Marvel's Blade Movie On Pause After Losing MCU Director

Marvel Studios is officially hitting pause on the Blade reboot following the departure of the director Bassim Tariq a few weeks ago. One of the projects that has been in the works at Marvel Studios since San Diego Comic-Con 2019, Kevin Feige announced at the event that Mahershala Ali was bringing the iconic vampire hunter to the MCU. It will be the first time since 2004 that the character has been featured on the big screen, following Wesley Snipes' portrayal in the original Blade trilogy.

While Ali did a voice-cameo in Eternals, he has yet to get the chance to play Blade on-camera, and it wasn't until this year that Marvel Studios began to lay out plans for where the reboot would fall in Phase 5. Originally, Tariq was set to helm the film until he and Marvel Studios parted ways at the end of September, citing "shifting production schedules" as the cause. Despite his exit, the studio was aiming to find a new filmmaker to replace Tariq.

However, it appears the Blade reboot is being pushed back as Disney confirmed that Marvel Studios is pausing the film for the time being. While they are looking for a director, the studio has stopped pre-production on Blade prior to the expected November start date. Crew members were notified today. Marvel Studios is reportedly looking to begin filming Blade in early 2023 to still meet their November release. X-Men '97 head writer Beau DeMayo is doing a rewrite of the Blade screenplay, taking over from Stacy Osei-Kuffour.

Will Blade's Production Shutdown Change The MCU Movie's Release Date?

Now that Blade isn't filming any time soon, the question now is whether Marvel Studios will actually be able to meet its planned November 2023 release date. If they are planning on starting principal photography in early 2023, Blade would be filming for a couple of months and would be done, at the earliest, by late spring. At that point, it seems highly unlikely that they will be able to not only complete post-production on it but also work on any potential reshoots that may be required, which is standard for most Hollywood blockbusters. While they may not see the necessity for it right now, Marvel Studios will probably delay Blade until early 2024, which includes the already-scheduled Captain America: New World Order, Thunderbolts, as well as Deadpool 3.

In the end, it all depends on how crucial Blade is to The Multiverse Saga, as Feige nor Marvel Studios haven't indicated the reboot's importance in their plans besides the character getting his own MCU film. It wouldn't be shocking if Blade ends up being saved until Phase 7, which would take place after The Multiverse Saga. That may also be what happens to Armor Wars, which was initially going to be a Disney+ series but is now being retooled as a theatrical film. Given how packed Phases 5 and 6 already are, it could be worth it for Marvel Studios to hold off on Blade until after The Multiverse Saga if it means that they get more time to put out the best product possible. Hopefully, more updates about the Blade movie will come out sooner rather than later, clarifying if the reboot will still be part of Phase 5 or not.

Source: Disney

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