Marvel is known for being two steps ahead of the game, planning multiple movies and TV shows for years to come to keep audiences entertained with countless superhero stories. However, sometimes even the most detailed plans can go awry, and we've seen that scenario play out multiple times throughout the years.
Inhumans was supposed to be a big movie that would introduce countless heroes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe just in time for Avengers: Endgame. Furthermore, an Armor Wars live-action project was canceled, while Avengers: The Kang Dynasty had to be delayed and reworked into Avengers: Doomsday after Kang's sudden departure. However, perhaps one of the most disappointing cancelations was Marvel's Blade.
Back at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige took over the stage to announce that Mahershala Ali would play Blade in a new standalone film. Unfortunately, years went by, and the project was delayed and went through several directors, while its fate remained up in the air. Feige eventually revealed that he felt like a "gigantic loser and failure" after being unable to get the movie off the ground. Now, Mahershala Ali himself has delivered the final nail in the coffin.
Mahershala Ali confirms he's not playing Blade in the MCU anymore
During an interview with Deadline to promote his upcoming film, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, Mahershala Ali was asked whether there's still a chance to see him as the iconic vampire hunter in the MCU, but he quickly shut down those dreams:
"I'm done. I'm doing this [Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother] and anything else moving forward. So, like, yeah. I'm over that. I'm done with that."
Furthermore, he revealed that he trained for over a year to portray Eric Brooks on the big screen, and while that time and effort didn't translate into the making of the Blade movie, it was very useful in making Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother:
"[I trained for Blade] for a little more than a year. And you know, I'm actually really grateful. They [Marvel] helped pay for our movie, so thank you (...) There's no way we could've did this film, and I got to go train for a year, you know. So, at this point, I'm so grateful that they made a wonderful contribution to our film."
While disappointing, these comments don't come as a surprise. Mahershala Ali previously stated that he "moved on" from Blade after Marvel failed to produce the movie seven years after its initial announcement. Furthermore, it seems the studio hasn't quite figured out yet what it wants to do with the character.
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother director Bassam Tariq was once attached to helm the Blade film. During an interview with The Wrap, Tariq revealed that his Marvel script was partially set in the 1920s. But after some unmade iterations, the studio eventually landed on a modern-day setting for Eric Brooks, and even that idea wasn't enough to get the project off the ground.
Despite the character's grim fate, there are rumors swirling around suggesting that Mahershala Ali will make his debut as Blade in Avengers: Secret Wars, and that the actor's most recent comments are just a way to keep the surprise under wraps (much like Andrew Garfield did before his return in Spider-Man: No Way Home). While an interesting possibility to consider, it's more likely that Marvel will simply introduce a new version of the character in the future, portrayed by someone else. After all, Moon Knight actor Oscar Isaac revealed that there have been behind-the-scenes conversations to create a Midnight Sons crossover, and Blade is likely to be in it.
Only time will tell what's in store for the iconic vampire hunter. In the meantime, it's best to assume Mahershala will, unfortunately, not be Eric Brooks on the big screen despite the original announcement made seven years ago. But with a bit of luck, the MCU's next saga will have a stronger sense of direction, meaning newly introduced or announced characters won't simply be relegated to the sidelines, never to be seen again (which was one of the main problems plaguing the Multiverse Saga).
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