Wesley Snipes' iconic Blade Performance defined Marvel's "Daywalker" for a generation, but which other actors were considered for the role in 1998? Stephen Norrington's Blade is widely acclaimed as the first successful Marvel superhero movie, which laid the foundation for the MCU's rampant success in contemporary culture some 24 years later. Much of this success is owed to the passion and innovation of Wesley Snipes, who also served as producer on Blade in addition to portraying the vampiric antihero.
Entertainment Weekly's oral history of Blade celebrates the movie's 20th anniversary and offers a fascinating insight into the behind-the-scenes creation of Norrington's film. These previously untold tales include how Norrington orchestrated the iconic "Blood Rave" opening scene, New Line purchasing the rights to Blade from a bankrupt Marvel in 1996, and David Fincher being touted to direct Blade before Norrington took over proceedings.
Yet perhaps the most interesting piece of information to arise from Blade's oral history is which other actors were considered to play the iconic Daywalker in 1998. While it is hard to imagine anyone but Wesley Snipes hunting the vampiric elite, two other big names were originally in the frame to play Blade, each with their own attached budget. As a result, here's every actor considered for the role of Blade in 1998, as well as why Wesley Snipes was still the best choice by the studio at the time.
Denzel Washington
Then-New Line Studio head Mike DeLuca told the Blade production team he would make their movie for $40 million - provided they could get Denzel Washington on board in 1996. It is unsurprising Washington topped several New Line executive's lists to play Blade in the late 1990s, with Washington already a bonafide star after turns in Spike Lee's Malcolm X, The Pelican Brief, and Crimson Tide. Like Wesley Snipes, Washington was no stranger to gritty action flicks, with Blade's leading man needing to be capable of executing the intricately choreographed martial arts scenes both Norrington and screenwriter David S. Goyer had envisioned.
Denzel Washington as the Daywalker Blade is certainly an interesting "what if" proposition that would have undoubtedly changed the complexion of the iconic character. While Washington is certainly capable of the same acidic one-liners that Snipes delivers in Blade, his more measured, often calm demeanor in almost all of his roles may have worked against the constant battle with the bloodlust Blade has to contend with. Ultimately, after New Line selected Snipes, Washingon would next go on to star in Gregory Hoblit's Fallen, which was also released in 1998 - providing an equally gripping platform for Washington to showcase his talents.
Laurence Fishburne
The other big-name touted for Blade in 1996 was Lawrence Fishburne, with DeLuca valuing Fishburne's involvement at around $20 million. Despite Blade being released a year before the genre-defining blockbuster The Matrix, Fishburne was still a huge draw in the movie industry, having starred in Event Horizon opposite Sam Neill, playing Jason "Furious" Styles in the John Singleton drama Boyz n the Hood, and portraying Tyrone "Mr. Clean" Miller in Francis Ford Coppola's seminal Apocalypse Now. Like both Snipes and Washington at the time, Fishburne had a penchant for militant-style, action-heavy characters, which ties in well with Blade's approach to hunting the vampires he despises.
While Fishburne will be forever known as Morpheus from The Matrix trilogy, he likely would have made an excellent choice for Blade. Fishburne embodies the cool, ruthless persona that characterizes Blade, while his stunt work in movies like Deep Cover and Red Heat, even prior to The Matrix's release, proves Fishburne would have excelled performing Blade's choreography. However, New Line's decision to go with Wesley Snipes as Blade opened the door for Fishburne to become Morpheus - meaning it is hard to argue with how Blade's casting ultimately played out.
Why Wesley Snipes Was The Perfect Choice For Blade In 1998
Despite Denzel Washinton and Laurence Fishburne being huge names in 1990s Hollywood, Wesley Snipes remains the perfect choice for Blade - with New Line proving they made the right call in 1998. This rationale stems from the fact that Wesley Snipes brought unbridled passion and gusto to the project, backed by several accounts within EW's Blade oral history. Snipes put a huge amount of effort into his character from the very beginning of Blade, starting with porting over the Daywalker's Marvel comics concept into a live-action setting.
Snipes recalls bringing Blade to life in detail, stating: "Blade, he’s like Shaft, but like Kool Moe Dee at the same time. Part of the look we drew straight from the comic book. I think there were versions where Blade had a long coat on, like a cape, and he had the spikes they were like a bandolier around his chest or around his thigh. So we thought was a good starting point. But how to make it work in reality on set. and, how to make it comfortable enough for the actor to move, recover and not pass out? We had the leather, some other rubbery materials. And oh my god, it was so hot, we couldn’t use that. Then the problem was, where does the sword go? We didn’t want a katana sticking out the back of the coat — aesthetically, it just wouldn’t look cool [laughs]. So we figured out a compromise. The tattoos, I actually got from a UFC wrestler named Kimo. They were like Maori, Pacific Islander, but with an overlay of Japanese samurai and warrior branding and Shaolin monks that I thought we could modernize."
This level of dedication to a role is a rarity indeed, with Snipes' focus on the minutiae of Blade's character showing his dedication and will for the Blade project to succeed. Snipes did not stop there, however, with fellow Blade actor Stephen Dorff recalling how "Wesley was intense, really into his role — so much so that he even dressed like Blade when we did press. He went on Letterman as Blade!" This showcases Snipes' single-minded determination to contribute to Blade's success in a big way and ensures that despite the other big names in contention at the time, Wesley Snipes was undoubtedly the perfect choice to play Blade in 1998.