By Chris Snellgrove | Published
Younger fans won't remember this, but there was a time when Marvel's most successful movies had nothing to do with superheroes. In the late 1990s, for example, the first Black Men launched to great success, a buddy space cop starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Believe it or not, this was based on a comic franchise that Marvel acquired the rights to back in 1994. However, the late 1990s also saw the introduction of another successful and well-known Marvel superhero: Blade! Thanks to a jaw-dropping performance from Wesley Snipes, Blade was hacking its way into theaters years before X-Men or Spider-Man.
Once the Marvel Cinematic Universe came out, fans eagerly awaited the launch of Blade. However, that wait continues: despite acquiring the rights, developing several scripts, and casting Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali as the titular vampire, this actor has never seen the light of day in the MCU without a recorded voice in the MCU. Forever. Now, the trusted superhero scooper says we'll finally see Ali's Blade make his proper screen debut in Avengers: Secret Wars. However, between the actor's age and the ongoing issue of superhero fatigue, it may be too late to finally bring Blade into the MCU.
Marvel Is Always Trying To Iceskate
Marvel Studios acquired the rights to Blade back in 2011. Why, then, haven't we seen the character in the MCU yet? One of the reasons is that it took a long time to figure out who should play the character. Wesley Snipes was very interested in reprising his role, but nothing happened after years of negotiations until later Deadpool and Wolverine. Currently, Luke Cage Star Mahershala Ali was interested in the role, and after receiving the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for The Green Bookhe stopped a The Black Panther-Blade movie style in Marvel. He was hired, but his proposed film has spent more than half a decade in development hell.
In those years, there have been many Blade writers (including Stacy Osei-Kuffour and X-Men '97 head writer Beau DeMayo) and multiple directors (including Bassam Tariq and Yann Demange). Several actors have been hired, but only Ali and Mia Goth are still attached to the project. Earlier this year, the reliable Jeff Sneider reported that Marvel had canceled plans for the solo show. Blade movie entirely. But that doesn't mean we'll never see an MCU rebirth of the character. At Schneider's Hot Mic podcast, recently reported that Ali's Blade will appear in upcoming ensemble blockbusters Avengers: Secret Wars.
The Sharpest Blade
It makes sense that Mahershala Ali's Blade would appear Avengers: Secret Wars. Like the recent comic of the same name, this film is strongly rumored to reboot the MCU, which could allow for the reprise of key roles (such as Captain America and Iron Man, both of which Kevin Feige said will eventually be played by other actors). Perhaps more importantly, the reboot will allow for major changes to the cinematic universe, such as explaining why the X-Men and other genetics are now superpowers. The reboot could also introduce vampires properly into the MCU, which would pave the way for the introduction of Blade, a vampire who hunts his own kind.
Like big fan of the original Blade movies, I can't help but think Ali's Blade is coming Avengers: Secret Wars too little, too late. First, the big drop: fans were hoping for a standalone MCU Blade the film is about two decades, and after filling in ideas for at least three movies, the best Marvel can do is give him a cameo in an already crowded movie? Like, it was disappointing enough that everything we got from Blade went in Forever it was a voice message. Now, we'll finally see him on screen, but it's likely to be a small cameo inserted somewhere between a dozen, more established characters.
Everything's Falling Down (Again)
Another problem is that this is set up for a payment that we probably won't get. Last year, Variety reported that Marvel executives had no sense of urgency to make a Blade film because hero fatigue had begun to eat away at the studio line. Apparently, Kevin Feige hopes so Avengers: Doomsday again Avengers: Secret Wars it will make hero fatigue a thing of the past. But what if that doesn't work out? They'll be left with the same problem, introducing a new character whose solo film may ultimately fail to generate the kinds of box office hits Marvel is hoping for.
Finally, the elephant in the room is Mahershala Ali's age. He's 52, and if Jeff Sneider is right about his upcoming Marvel appearance, the actor will be 54 at the time. Secret Wars he goes out. When Wesley Snipes first played Blade, he was 37; Ali a lot older, and may have trouble pulling off the complex fight choreography the character is known for. Also, Marvel is very fond of making its main characters sign 10-year contracts to appear in various sequels and spinoffs. So even if Ali is big in the role in a few years, it'll be hard to see him doing kung-fu vampire-slaying moves well into his '60s.
But hey, I could be wrong about this. The audience loved seeing 55-year-old Hugh Jackman cutting his way Deadpool and Wolverine and they are eager for him to return. And, when it comes to a character as cool as Blade, Marvel could do a lot worse than Ali, an Oscar-winning actor. always he gives 110 percent to his activities. Maybe the stars will align, and I'll finally see him in the title role of his Blade movie. With any luck, that will happen sooner both we rock AARP membership!
