Blade movie: Release date, cast, & more
20th Century Studios/New Line CinemaBlade is making his epic return by taking a bite out of the MCU (or at least, we hope he is). Here’s what we know about the Blade release date to its supernatural cast, potential story, and all the drama behind the scenes.
Before gods and titans fell out of the sky in Marvel movies, Wesley Snipes suited up as Eric Brooks, AKA Blade. The 1998 flick is a cult hit, though its sequels left a little to be desired.
Ushering in a darker era of superhero movies, the David S. Goyer-penned film has remained a favorite among fans. And, much to our excitement, the MCU is planning on rebooting the character with a new movie.
But things have not been going smoothly for the new Blade movie so far. Check out all the good news and the bad news below.
Blade release date
Blade has now been delayed indefinitely by Marvel despite initially being slated to release on November 7, 2025.
In a new interview with Omelete following D23, MCU boss Kevin Fiege doubled down that Marvel is “committed to Blade” and added that they not only “love the character,” but they also “love Mahershala’s version of him.”
“Rest assured, whenever we change direction with a project, or are still trying to understand how it fits into our agenda, we inform the public. You guys are up to date with what’s going on. But I can say that the character will indeed arrive in the MCU,” continued Fiege.
The film has had a very rocky road to screen, with multiple rounds of rewrites, director swaps, and delays. That date may end up changing again soon, as the project lost another director in June 2024.
Blade MCU cast
Mahershala Ali will star as Eric Brooks/Blade, alongside Delroy Lindo, Aaron Pierre, and Mia Goth.
Marvel ComicsGoth, most known for MaXXXine and Infinity Pool, is the latest addition to the cast. It’s unclear who she’ll be playing in the movie.
And while director Bassam Tariq had been attached to helm the project, he stepped down from the role and will instead serve as an executive producer. Marvel told the Hollywood Reporter that the decision was “due to continued shifts” in the “production schedule.”
On November 21, 2022, director Yann Demange was announced as director, and Michael Starrbury as a writer. However, on June 12, 2024, Demange stepped down from the role due to creative differences.
We expect to see familiar characters such as Blade’s trusted partner Abraham Whistler or his original mentor, Jamal Afari.
Who Blade will face off against is intriguing, as The Boys star Anthony Starr has been rumored to portray Dracula. The villain previously appeared in Wesley Snipes’ trilogy, so we’re unsure whether Kevin Feige and his team will want to showcase old ground on the big screen.
Is there a Blade trailer?
A trailer for Blade has yet to be released, and it’ll be a while before we see any footage, likely in 2025.
If you want a quick dopamine hit, you can check out the moment Mahershala Ali was announced as the new Blade above.
What will it be about?
The Blade plot is unknown. However, Blade’s origin is that he’s a half-vampire half-human.
In the comics, Blade is a demi-vampire who hunts his kind, wearing a lot of black leather.
It won’t be the first time we’ve met Ali’s Blade. In the end credits of Chloe Zhao’s Eternals, Ali depicted Blade off-screen via a voice cameo, speaking with Kit Harrington’s soon-to-be Black Knight.
All plot rumors come from unsubstituted leaks, so if you want official details or want to avoid potential spoilers we recommend waiting for a synopsis straight from Marvel. About those rumors though…
The plot is also said to begin in the 1920s with Blade’s pregnant mother, who receives treatment from a vampire who preyed on her. None of this has been confirmed.
According to a leak from Geek Vibe Nation, the film will take place across 80 years, starting in 1900 and ending in 1980. However, this timeline is yet to be confirmed by Marvel.
An alleged plot leak from the /tv/ board on 4Chan claimed the film will end by following the life of Blade’s daughter, Brielle Brooks.
Leaker DanielRPK also said the film was still undergoing major rewrites in May 2024. Additionally, they claimed filming would take place in the Fall of 2024 in Mexico/Brazil.
Is the MCU Blade movie Rated-R?
Blade will be R-rated.
“They gave me the R, which is so important,” director Demange said to Deadline.
He added, “For Blade, we are going to have fun because Mahershala is such a deep actor. I’m excited to show a kind of ruthlessness, a roughness he has, that allows him to walk the earth in a particular way. I love him for that. He’s got dignity and integrity, but there is a ferocity there that he usually keeps under the surface. I want to unleash that and put it on the screen.”
That’s everything we know about the Blade release date for now. In the meantime, check out Deadpool 3, Fantastic Four, Avengers 5, Avengers Secret Wars, and Marvel Zombies.