Following the release of the final three episodes of Ironheart, Marvel Studios has officially concluded Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, out of all the MCU Phase 5 projects originally announced during the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con, Mahershala Ali’s Blade movie is the only one that hasn’t been released yet due to numerous creative setbacks that the project has endured since its announcement.
What’s the latest on Marvel’s Blade?
Six years after Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige announced the surprise casting of the Oscar-winning actor as the MCU’s Blade, the project has remained in development hell. Despite this, Ali is reportedly still attached to play the anti-hero, which he briefly played at the end of 2021’s Eternals as a voice cameo. Even though Ali’s official debut remains in limbo, the fan-favorite Daywalker had already made his MCU debut last year in Deadpool & Wolverine with Wesley Snipes reprising his iconic role.
At the moment, the project has no official director or release date attached to it. Directors Bassam Tariq and Yann Demange were previously attached to the movie, along with writers Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Beau DeMayo, Michael Starrbury, Michael Green, and Eric Pearson. Since the movie has gone through multiple delays, it’s still unclear if Mia Goth and Milan Ray remain part of the cast after it was confirmed that Aaron Pierre and Delroy Lindo had already exited the project.
Besides Blade, Marvel Studios is also reportedly developing a Midnight Sons movie. A recent rumor also suggested that the studio might be looking to Ghost Rider to become the supernatural team’s leader. It will be based on the Marvel Comics series created by Howard Mackie, Andy Kubert, and Bobby Chase in 1993. It centered around a team of supernatural heroes consisting of Ghost Rider, Blade, Moon Knight, Elsa Bloodstone, Doctor Strange, and more.
