Credit: New Line CinemaIs this goodbye to the highly-anticipated Blade plan?
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After Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man/Tony Stark’s selfless sacrifice and Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers passing the Captain America mantle to Anthony Mackie’s Falcon/Sam Wilson, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is now gearing up to face even greater challenges.
The Avengers are all but defunct and the remaining superheroes of Earth stand at the threshold of confronting monumental trials as the franchise grapples with the Multiverse Saga, spanning Marvel Studios’ Phase Four, Phase Five, and Phase Six. This expansive storyline will come to a head with the upcoming releases of Avengers 5, (formerly Avengers: The Kang Dynasty) and Avengers 6, Avengers: Secret Wars in the MCU future.
Marvel President Kevin Feige is keen to recenter the MCU to a more “grounded” and “street-level” approach following the firing of Kang the Conqueror actor Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country).
Key to that plan is the inception of Spider-Man/Peter Parker star Tom Holland, whose upcoming Spider-Man 4 will follow up Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), and Charlie Cox’s Daredevil/Matt Murdock, who will reportedly lead this street-level team.
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On the flip side is the MCU’s “supernatural-level” team — slated to introduce a rumored United Kingdom (UK)-based Avengers, likely centered around the supernatural-leaning Midnight Sons team from the Marvel Comics.
Central to that team? Mahershala Ali’s half-vampire, half-human vampire hunter Blade, and his MCU reboot period film of the same name.
Unfortunately, that entire production plan might just be getting flushed away, according to reports from Marvel insiders.
Marvel’s Blade Plan Scrapped?
Positioned as a significant addition to the MCU, the upcoming Blade film promised to reimagine the Blade film series previously led by Wesley Snipes. Following the departure of former director Bassam Tariq, director Yann Demange came aboard, poised to offer a fresh take on the iconic character.
The original plan would have introduced the vampiric hero teased at the end of 2021’s Eternals within a historical, period setting, taking a risk and setting a new tone for the modern superhero-oriented Marvel studio.
According to Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK), a known Hollywood and Marvel insider, Blade’s earlier plan to be set in the 1920s has been scrapped by Disney and Marvel Studios. The new version of this movie is reportedly being moved to the modern-day MCU, as well as being tied into the upcoming Midnight Sons show. The update, shared by Cosmic Marvel from Richtman’s subscription feed, reads as follows:
‘BLADE’ will reportedly be set in modern day #MCU and will tie into a ‘MIDNIGHT SONS’ project.
Michael Green wrote the final script.
(via @DanielRPK)
‘BLADE’ will reportedly be set in modern day #MCU and will tie into a ‘MIDNIGHT SONS’ project.
Michael Green wrote the final script.
(via @DanielRPK) pic.twitter.com/7pkQezphYq
— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) April 17, 2024
Fans on social media like X (formerly Twitter) did share some sadness at the alleged scrapping of the 1920s-set Blade film, but still have high hopes for the project:
@Gupremes: 1920’s setting Blade movie would’ve hit different hopefully there’s some flashback still have hope this will be 🔥
1920’s setting Blade movie would’ve hit different hopefully there’s some flashback still have hope this will be 🔥
— Gupremes (@Gupremes) April 18, 2024
Vampires in a superhero movie? What’s not to love?
In the upcoming MCU Blade film, Mahershala Ali takes on the role of Eric Brooks, AKA Blade. Joining him in the cast are John West Jr. as DEE, with Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, and Delroy Lindo in currently undisclosed roles.
The upcoming new Blade movie would likely set up the MCU variants of the Midnight Sons superhero team from the comic book world — with Kit Harington’s Ebony Blade-wielding Black Knight and Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight also set to take the stage.
Others likely to join this supernatural-level hero team are Sorceress Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata), set to debut in WandaVision sequel Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, Ghost Rider (rumored to be Nicolas Cage reprising his role), and potentially even Morbius the Living Vampire (Jared Leto in the Sony Spider-Man Universe, or SSU).
Interestingly, the Marvel Comics had Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch in the MCU) also join the team later.
In the original Blade film series, key characters include Blade (Wesley Snipes), a half-vampire vampire hunter; Whistler (Kris Kristofferson), his mentor and weaponsmith; Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff), the primary antagonist; Karen Jenson (N’Bushe Wright), a hematologist in search of a cure; Hannibal King (Ryan Reynolds), a former vampire hunter; and Abigail Whistler (Jessica Biel), Whistler’s daughter and a skilled vampire hunter introduced in Blade: Trinity.
Are you excited about the upcoming Blade MCU movie? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!