Mahershala Ali's Blade Movie Project Appears to Be Dead

The much-anticipated *Blade* movie within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has seemingly hit a dead end, leaving fans disheartened. After numerous setbacks, the project appears to have stalled completely, with no signs of resuming. The absence of Mahershala Ali as the iconic Daywalker, Blade, stands out as a significant loss for the MCU.

Rapper and artist Flying Lotus, who was set to compose the film's music, recently took to X / Twitter to confirm that the project is no longer moving forward. "I guess we are so far from it even being a possibility now but. Yeah I was signed on to write music for the new BLADE movie before it fell thru," he shared. Despite the disappointment, Flying Lotus remains hopeful, though skeptical, about the film's revival. "Maybe it'll come around again but I doubt it. Would have been fun tho."

Adding to the series of unfortunate updates, renowned costume designer Ruth E. Carter revealed on *The John Campea Show* that she was slated to design costumes for *Blade*. The film was to be set in the 1920s, promising unique and intriguing costume and production designs. Carter's confirmation came just a day before Flying Lotus's tweet, intensifying the sense of loss.

Completing the trifecta of disheartening news, actor Delroy Lindo, who was also attached to the film, shared his experience with *Entertainment Weekly*. "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input," Lindo explained. He highlighted the initial excitement and inclusivity of the project, which unfortunately derailed over time. "And then, for whatever reason, it just went off the rails."

*Blade* was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, with a planned release in November of the current year. However, the film has seen a carousel of directors, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, none of whom have remained with the project.

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Despite the turmoil, it's been only six months since *Blade* was removed from Marvel's release schedule in October 2024. No new release date has been announced, but MCU head Kevin Feige expressed the studio's commitment to the project in a November 2024 interview with Omelete. "We are committed to Blade. We love the character, we love Mahershala's take on him. And rest assured: whenever we change direction with a project, or are still figuring out how it fits into our schedule, we let the audience know. You're all up to date on what's happening," Feige stated. He reassured fans that Blade would indeed make his way into the MCU, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty.