Let's rewind time all the way back to 2019. Marvel took the world by surprise by announcing that a Blade movie set to star Mahershala Ali was coming our way. Unfortunately, seven years have gone by since that announcement, and the film hasn't come to fruition yet. Two different directors have dropped out of the project, there have been creative reboots, and there's still no telling when we'll see Blade take over the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Multiple reports have indicated that supernatural characters would be the stars of the MCU's next phase at the cost of being sidelined throughout the rest of the Multiverse Saga. That would explain why the likes of Werewolf by Night and Moon Knight made their debuts only to never be seen again. Superhero fans had assumed the same would hold true for Blade as well, but against all expectations, it seems we might see him on the big screen a bit sooner than anticipated.
Mahershala Ali's Blade will reportedly appear in Avengers: Secret Wars
According to scooper Jeff Sneider, Mahershala Ali will finally suit up as Blade in Avengers: Secret Wars, and he's "the only new guy" that audiences will see in the movie. That means that the other characters set to appear in the MCU crossover have already been introduced in previous projects.
It is no secret that Disney hasn't quite figured out the key to making Blade work on the big screen. Otherwise, his standalone movie would've already hit theaters by now. With that in mind, it would be a risky move to introduce him in a crowded crossover that won't be able to dedicate him as much screen time as the character needs. That being said, the Russo brothers are certainly up to the challenge.
Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Zemo all made their MCU debuts in Captain America: Civil War, an ambitious crossover with many moving pieces. Despite that, the second-ever MCU film directed by the Russo brothers managed to tell a cohesive story while welcoming the newcomers in pretty spectacular fashion. So history can certainly be repeated with Avengers: Secret Wars.
A big question to ask is how Blade will be introduced on the big screen. Thanks to the post-credits scene of Eternals, we know that Eric Brooks is living in the MCU. That alone rules out the possibility that he will come from an alternate universe, but also makes the Russo brothers' job a bit easier since the vampire is already active, meaning there's no need to tell an origin story.
It has been reported that many superheroes will be under Doom's control in Avengers: Secret Wars, with just a handful retaining free will. However, Eric Brooks is immune to mind control in the comic book world, so there's reason to believe a similar scenario could happen on the big screen. As such, Blade could be among the few remaining characters fighting for the fate of the multiverse, alongside other fan favorites such as Tom Holland's Spider-Man, Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, and more.
Of course, it's best to take all rumors with a grain of salt. After all, it would be more natural for Marvel to introduce Blade in a standalone project before making him a part of a bigger crossover. And even if the vampire hunter joins forces with a team, chances are that it would be the Midnight Sons and not the Avengers. However, we all know that Marvel likes to surprise audiences, and everything is fair game now that the multiverse is about to collapse.
Hopefully, Marvel will make an official announcement regarding Blade now that San Diego Comic-Con is just around the corner. But if that doesn't happen, it won't be long before we finally discover what surprises lie in store for Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
Avengers: Secret Wars will be released on Dec. 17, 2027.
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