The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a large, interconnected franchise with plenty of moving parts. As a result, the studio has to plan its projects years in advance, ensuring everything fits together smoothly in the long run. But while adhering to a specific slate seemed effortless during the Infinity Saga, it has proved to be a more difficult task during the Multiverse Saga.
Planned projects like Armor Wars and the Okoye Disney+ show were canceled, while Kang the Conqueror was dropped as the new big bad to fear in the MCU in favor of Doctor Doom. Multiple changes have occurred, and plans have failed to materialize. But perhaps the most disappointing fate has been that of Blade.
Back in 2019, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced that a Blade film starring Mahershala Ali was set to be released in the near future. Fast-forward seven years, and not only is the project still eluding us, but Marvel isn't sure what to do with the character either.
Marvel is still trying to decide whether Mahershala Ali will play Blade in the MCU
According to reliable insider Alex Perez (via The Cosmic Circus), Marvel is still trying to figure out the future of Blade and whether Mahershala Ali will be part of it or not. Furthermore, the source also stated that one of the reasons the film never got made was that there was a lot of "push and pull" between Disney executives, Marvel executives, and Mahershala Ali—all of whom had different visions for the project.
While promoting his latest movie, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, Mahershala Ali made it very clear that he isn't doing Blade anymore and that he has "moved on" from the project. Of course, there's still a chance that Marvel makes a new deal with the two-time Oscar-winning actor, but the chances of that happening seem very slim. That being said, Blade still appears to be an instrumental part of the MCU's future.
For starters, it has been reported that Blade could be introduced in the MCU during the events of Avengers: Secret Wars, which will be released next year. Moreover, Moon Knight actor Oscar Isaac has stated that there have been talks to develop a Midnight Sons crossover, which would likely feature the vampire hunter. As if that wasn't enough, it has also been rumored that a Blade solo project is meant to be released as part of the buildup towards Midnight Sons.
It appears Marvel wants to expand the supernatural corner of the MCU moving forward, especially now that characters like Mephisto and Werewolf by Night have already been introduced. That's why a Ghost Rider film starring Ryan Gosling is one of the opening projects of Marvel's next phase. With that in mind, it shouldn't be long before we get an update on Blade's status in the MCU.
There's always the unlikely scenario in which Marvel decides to drop Blade's introduction on the big screen for the time being, while they figure out the right way to adapt the character in live-action. Of course, this would either mean that Midnight Sons would be pushed back even further to wait for Blade or that the iconic hero wouldn't be part of the supernatural team-up. However, new reports suggest that the crossover will come our way in 2029, so the idea of a delay seems more unlikely.
Only time will tell what will happen with Blade on the big screen. But for the time being, it seems Mahershala Ali won't ever kill vampires in the MCU, despite his film being one of the franchise's most anticipated projects at some point.
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