Mahershala Ali's Blade Movie Appears to Be Cancelled

The much-anticipated Blade movie, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, seems to have hit a dead end. The project, which promised to bring Mahershala Ali to the screen as the iconic Daywalker, has been mired in delays and setbacks, and now it appears to be indefinitely stalled. This development is particularly disappointing for fans, as it means they might never see Ali don the role of Blade.

This week, rapper and artist Flying Lotus took to X / Twitter to share his involvement in the project, revealing that he was set to compose music for the film before it fell through. "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, adding that while there's a slim chance the project could revive, he remains doubtful. Flying Lotus, who recently directed the sci-fi horror film ASH for Shudder, expressed his disappointment but also his hope that it might have been a fun endeavor.

Adding to the series of unfortunate updates, costume designer Ruth E. Carter, known for her work on Sinners, confirmed on The John Campea Show that she was slated to design the costumes for Blade. She revealed that the film was intended to be set in the 1920s, a setting that promised unique and exciting costume and production design opportunities.

Compounding the project's woes, actor Delroy Lindo, who was also cast to star alongside Ali, shared his perspective on the film's collapse with Entertainment Weekly. Lindo expressed that Marvel initially seemed very open to his input and that the project was shaping up to be inclusive and exciting. However, he noted that "for whatever reason, it just went off the rails."

Blade was first announced at San Diego Comic Con in 2019, with an intended release this coming November had everything gone according to plan. The film has seen multiple directors come and go, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, but none have stayed with the project long enough to bring it to fruition.

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Despite the setbacks, it's only been six months since Blade was removed from Marvel's release schedule in October 2024, and no new release date has been announced. However, just a month after the film was pulled, MCU head Kevin Feige reiterated the studio's commitment to the project. "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 told Omelete in November 2024. "But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU."