Fans have been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see Blade join the MCU since it was announced that the vampire hunter would get a new movie under the Marvel Studios branding. The release date was originally in 2025, but it is safe to assume that is no longer true. It has been announced that the movie’s director, Yann Demange, has left the project, leaving it uncertain how much longer it will be until it arrives or even if Blade could be canceled now.
Another Serious Setback
It is not clear why Demange left or even if it was his decision. However, rumors surrounding the subject suggest there was no ill will between the director and Marvel. Yet, it does throw another unneeded obstacle in the path of Blade, which will now need a new director unless Marvel decides it should be canceled at this point.
Blade Has Lost A Director Before
This is not even the first time the project has lost its director. Bassam Tariq was the first person set to direct before leaving the film in 2022 over what is said to be creative differences. It does not look auspicious when a project loses two directors, has been stuck in development since 2019, and is supposed to be released next year. There has been no word of Blade being canceled, but the signs look ominous.
Mahershala Ali Is Still Blade
One positive note is that the film’s lead actor, Mahershala Ali, has remained on board through everything so far since joining in 2019. Losing the man playing Blade himself would be a conclusive death knell for the film being canceled. But with Ali remaining attached, that gives hope the movie will still wind up seeing the light of day, even if it does have to be postponed.
Blade Predates The MCU
With 1998’s Blade being one of the first times a major Marvel character was on screen, many fans have been eager to see the MCU finally offer its own version. It has been over 25 years since Wesley Snipes first portrayed Blade’s cinematic debut, and that is quite a long time for a character not to be rebooted in the world of comic book movies.
Spider-Man was hardly ever out of theaters once Tobey Maguire’s version broke down the door. So it would no doubt disappoint many to see Blade go back on the shelf if this latest movie did get canceled.
A Series Of Delays
Blade was already delayed upon losing Tariq in 2022. Then, the writer’s strike of 2023 delayed work on the film even further. It seems like a safe assumption that if Blade is not going to be canceled, Demange’s departure will, at the very least, spell a delay in the movie’s release, possibly beyond 2025. The search for the right director is not a decision that studios would make lightly.
Blade Might Never Come Out
Blade was also set to be part of the MCU’s willingness to try out R-rated movies, so it would be especially disappointing to see a potentially genre-shifting movie get canceled. Fans will doubtless be eagerly watching for updates about who could replace Demange and how soon production might be able to resume.
