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The Blade reboot from Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige is set to expand the various horizons and corners of the MCU by introducing new characters, locations, and species, specifically vampires. There has been a lot of excitement and anticipation amongst fans since the film was announced at 2019's San Diego Comic-Con.
Two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali will portray the eponymous protagonist and make his physical debut in the MCU after having previously made a vocal cameo in Chloe Zhao's Eternals, where he encountered Kit Harrington's Dane Whitman in the film's post-credits scene.
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Ever since the film was announced, Blade has gone through multiple filming and production issues, such as the film's original director, Bassam Tariq, departing the project towards the end of 2022 owing to creative differences and Ali being reportedly unhappy with the script of the film. As a result, the film suffered from multiple production and filming delays.
However, it looks like Marvel is ready to kickstart the film's production if a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter is to be believed.
The production of Blade will likely commence by June 2023
As per a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter, Mia Goth, who was recently cast in Blade, is set to join the film's production in June 2023, indicating that principal photography would begin by then. This piece of news lines up with an earlier report from noted industry insider Daniel Richtman (Daniel RPK) that filming for the Mahershala Ali starrer will begin on May 30.
Earlier, Jeff Sneider, noted industry insider and host of The Hot Mic podcast, revealed that the film was facing a lot of setbacks in its pre-production, which could potentially result in another delay.
Sneider had expanded further on his March 9 episode of the podcast by claiming that Mahershala Ali wanted specific elements of the Blade reboot and its story to be carried out in a particular manner. He speculated that the actor's demands for the film were what was causing a delay in the production. He had said:
"Blade got a new director in November. Here we are, five months later, still no update on casting… See where I'm going with this stuff? Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali, two-time Oscar winner, these people want things done a certain way, right? And they carry the weight to get their way, and that sometimes causes delays."
Jeff Sneider had also revealed that one of the first drafts of the film was a 90-minute screenplay that only had two action sequences that were lackluster, which contributed to Mahershala Ali's frustration with the process, which in turn contributed to the production delays.
Blade plot and cast details
If one were to assume that Blade would be directly close to the comics, then the film would revolve around Eric Brooks the Daywalker, a vampire hunter with all the vampiric strengths and abilities but none of their weaknesses, such as weakness to sunlight. However, he does crave blood, like vampires, but in a very controlled manner.
The film's main plot is unknown, but according to a recent rumor from the outlet, The Illuminerdi, the first draft of the film by Stacy Osei-Koffur, saw it as a period piece set in the 1920s featuring European vampires. The rumor further stated that the draft also saw multiple time jumps to various periods post-1920s. However, this plot detail has not officially been confirmed by Marvel.
It remains to be seen how MCU would adapt gothic and supernatural creatures like vampires. However, the success of Werewolf by Night has shown that Marvel can deftly represent otherworldly, supernatural creatures within the family-friendly oriented world.
As for the film's cast, Mahershala Ali stars as Eric Brooks/Blade, alongside Delroy Lindo, Aaron Pierre, Milan Ray, and Mia Goth, in undisclosed roles.
The film is set to be directed by Yann Demange, known for his critically acclaimed television shows Dead Set and Top Boy and the independent film'71. Michael Starrbury will serve as the writer, replacing Stacy-Osei Koffour.
Blade will be released on September 6, 2024, following its delay from November 3, 2023. The film will serve as the final installment of MCU's Phase Five.
