A decade before Robert Downey Jr. donned the Iron Man armor, Wesley Snipes tore up the big screen as the Marvel Comics hero known as Blade. The character has remained dormant for the better part of a decade (a short-lived TV series ran on Spike in 2006), but his franchise was largely responsible for legitimizing comic book films again. We even dubbed that original 1998 film as one of the best entries in the genre thus far.

Snipes' portrayal of the character was, of course, key to making the vampire hunter one of the most popular Marvel film stars to date. The actor has long mentioned that he would be open to reprising the role if the material was right, going so far as to confirm recent talks with Marvel about the character. Plus, now that Marvel Studios has the rights back, it seems like a matter of time until the Daywalker begins stalking the vampire community once more.

However, according to Bleeding Cool, Blade might be a whole lot different from what fans may expect. The site reports that the next Blade film will actually focus on the original character's daughter, Fallon Grey, in accordance with the upcoming relaunch of the Blade comic book. Apparently, the character is considered a priority for Marvel on the business end of things. No word on whether this new approach would leave a door open for Snipes to come back in a mentor role (perhaps to train his daughter how to battle vampires).

For those unfamiliar with Fallon Grey, here is how Blade comic book writer Tim Seeley describes the character (hat tip /Film):

She’s a sort of ‘anti-Peter Parker.’ She’s popular, she’s well-liked and it seems like the world is her oyster. But, the expectations that come with being so damn perfect are starting to break her down, and that’s before she learns she’s the heir to a Daywalking-Monster-Stabbing-Empire.

Wesley Snipes in Blade

Such a recalibration of the brand would certainly fit with the delay to the new Blade comic book and could usher in a new era for the character that would (finally) allow some more female Marvel heroes to hit the big screen. We've suspected in the past that Marvel might be adjusting its comic book characters to allow for some big changes in the film world. However, in the case of Blade, it's unclear if the character - whichever version does come to fruition - will be folded into the Marvel Cinematic Universe or serve as a standalone story.

After all, to do the character right (and please the existing fanbase), a Blade film ought to be on the dark side, which wouldn't mesh so well with the comparatively family-friendly MCU film releases. However, a Netflix series for the character - as we've stated before - would be a perfect platform for Marvel to relaunch the franchise and allow for cross-overs with the likes of Daredevil, Jessica Jones and/or Luke Cage. Placing the focus on Fallon Grey could well quite work, but it depends on execution. Snagging Snipes to help pass the torch would certainly help, too.

NEXT: What Should Marvel Do With the Blade Franchise?

We'll bring you more Blade-related news as it comes our way.

Source: Bleeding Cool