Marvel is Putting ‘Blade’ on Hold While it Searches for New Director

Marvel Studios' 'Blade.'

Marvel fans got a nasty surprise at the end of last month, when news arrived that director Bassam Tariq had left the developing ‘Blade’ movie, with the company citing “scheduling issues” as the reason for his departure.

Though there had been hopes that the studio would quickly move to slot another director into place, it appears that there are deeper issues afoot with the movie.

Around the time of Tariq’s departure, rumors swirled of a script – originally by Stacy Osei-Kuffour – that was short, didn’t feature enough action and hadn’t passed muster with star Mahershala Ali.

‘Moon Knight’ contributor Beau DeMayo is currently aboard to work on re-writing it, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel is now pressing pause on forward movement on the film so that it can take longer to find the right new director too.

It’s disappointing news but speaks to the company’s willingness to make sure they get this one right. The production start date – which had shifted a couple of times already because of script re-writes – had been scheduled for next month, but Marvel has informed the Atlanta-based crew that production will be on pause until the various issues (especially a new director) are resolved.

Blade from Marvel Comics. Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.

Blade, created for Marvel Comics by writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan, first appeared as a supporting character in ‘The Tomb of Dracula #10’, published July 1973. He was popular enough to merit his own solo storylines and was particularly memorable during the 1990s.

Originally crafted as a human who was immune to vampire bites, he was later changed to Eric Cross Brooks, whose mother is murdered by the bloodsucker Deacon Frost as she gives birth. The attack passes on vampire enzymes to her child, who becomes a Dhampir – a mix of both human and vampire.

Gifted with speed, strength, and the ability to walk in the daylight (hence his other name, the Daywalker), his mission is to hunt down and destroy vampires. In his time, he’s crossed paths with many notable Marvel characters in the comics, including Spider-Man and the Avengers. He’s also battled living vampire Morbius, who had his own movie released by Sony on April 1st, starring Jared Leto.

Yet Blade is probably most famous for the trilogy of movies released by New Line in 1998, 2002 and 2004, starring Wesley Snipes as the gruff, sword-swinging character.

Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige announced at the end of the company’s panel at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con that ‘Blade’ would enter the MCU, bringing Ali on stage to reveal his casting as the Daywalker. He’s still attached to star, so hopefully the movie will still make it to screens with him in the lead. Delroy Lindo and Aaron Pierre are also in the cast, but we don’t know if this schedule shift will see them stick around.

The MCU’s ‘Blade’ had been scheduled to arrive at theaters on November 3rd but seems unlikely to make that date now.

Mahershala Ali attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images.