Summary
Marvel Studios, as per usual, has numerous projects in the pipeline, both on the streaming and theatrical side of things. However, one of them has reportedly been “nixed.”
Marvelfans have several projects to watch out for. This year alone, three superhero flicks are on the calendar.Captain America: Brave New Worldwas released on June 20, 2025.Thunderbolts*is set for release on June 04, 2025, andThe Fantastic Four: First Stepswill hit theaters on July 14, 2025. TwoAvengersmovies are also in the works. However, one of the movies that fans have been waiting for over five years may not see the light of day anytime soon.
Rodrigo Perez, a writer forThe Playlist, recently shared an update about MCU’sBladestarring Mahershala Ali. According to him, he heard news about the movie, and he believes it. However, he added a disclaimer that others could take it with a grain of salt and file it “under rumor for now.” According to him, the previous reports thatJohn Wickfilmmaker Chad Stahelski is attached to the project are not true because “the creative direction of ‘Blade’ has totally shifted.” TheBladereboot was announced at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con, with Ali appearing on stage wearing a cap printed with the word: “Blade.” According to Perez, Ali has been picky with the script but is still attached to the project.
While Mahershala Ali is still attached all these years later, despite some of the talk that he was being difficult about approving scripts, from what I’m hearing the “Blade” movie is essentially nixed for now.
The insider added that despite the changes, it doesn’t mean that there will be noBlademovie “someday.” He even compared it to theNovaseries, which was reportedly in development in 2023 but was among thethree Marvel shows canceled in February. According to Perez, although the development is being halted for now, fans could “still get it down the line.” As for Ali, the MCU will reportedly still use him and introduce him in other projects likeMidnight SunsorAvengers: Secret Wars. Between the two films, Perez was convinced that Ali would likely appear in the first film because Avengers doesn’t just add new characters randomly, considering its big ensemble casts. If Blade appears inSecret Wars, the source believes he will be “lost in that shuffle” and “not get a proper introduction.”
The news about the cancellation ofBlade, though still not confirmed, will surely leave many disappointed. Ali is a two-time Oscar winner, and fans have been looking forward to theBladereboot. His casting as the next human-vampire hybrid in the MCU is one of the most well-received announcements they’ve had. If his soloBlademovie does not see the light of day, it will feel like a wasted opportunity. However, the film being scrapped is also not a huge surprise because, over the years, the project has faced multiple script rewrites, director exits, and production delays.
However, some fans might welcome the cancelation, especially those loyal to the originalBladestar, Wesley Snipes. They have been skeptical about the reboot and prefer to leave the character alone rather than make a new version. Snipes just reprised the role in Ryan Reynolds' hitDeadpool & Wolverine movie, released in 2024. Many were so impressed by his performance that a report titled “Cancel Mahershala Ali’s Blade Movieand Bring Wesley Snipes’s Daywalker Into The MCU” was published. Snipes shared it on Instagram but just laughed it off, saying, “Y’all crazy! hahaha.” Snipes' latest appearance asBladealso paved the way for him tobreak two Guinness World Records— (1) the record for longest career as a live-action Marvel character, and (2) the record for the longest gap between character appearances in Marvel movies because he last portrayed the character inBlade: Trinity(2004). Based on the report, Ali’s fans will still see him as Blade, but not in a solo film. Hopefully, this will satisfy his fans if hisBladesolo movie really is canceled.
