Blade is one of the most anticipated projects in Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), featuring the talent of Mahershala Ali, a two-time Academy Award winner for his performances in “Moonlight” (2017) and “Green Book” (2019). However, despite the excitement, the project has faced numerous challenges, including continuous changes in directors and production schedules. Scheduled for release on November 7, 2025, Blade has yet to begin filming.
Blade was announced by Marvel Studios at Comic-Con 2019
Blade was first announced at the San Diego Comic-Con 2019 event when Marvel Studios unveiled a series of projects that would mark the next chapter following “Avengers: Endgame.” Mahershala Ali attended the event and donned a hat with the Blade logo, signaling his pride in taking on the iconic vampire hunter role within the Marvel universe. At that time, Marvel Studios had yet to find a director or a suitable screenwriter for the Blade project.
Many sources report that, according to initial plans, studio head Kevin Feige wanted to develop Blade as a superhero movie—a relatively new genre for Marvel Studios at that time. However, after Mahershala Ali expressed his interest in the role, the studio decided to pivot and wanted to transform Blade into a larger-scale project, a “blockbuster” that needed to be accurately represented on the big screen. With Ali’s passionate dedication to this film, Marvel Studios understood that they had to execute Blade with the utmost care and seriousness.
Blade officially got its first director and screenwriter in 2021
After an exhilarating announcement at Comic-Con 2019, Marvel Studios and the entire industry were forced to “rest” for nearly a year due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many projects, including Blade, fell into a state of uncertainty.
It wasn’t until 2021 that the production process of Blade began to gain traction, with the involvement of screenwriter Stacy Osei-Kuffour (in February 2021) and director Bassam Tariq (in July 2021). Osei-Kuffour had previously found success with HBO projects like “PEN15” and “Watchmen,” while Bassam Tariq is known for his more modest work, particularly “Mogul Mowgli.”
This casting reflects Marvel Studios’ inclination to choose directors and screenwriters who may not be widely recognized but possess significant artistic talent, similar to Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, or Jon Watts. This approach helps introduce fresh perspectives into their films, hoping to create unique “dishes” for MCU fans specifically and Hollywood in general.
Blade made its first appearance in the MCU in 2021
Blade officially entered the MCU at the end of 2021 with a minor voice cameo, appearing only audibly in the post-credits scene of “Eternals.” In this scene, Dane Whitman (played by Kit Harington) decides to seek help from the swordmaster of the Ebony Blade to rescue Sersi from the hands of the Celestial Arishem. This also marks the sword that transforms him into the Black Knight, as seen in the original Marvel comic.
However, the Ebony Blade is considered a mystical artifact that can “corrupt” its wielder. Therefore, while Whitman is still hesitant, a mysterious voice has urged him to be sure about his choice. Later, Marvel Studios confirmed this voice as Blade’s, and the post-credit scene of “Eternals” serves as a way to introduce Mahershala Ali’s character into the MCU.
In the comics, Black Knight and Blade have previously teamed up in a storyline involving MI13, where both were part of a police task force responsible for supernatural phenomena in the UK. This is also the initial direction of Marvel Studios in connecting these two characters together. However, with the poor box office results of “Eternals,” along with various difficulties in Blade’s production, this idea has likely been shelved. Actor Kit Harington also previously mentioned he was unclear if Dane Whitman would return to the MCU, and Marvel Studios is currently deliberating what to do with this character.
Blade’s filming schedule faced delays in 2022, with the director ultimately deciding to part ways with the project
After having the necessary personnel in place, Marvel Studios confidently announced that Blade would premiere in November 2023, with filming expected to start by late 2022. However, the project’s plans did not go smoothly due to continuous delays, primarily due to changes in creative direction and various behind-the-scenes conflicts. Marvel Studios had to reschedule filming several times throughout 2023, and they were reportedly struggling to meet the initial deadlines.
Due to ongoing changes, director Bassam Tariq had to announce his departure from Blade. Reports suggest that the 37-year-old director had no issues with the creative changes, but the repeated delays made him reluctant to remain on this project. Despite stepping away from the director’s role, Tariq remained closely connected to Blade in a producing capacity, which helped dispel rumors about conflicts between him and lead actor Ali.
By the end of 2022, Yann Demange, known for the series “Lovecraft Country,” was selected by Marvel Studios to take over as the director of Blade. Joining him is screenwriter Michael Starrbury. The filming schedule is now expected to start again in the summer of 2023, with hopes for a release by late 2024.
The production process continues to be affected by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes
In April 2023, Mia Goth, star of “Pearl” and “X,” officially joined Blade in a role that reportedly will see her as Lilith, the daughter of Dracula, potentially the main antagonist of the film. At this point, Blade’s cast had become quite complete, featuring notable names like Delroy Lindo and Aaron Pierre.
However, Blade’s production faced significant delays when Marvel Studios brought in screenwriter Nic Pizzolatto to revise Starrbury’s script. Following this, the WGA strike (Writers Guild of America) occurred on a large scale, impacting many Hollywood projects, including Blade. Ultimately, the SAG-AFTRA strike (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) also hit, causing Blade’s production to come to a halt indefinitely.
In 2023, Marvel Studios continued to recruit screenwriter Michael Green (who participated in “Logan”) to completely rewrite the script for Blade, along with a new storyline. The reason for this change was reportedly due to Ali’s dissatisfaction with the previous script (set in the 1920s) and a desire to build Blade in a more modern direction, similar to “Black Panther.” However, this change further delayed Blade’s release to February 2025, with the final date now set for November 2025.
Blade continues to part ways with directors and actors in 2024
At the beginning of June this year, Marvel Studios confirmed that Yann Demange would continue as the director, while the project faced further difficulties. The primary reason for the ongoing issues has been attributed to continuous delays and changes during the production process. Additionally, actor Aaron Pierre has also withdrawn from this project, while Mia Goth, despite continuing to be involved with Blade, is reportedly no longer portraying Lilith as initially planned.
Screenwriter Eric Pearson, known for his work on projects like “Agent Carter,” “Black Widow,” and “Thor: Ragnarok,” has been the most recent addition to the creative team of Blade. The decision to hire an experienced screenwriter in the MCU indicates that Marvel Studios is eager to “rebuild” the script for this film. Some reports suggest that Blade could be developed as part of the Midnight Sons project, a highly anticipated initiative by Marvel Studios.
