Blade is coming to Marvel Studios and here’s how it could be glorious.
It’s been 15 years since we’ve seen Wesley Snipes’ Blade grace our screens. Though there have been some Daywalker sightings in cartoons and TV shows, (Sticky Fingaz played him for a handful of episodes in the short-lived 2006 TV series) since, nothing seems to last too long.
During the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel announced that Mahershala Ali will be the next actor to play the Daywalker. Fans of Blade have been waiting for years for another project starring the vampire hunter and the MCU sure picked one heck of an actor to play him.
Both Ali’s performances and his accolades highlight just accomplished he is, so there is no doubt that he’ll make a great Blade. But, other than those, what else do we need to make the character and the project’s success?
Blade is a character unlike the heroes we’re used to seeing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. First off, he’s a killer; if you’re on his list, he won’t hesitate to kill you. He doesn’t wear bright colors, he’s not really a team player, and he doesn’t follow any code but his own – it’s shocking that him and Captain America haven’t clashed in the Avengers comic book.
We’ve seen in the past that Blade movies can be successful, and in an age overflowing with countless comic book-based films and TV shows (thanks Marvel and DC), there is definitely a market for a reboot- if it’s done right.
But just what else needs to happen to make sure that it is done right?
Rated-R
Blade is one of the heroes in the Marvel Universe that works in the more grounded environment of the streets.
These heroes are referred to as Marvel Knights. Among them is Daredevil, Moon Knight (who needs a project), Punisher, and, of course, Blade. They’re not just protectors of the common man, they’re more violent than the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and Spider-Man. Yes, Blade may be an Avenger in the comics, but he is one of the more violent characters.
Marvel Studios projects may be PG-13 at heart, but Blade isn’t – and should remain that way.
Blade fights vampires and, since they aren’t easily dispatched, sometimes he has to get creative – we’ve seen this in the movies, as he once slipped the blade of his sword up his arm to stab the genetically enhanced vampire in Blade 2.
Furthermore, he’s also going to kill his fair share of vampire sympathizers and workers called familiars. Unlike the vampires, humans don’t turn to dust when they’re killed and it can get bloody.
Both this project and Ali have to be given the opportunity to be free from the restraints of the PG-13 rating. We’ve seen that mature comic book movies can work, thanks to the two Deadpool movies and Logan, and a PG-13 Blade movie would be doing the character a disservice.
Creative fighting and gadgets
Blade uses more than just his swords and guns. He has silver steaks, nunchucks, a variety of weapons that use ultraviolet light in them, and so much more. In addition, he’s proficient in multiple styles of unarmed martial arts and uses them all to his advantage. And then there’s the things he can do with his guns and throwing daggers. All of this makes him very dangerous to anyone who crosses his path.
With all that in mind, it’s really important that Blade’s fighting prowess is on display in the upcoming film. And not just his kicks and punches – there has to be some imagination in the choreography.
In previous Blade movies we’ve seen him use his motorcycle to help him kill his enemies. He even used it torture a vampire into giving him information. Moreover, he had a mace that sprayed garlic, a shuriken that came back to him after he threw it, and forms of tripwires he used to decapitate vampires.
If he’s just killing vampires in a normal way, he’ll seem like any other monster hunter. Random attacks and typical weaponry are some of the things fans look forward in any action movie. However, Blade’s array for attacks are top notch – so let’s hope the film reflects that.
Image Source: Marvel Digital Comics
Wise-@$$
If you weren’t familiar with Blade, you might think he was more like Frank Castle in that he doesn’t make jokes or talk very often. Well, this would be false. Blade may not run his mouth like Spider-Man or Deadpool, but he does talk a lot of smack during his adventures.
In all of the Blade movies, the Daywalker would make jokes or smile while dispatching of his enemies, which made them incredibly entertaining to watch. Moreover, in the Avengers comic book, he can also be seen talking smack to his enemies and even to his teammates.
This part of his personality is crucial. If the Daywalker is just killing people and not being fun, the project is going to be too grim – which is something that the DC Universe movies were often criticized for. He’s a dark character, but he has enough charisma to spare. Plus, his facial expressions are some of the best.
Blade is one of the reasons that the comic book movie genre still exists today as, without the success of the first two movies, we may not have gotten the three X-Men and Spider-Man films. Furthermore, before Guardians of the Galaxy debuted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Blade proved that lesser-known characters can indeed become popular if the script is done right.
Marvel Studios has been on a historic roll. Hopefully, the addition of the Daywalker will allow them to continue that success. One thing’s for sure, they certainly picked the right actor and time to announce him.