Filming of the upcoming movie “Blade” starring Mahershala Ali has not yet begun, despite the fact that it has been almost three years since the project was announced by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. Since then, all other MCU projects announced at the time have been released, including Black Widow, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Thor: Love and Thunder. Considering this, it seems strange that Blade was left behind.
Blade, also known as Eric Brooks is a Marvel comics character who has set himself the task of ridding the world of all vampires. Blade, also known as the Daywalker, was originally portrayed as a human immune to vampire bites, but has since been retroactively recognized as a dhampir (a cross between a human and a vampire) in Spider-Man: The Animated Series. The debut film “Blade” starring Wesley Snipes is considered to be the film that realized the potential success of the comic book adaptation for the first time: “Blade” in 1998 is considered a cult classic after a very favorable reception by fans. With all this in mind, the decision to introduce Daywalker to the MCU was met with great enthusiasm, especially considering Mahershala Ali’s impressive acting pedigree.
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In truth, there is no clear answer to the question of why Blade production takes so long. Reports (via CBR) suggest that the filming schedule for “Blade” has been postponed from July to October 2022, which raises concerns that the project may stall. While these delays are worrisome, there is no doubt that Daywalker will appear in the MCU not only because of the character’s popularity, but also because he has already appeared, albeit briefly, in Eternals. In the post-credits scene, Blade plays a cameo role when his voice is heard saying to Dane Whitman from Kit Harington, “Are you sure you’re ready for this, Mr. Whitman?”
Several factors play a role in the Blade MCU movie
The scene between Harington and Ali gives Blade the opportunity to team up with the Black Knight, the owner of the legendary Ebony Blade. Although Harington’s participation in any separate Blade project has not been officially announced, it is likely that he will continue to participate in the legendary Daywalker. Perhaps the studio is trying to coordinate schedules for actors like Harington before they can move on.
There are already many names attached to the film. Delroy Lindo and Aaron Pierre joined the project, as well as director Bassam Tariq and screenwriter Stacy Osei-Kuffur. In fact, according to a report (via The Hollywood Reporter), the film’s production was initially postponed from September 2021 to July 2022 so that Osei-Kuffur could spend more time with the script. There may still be overwrites. The original blood-soaked Daywalker comics don’t easily fit into the more familiar PG-13 rating for the MCU, which can cause problems. Creating the perfect image for Daywalker’s official MCU debut undoubtedly takes time and a lot of sketches.
Although the announcement of Blade was met with great impatience and excitement back in July 2019, the current waiting period turned out to be depressingly long. There is still hope that there will be more news about the project soon, and some speculate that Marvel will post new information at the San Diego Comic-Con panel this year. Whatever theories exist about what is behind the delays, the fact is that there is no clear answer to the question of why Mahershala Ali’s Daywalker has not been seen in front of the cameras yet.
