Six years after Marvel surprised followers by saying Mahershala Ali as its new Blade, the reboot nonetheless has not made it to the massive display. Now, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige is getting candid in regards to the challenge’s rocky journey and admits he’s simply as disenchanted as followers.
In accordance with Folks, Feige addressed the long-delayed movie throughout an look on the Glad Unhappy Confused podcast, the place host Josh Horowitz jokingly requested how a lot “remedy” the Marvel boss had wanted over Blade.
Somewhat than dodge the query, Feige leaned into the joke earlier than providing one among his most sincere feedback but in regards to the troubled manufacturing.
“I’m feeling very excited that we obtained Wesley again for a time in Deadpool & Wolverine and like a huge loser and failure that we didn’t get off the bottom with Mahershala,” Feige admitted.
That confession is more likely to hit Marvel followers arduous, particularly contemplating how a lot pleasure surrounded Ali’s shock look at San Diego Comedian Con in 2019. Ali walked onstage with a Blade cap to formally announce he would inherit the long-lasting vampire hunter function from Wesley Snipes.
Sadly, the reboot has since develop into one among Marvel’s most notorious improvement complications. The challenge cycled by a number of writers and administrators, skilled repeated launch date delays, and underwent a number of artistic overhauls earlier than Disney finally eliminated it from its theatrical calendar in late 2024.
Feige beforehand defined that Marvel refused to maneuver ahead except the movie met the studio’s more and more excessive artistic requirements.
“We didn’t need to merely simply put a leather-based outfit on him and have him begin killing vampires. It needed to be distinctive,” he mentioned in 2025. “Solely settle for insanely nice.”
Feige added that Marvel didn’t really feel assured it may elevate the script throughout manufacturing, saying the studio “didn’t need to try this to Mahershala Ali and didn’t need to try this to us.”
Ali, nevertheless, has by no means publicly backed away from the function. Throughout an interview with Selection in 2025, the two-time Academy Award winner shared that he’s nonetheless ready on the decision.
“Name Marvel,” Ali mentioned. “I’m prepared. Allow them to know I’m prepared.”
With Spider-Man: Model New Day arriving later this month and Avengers: Doomsday following later this 12 months, Marvel has loads on its plate. Nonetheless, Feige’s feedback recommend Blade has not been forgotten.
Whether or not the reboot lastly rises from the grave stays to be seen, however followers are nonetheless able to see Mahershala Ali choose up the sword, and so is he.
Take a look at this clip from the interview beneath:
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