersi from Celestial Arishem. This is also the sword that will turn him into the Black Knight like in the original Marvel comics.
However, the Ebony Blade is considered a voodoo weapon that can “swallow” the user's personality. Therefore, while Whitman was still wondering, a mysterious voice suddenly rang out to remind him that he needed to be really sure about his decision. Later, Marvel Studios confirmed that this voice was Blade's, and the post-credits scene of Eternals was also how they created the foundation for Mahershala Ali's character to join the MCU.
In the comics, Black Knight and Blade once appeared in a series about MI13 when both were related to a police organization in charge of paranormal phenomena in England. This also seems to be Marvel Studios' original intention when connecting these two characters together. However, with the unsatisfactory results of Eternals, combined with a series of difficulties in the Blade production process, that idea was likely canceled. Actor Kit Harington even shared that he was not sure whether Dane Whitman would return to the MCU or not, and what plans Marvel Studios has for this character.
Blade's filming plan was delayed in 2022, the first director decided to say goodbye to the project
According to initial expectations, Blade will premiere in November 2023 – Photo: Internet.
After having full manpower in hand, Marvel Studios confidently announced that it would launch Blade in November 2023, with filming set to begin at the end of 2022. However, their plan did not take place. It was advantageous to constantly have to delay, mainly due to changes in content creation as well as many behind-the-scenes conflicts. Marvel Studios had to postpone the filming schedule many times throughout 2023 and had to sadly accept that it could not meet the deadline as originally planned.
Those constant changes forced director Bassam Tariq to say goodbye to Blade. Reports indicate that the 37-year-old male director has no problem with changes in the plot and script. However, multiple delays in the filming schedule made him not want to be tied to this project. Withdrawing from the director position, Tariq is still attached to Blade as production director, thereby dispelling rumors about conflicts between him and male lead Ali.
At the end of 2022, Yann Demange, famous for the Lovecraft Country series, was chosen by Marvel Studios to direct Blade. Along with that is the presence of screenwriter Michael Starrbury. The filming schedule is reset for the summer of 2023, with the hope of a late 2024 release.
Production continues to be affected by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike
The large-scale strike of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA has affected many projects in Hollywood – Photo: Internet.
In April 2023, Mia Goth, star of Pearl and X, officially joined Blade as a villain. Many reports say that she will play Lillith, Dracula's daughter, and most likely the main villain of the film. Blade's cast at this time is quite complete, with many names like Delroy Lindo or Aaron Pierre.
However, Blade's production was once again hit hard when Marvel Studios brought in writer Nic Pizzolatto to edit Starrbury's script. After that, the WGA (Writers and Screenwriters Association of America) strike took place on a large scale, affecting many Hollywood projects, including Blade. Finally, the SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) strike broke out like the last straw, causing production of Blade to be temporarily suspended. term.
In 2023, Marvel Studios continues to recruit screenwriter Michael Green (who participated in the Logan project) to rewrite the entire script for Blade, with a new context and new story. The reason for this change is said to be because Ali was not satisfied with the previous setting (the 1920s) and wanted to build Blade in a more modern direction, similar to Black Panther. These changes once again pushed back Blade's release date to February 2025, and finally to November 2025.
Blade continues to say goodbye to the director and actors in 2024
Big changes in the production process have not let Blade go – Photo: Internet.
In early June, Marvel Studios confirmed that Yann Demange continued to be the second director to say goodbye to Blade. The main cause continues to be due to delays and constant changes in the production process. In addition, actor Aaron Pierre has also withdrawn from this project, while Mia Goth, although still continuing to accompany Blade, seems to not play Lillith as originally planned.
Screenwriter Eric Pearson, who has participated in projects such as Agent Carter, Black Widow or Thor: Ragnarok, is the latest name to join Blade's creative team. Choosing a screenwriter with experience in the MCU shows that it is likely that Marvel Studios will “rebuild and rebuild” the script for this film. Some information suggests that Blade will be developed in a completely different direction to lay the foundation for Midnight Sons, an ambitious project of Marvel Studios.
