Werewolf By Night Makes The MCU's Blade Struggles So Much Worse

Warning! SPOILERS for Marvel's Werewolf by NightWhile the large success of Werewolf by Night is very exciting, it does make the problems and recurrent delays for Blade look even worse. Set to star Mahershala Ali as the titular vampire hunter, Blade has struggled to reach a definitive release date, despite being announced in 2019. Now that Werewolf by Night has begun the process of ushering in the world of monsters, the MCU needs Blade now more than ever.

Werewolf by Night is incredibly unique in that it's effectively a one-and-done Halloween horror special with a runtime of just under an hour. Directed by Michael Giacchino and starring Gael García Bernal as Werewolf by Night, the black-and-white special introduces the MCU's infamous monster hunter Elsa Bloodstone (played by Laura Donnelly), the monstrous multiversal protector Man-Thing (a.k.a Ted), as well as an entire cabal of monster hunters — alongside references to creatures whose presence in the MCU has been hidden and faintly hinted at thus far (such as Marvel's ancient vampires known as the Nosferatu). It makes sense why there were hopes and rumors that Mahershala Ali's Blade would finally make his true MCU debut in the special, seeing as how his only role thus far has been an off-screen voice in 2021's Eternals (heard talking to Kit Harrington's Black Knight).

It's also remarkable how quickly Werewolf by Night was produced considering Marvel only started developing the special in August 2021. Featuring horror and all kinds of monsters as the MCU enters a new space and genre, Werewolf by Night proves the growing hype for the long-awaited Blade whenever it finally releases. However, even though Werewolf by Night undoubtedly has the lower budget, the rapid production and success of the new horror special helps make the argument that producing Blade should be an easier process than it currently is.

Why The MCU Needs Blade (& Why It's Taking So Long)

By comparison, Blade's much longer wait is unfortunate when combined with the news that former Blade director Bassam Tariq has recently left the project. Now, Marvel Studios is being forced to delay production likely into the Spring of 2023, making it that much harder for Blade to meet its release date of the same year. With Marvel preparing to debut an entire world of monsters in the coming years, the MCU needs to have a hero and franchise that can run point to hopefully instigate new team-up projects like the supernaturally focused Midnight Sons. Blade is certainly the front-runner for such a role, making his MCU that much more of a necessity.

At any rate, Werewolf by Night is a very entertaining special injecting the unique flavors and horror and monster-action into the MCU on a level unlike anything before. It's also a great sign that audiences are eagerly awaiting similar projects such as Blade who can delve even deeper into the MCU's hidden world of monsters. Here's hoping Marvel Studios' Blade starts moving forward at a much smoother pace.

Next: The MCU's Blade Already Has One Power Difference From Wesley Snipes' Version