Marvel’s vampire hunter may appear in Deadpool & Wolverine, though the recent theory regarding his appearance raises some important questions.

Speculation that Blade will appear in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe entry Deadpool & Wolverine has only increased over time – but the theories around this appear to have some flaws. When looking at the story of Deadpool & Wolverine and its multiversal leanings, there is precedent for the character appearing in the film: Ryan Reynolds famously starred in Blade: Trinity alongside Wesley Snipes 20 years ago. However, one more recently released image has suggested that a different version of the half-vampire hero may be appearing in the film.

Blade has been an essential figure in Marvel storytelling, and established a horror franchise in cinemas when few other comic-book properties were finding success. This has elevated the character in the public eye, and audiences now eagerly await the hero’s entrance to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the upcoming Blade movie. Unfortunately, the film has hit a few problems, including losing its second director. However, this has made audiences even hungrier for the hero’s potential debut in the MCU timeline via Deadpool & Wolverine.

Marvel Fans Think Deadpool & Wolverine Revealed A Blade Variant

There Are Many Blades To Choose From

A character who looks very much like Blade has been revealed in a recent still from the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine. In the image, the titular characters stand in a wasteland set in costume with various characters surrounding them. If audiences look over Deadpool’s shoulder, they are able to see a bald man wearing a black trenchcoat. Speculation surrounding this has led some to believe that this character is, in fact, Eric Brooks, AKA Blade. When looking at the broad range of actors cast in Deadpool, the inclusion of Blade seems very much possible.

This is obviously not Wesley Snipes in the picture, leading discourse to notice that the man revealed in the image looks closer to the Blade that appeared in the short-lived CW program Blade: The Series. The 2006 series picked up Blade’s story following his film trilogy and featured Sticky Fingaz, AKA Kirk Jones, in the titular role. The series received a mixed response and only ran for 13 episodes. It has since been mostly forgotten, making the inclusion of Sticky Fingaz as the character a strange possibility.

Ryan Reynolds’ History With Blade Explained

The Actor Starred in 2004’s Blade Trinity

There is valid reason to consider an appearance by Blade in Deadpool & Wolverine due to Ryan Reynolds’ history with the character. Before becoming the household name he is today, Reynolds appeared as Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity alongside Wesley Snipes and Jessica Biel. The final installment in Snipes’ Blade trilogy, Blade: Trinity matched the original movie’s box office but was panned critically. To date, it is generally considered the weakest entry in a Blade trilogy that still holds up in many regards.

In addition, talk of production issues circled the film’s legacy, with rumors rising that there were tensions between Wesley Snipes and David Goyer – the movie’s writer – as well as between Snipes and Reynolds himself. This has played a role in discussions concerning whether Blade will appear in the latest Deadpool movie, as following this, it might make sense for the film to feature a cameo by Sticky Fingaz rather than Wesley Snipes.

Why I Don’t Think That’s Blade In Deadpool & Wolverine’s Promo Images

The Marketing For The Marvel Movie Has Been Too Savvy To Give Blade Away Like This

Despite all this, the inclusion of Sticky Fingaz’s Blade in Deadpool & Wolverine would be a strange choice that doesn’t feel incredibly logical. While effective as meta-commentary for the well-informed, the fact is that most audiences are not aware of the CW iteration of the character. There is no fondness for that iteration of Blade, and including him in the film would have little effect on the bulk of the audience. Further, the promotion for the film has been smart, funny, and well-considered, making the leak of Blade in the background of an image seem very unlikely.

While the character in the background of Deadpool & Wolverine is also wearing a black trenchcoat, it’s also worth noting that this could simply be a result of the post-apocalyptic setting lending itself to this kind of getup. Numerous shots of this setting have been unveiled, and almost all of them hint at the appearance of other X-Men characters, such as the Omegas team from The Last Stand. This means it’s more likely the character could be someone from the team like Spike, or, considering the other people in the photo, he could even just be a background extra.

There are many reasons to believe that Blade may appear in Deadpool & Wolverine, but there are few to think that this is the character’s reveal. An appearance by Sticky Fingaz would do little to excite fans, and the reaction to this image feels disproportionate to what is on display. Similarly, whether Blade appears in Deadpool & Wolverine or not, having the CW version appear seems unlikely. Either way, it will be interesting to see how and if Eric Brooks makes his way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe when Deadpool & Wolverine is released in July.