Blade Trilogy Writer on MCU Reboot: 'Why the Delay?'

The writer of the Wesley Snipes' Blade trilogy, David S. Goyer, has expressed his readiness to assist Marvel chief Kevin Feige in revitalizing Mahershala Ali's stalled MCU reboot of the iconic vampire hunter. The much-anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe film has faced numerous setbacks, leaving fans and industry insiders questioning its future.

Last month, rapper and artist Flying Lotus took to X / Twitter to share his involvement in the project, revealing that the original vision for Blade has been abandoned. "I guess we are so far from it even being a possibility now but. Yeah I was signed on to write music for the new BLADE movie before it fell thru," he stated. Flying Lotus, who recently directed Shudder's new sci-fi horror ASH, expressed doubts about the project's revival but noted it would have been an exciting opportunity.

Just a day before Flying Lotus' tweet, Sinners costume designer Ruth E. Carter confirmed on The John Campea Show that she was set to design costumes for Blade, which was initially planned to be set in the 1920s. This setting would have offered a unique and visually stunning backdrop for the film's production and costume design.

Actor Delroy Lindo, who was also attached to star alongside Ali, shared his disappointment with Entertainment Weekly about the project's collapse. "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input," he said. "And in the various conversations I had with producers, the writer, the director at the time, it was all leading into being very inclusive. It was really exciting conceptually, but it was also exciting in terms of the character that was going to form. And then, for whatever reason, it just went off the rails."

Blade was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, with a planned release in November of the current year. However, the project has seen multiple directors come and go, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, without any progress.

In a recent interview with ScreenRant, Goyer, who wrote and directed the original Blade trilogy, expressed his confusion and eagerness to contribute to the reboot. "I would," he said when asked about writing the new Blade film. "I’ve always loved the character and I love him. I’ve been sitting on the sidelines wondering, ‘What in the world is going on? Why is it taking so long?’ Because I’m a huge Marvel fan myself, and I’ve just been totally puzzled."

It has been seven months since Blade was removed from Marvel’s release schedule, and no new release date has been announced. However, Kevin Feige reassured fans in an interview with Omelete in November 2024 that Marvel remains committed to bringing Blade to the MCU. "We are committed to Blade. We love the character, we love Mahershala's take on him. And rest assured: whenever we change direction with a project, or are still figuring out how it fits into our schedule, we let the audience know. You're all up to date on what's happening," he stated. "But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU."

Meanwhile, the MCU film Deadpool & Wolverine, which featured Wesley Snipes reprising his role as Blade in a cameo, was a massive success, grossing $1.3 billion globally. Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds has advocated for Snipes' Blade to receive a farewell film similar to Hugh Jackman's Logan. Reynolds credits the original Blade films with paving the way for the superhero genre, stating on X/Twitter, "There is no Fox Marvel Universe or MCU without Blade first creating a market. He’s Marvel Daddy. Please retweet for a Logan-like send-off."

Earlier this month, reports surfaced that Reynolds is in the "early stages" of developing a Deadpool and X-Men movie, as per THR. This ensemble film would feature Deadpool sharing the spotlight with three or four other X-Men characters, with Reynolds aiming to use these characters in "unexpected ways."

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