Blade was previously being directed by Bassam Tariq, who stepped down due to “continued shifts” in the production schedule but remained on the film as an executive producer just two months before filming was set to begin. This Marvel Studios film marks the second Blade adaptation, the first of which was a trilogy starring Wesley Snipes in the title role, which was released from 1998 to 2004. Blade: The Series, which aired on SpikeTV, was also set within this continuity and only aired for 13 episodes in 2006.
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According to a new report by The Hollywood Reporter, the production of the new Blade film (which is set in the MCU) had been halted while the movie searches for a new director. The project, which stars Mahershala Ali in the role, was set to begin shooting in November. Crew members were reportedly notified on Tuesday that production would be moving to early 2023. Given that the Blade release date is currently slated for November 3, 2023, THR notes that the film is unlikely to be ready by then. Unfortunately for fans of the character, this likely means that the release date will have to be pushed back. The likeliest possibility is that the film will release sometime in 2024.
With reports that Blade is undergoing a total script overhaul, it would be easy to assume that the film is undergoing difficulties in its production. According to sources who spoke to THR, however, the studio wants “to really get it right.” The studio appears willing to take the time it needs to make a Blade film worthy of the fans of the character. Ali’s casting also inspires confidence in the project. As a fantastic, Oscar-winning actor, Ali is likely to do the project justice.
But there are probably those who will still worry about Blade until it hits the screens. The post-Avengers: Endgame films that are part of the MCU’s Phase 4 have felt like they have no plan. Some feel that the MCU has been floundering without an overarching storyline. Hopefully, Marvel Studios will have sorted that issue out by the time Blade drops. The character works very well as a standalone regardless, so it may not be that Blade needs a lot of connections to the wider universe.
Blade is currently scheduled to be released on November 3, 2023.
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Source: The Hollywood Reporter
