Marvel Is Still ‘Committed to Blade,’ Kevin Feige Says After Movie Pulled From Release Calendar: ‘The Character Will Indeed Make It to the MCU’

By Zack Sharf

According To The variety Marvel Studios recently took Mahershala Ali‘s long-delayed “Blade” movie off its release calendar, but studio president Kevin Feige is telling fans not to worry about whether or not the iconic vampire hunter will find his way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Blade is coming, he promises.

“We are committed to Blade,” Feige told Omelete (via IGN) during the D23 Brazil 2024 event. “We love the character. We love Mahershala’s take on him. And rest assured: whenever we change direction with a project, or are still figuring out how it fits into our schedule, we let the audience know. You’re all up to date on what’s happening. But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU.”

Marvel originally announced its “Blade” movie with Ali in July 2019, but development has been rocky as several writers and directors have come and gone over the years. Feige told BlackTree TV over the summer during his “Deadpool & Wolverine” press tour that not rushing the “Blade” movie has been a big priority for the studio. I mean, for the last two years as we’ve been trying to crack that movie, the most important thing for us is not rushing it and making sure we are making the right ‘Blade’ movie,” Feige said at the time.

Bassam Tariq was the first director to join Marvel’s “Blade” movie, although he exited in September 2022 roughly two months before the film was set to begin shooting. Several screenwriters have also been announced through the years, from “Watchmen” scribe Stacy Osei-Kuffour to Michael Starrbury. Most recently, director Yann Demange (“Lovecraft Country”) exited the film in June.

Variety reported last November that “Blade” had gone through at least five writers by that time. One person familiar with the script changes said the story at one point morphed into a narrative led by women and filled with life lessons. Speculation at the time said that Marvel was still looking to make the film but on a budget of less than $100 million.

The “Blade” movie’s most recent release date was Nov. 7, 2025, but Disney has removed the title and will release “Predator: Badlands” on that date instead. Marvel currently has three untitled projects on its calendar for Feb. 18, 2028, May 5, 2028 and Nov. 10, 2028, although the studio has not yet confirmed if one of these dates is for “Blade.”

Blade first came to life on the big screen with Wesley Snipes in the role, starting in the 1998 movie of the same name and continuing with 2002’s “Blade II” and 2004’s “Blade: Trinity.” Snipes reprised the role to great fanfare in “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which has grossed $1.3 billion globally. In the film, Blade humorously tells Deadpool, “There’s only been one Blade. There will only ever be one Blade.”