Mahershala Ali's Blade Movie Likely Canceled

The much-anticipated Blade movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe appears to have reached a dead end. Despite years of development and multiple hurdles, the project seems to have stalled indefinitely, dashing hopes of seeing Mahershala Ali take on the role of the iconic Daywalker. This could be one of the most significant setbacks in the MCU's history.

This week, rapper and artist Flying Lotus took to social media to confirm the film's demise. "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 shared on X / Twitter. The DJ, who recently helmed Shudder's sci-fi horror ASH, expressed doubt about the project's revival but noted it would have been an exciting endeavor.

The day before Flying Lotus' announcement, costume designer Ruth E. Carter revealed on The John Campea Show that she was set to work on Blade before its production collapsed. She mentioned that the film was intended to be set in the 1920s, which would have offered unique opportunities for both costume and production design.

Adding to the string of disappointing news, actor Delroy Lindo, who was also attached to the film alongside Ali, discussed the project's downfall in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly. "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input," Lindo 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 this year if all had gone according to plan. The film has seen several directors come and go, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, but none have stayed on to see the project through.

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Given the tumultuous journey of this adaptation, it's surprising to learn that it has only been six months since Blade was removed from Marvel's release schedule in October 2024. No new release date has been confirmed. However, a month after the film's removal, MCU boss Kevin Feige reassured fans of 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."