In an explosive panel already overflowing with exciting announcements, Marvel’s biggest bombshell in this year’s San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) was the cinematic return of the vampire hunter Blade. With award-winning actor Mahershala Ali now inheriting the role that defined Wesley Snipe’s career, Blade’s big-screen comeback is set for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) upcoming Phase 5.
With Blade’s return all but set in stone, there’s no better time than now to revisit his original trilogy to see where the Daywalker’s one-man war against vampires began. However, some of the most interesting things about the half-human and half-vampire can be found outside of his movies. Here are 10 facts about the Blade franchise that you may not have known before.
Blade Saved Marvel Movies And The Superhero Genre
It may be hard to imagine a time before the MCU dominated pop culture as a whole, but it used to be that Marvel movies (and superhero cinema, in general) were seen as box office poison.
Blade wasn’t just Marvel’s first critical and financial success in cinemas (then best-known for Howard the Duck), but also the first real superhero success after disasters like Batman & Robin and Steel. If it weren’t for Blade, studios would never have gambled on Spider-Man and X-Men, effectively killing the comic book movie boom before it even began.
Blade Fought Vampires On TV
Blade may not have been in a movie since 2004’s but New Line Cinema was determined to keep him relevant. To do this, the Daywalker starred in two series including a continuation of Blade: Trinity and an animated spin-off.
The short-lived Blade series aired on Spike TV with rapper Sticky Fingaz in the title role while the famous anime studio Madhouse made a Blade miniseries that was part of the Marvel Anime anthology. Both shows were modest hits that failed to meet high expectations, leading to Blade’s hiatus until this year’s SDCC revelation.
The Origins Of Ice Skating Uphill
Before landing the killing blow on Deacon Frost, Blade grimly laments how “Some motherfuckers are always trying to skate uphill.” Depending on who you ask, this line is either badass or confusing.
As it turns out, these were the exact words that Snipes used to describe Frost during the brainstorming sessions. According to the movie’s DVD commentary, director Stephen Norrington and writer David S. Goyer loved the line so much that they incorporated it into the final script, resulting in one of the strangest yet most unforgettable action movie quotes to come out of the ‘90s.
Morbius The Living Vampire Almost Fought Blade
Besides the Marvel logo seen before his movies begin, Blade has no connection to the greater Marvel continuity. This could’ve been different if Goyer had his way, since his original plans were building up to introducing Morbius the Living Vampire.
Goyer wanted to tease Morbius’ appearance as far back as Blade with the intention of using him as the villain of Blade II. Due to the fact that Morbius was a Spider-Man character owned by Sony, this never came to be. But like Blade, Morbius will be seen in cinemas soon thanks to his own upcoming movie.
Stan Lee And Michael Jackson Had Scrapped Cameos
Marvel movies are known for their cameos, but Blade notably doesn’t have many unless you count the supporting roles some of today’s biggest stars portrayed (ex. Norman Reedus in Blade II). Two well-known names who almost appeared are Stan Lee and Michael Jackson, but they never made it to the final products.
Stan Lee was the cop who discovers Quinn’s burned corpse after the opening massacre of Blade, but this was cut. Meanwhile, Michael Jackson was supposed to be a vampire pimp in the House of Pain in Blade II, but he dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.
Wesley Snipes Loves Blade II
Actors lucky enough to be the star of a franchise can’t help but pick favorites, and the same goes for Snipes. For him, Blade II is his favorite and given how much fun he had acting in it, it’s hard not to see why.
In an interview, Snipes expressed his love for the character and how tough it was to reprise him. He accepted the challenge wholeheartedly, drawing admiration from director Guillermo del Toro who said that “Wesley knows Blade better than David Goyer, better than me, better than anyone else involved in the franchise.”
Oliver Hirschbiegel Almost Directed Blade: Trinity
After del Toro chose his dream project (i.e. Hellboy) over the chance to direct Blade: Trinity, New Line offered the job to the up-and-coming filmmaker Oliver Hirschbiegel. Seeing this as his potential break into Hollywood, Hirschbiegel tried to leave his current project for Blade but was contractually forbidden from doing so.
The incomplete project in question was Downfall, the critically-acclaimed biopic about the last days of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. Since then, Hirschbiegel has said that finishing his Hitler movie was the right choice. Goyer, who wrote all of the Blade movies, directed the sequel instead.
Blade: Trinity Was Originally Mad Max With Vampires
Blade: Trinity follows Blade and vampire hunters known as the Nightstalkers who help him in his mission to kill the original vampire: Dracula. While this is serviceable for a Blade story, the sequel’s original premise was a lot better and more exciting.
Previously, Goyer planned to set the sequel in a Mad Max-styled post-apocalyptic Earth ruled by vampires while the surviving humans and Blade form a resistance. Thinking it was too similar to Planet of the Apes, Goyer dumped the idea and reined back the story’s absurdity, missing the opportunity to make a truly crazy and potentially awesome Blade movie.
Filming Blade: Trinity Was Almost Impossible
Blade: Trinity is best remembered for being a notoriously difficult production, and the stories that came out of its production are said to have permanently derailed Snipes’ stardom.
According to some cast and crew, Snipes refused to work with Goyer because he hated him being chosen to direct the sequel. He didn’t even follow simple directions like opening his eyes, leading to awkward CGI being used to show Blade waking up. Snipes also deliberately made things difficult by locking himself in his trailer and smoking weed all day, only communicating through post-it notes signed by Blade.
Wesley Snipes Hated Everything About Blade: Trinity
Conversely, Snipe’s behavior was caused by more than just an unchecked ego. According to a lawsuit Snipes filed against the production, he was disrespected and lied to from day one.
Some allegations include: changing the script and minimizing his role without warning, not being paid justly, and instances of on-set discrimination and racism that Goyer ignored or perpetuated – all this despite Snipes being a producer. Snipes’ requests to hire a multiracial cast and crew like in the first two movies were ignored, with producers using a mostly white production company. The case was resolved for an undisclosed amount of money.