Mia Goth joins Marvel’s ‘Blade’

Mahershala Ali is aboard to play the title role, with Yann Demange directing the movie.

Mia Goth as Pearl in director Ti West's 'X' prequel, 'Pearl.'

It’s a good time to be Mia Goth right now. The actor, previously known for movies such as ‘A Cure for Wellness’, the remake of ‘Suspiria’ and ‘Everest’, has broken big in the last year thanks to her role as the murderous Pearl/Maxine in Ti West’s horror movies ‘X’, ‘Pearl’ and ‘MaXXXine’, the latter of which has just started shooting.

She’s also did great work encouraging/terrifying Alexander Skarsgård in Brandon Cronenberg’s ‘Infinity Pool’. So it stands to reason that she might have hit the radar of Marvel Studios and now, according to Deadline, she’s signed a deal to co-star in ‘Blade’.

Blade

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An upcoming film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's (MCU) sixth Phase and part of The Multiverse Saga, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Plot... Read the Plot

Mahershala Ali is starring as the title character, who already popped up for a voice-only cameo in one of the ‘Eternals’ post-credit scenes interacting with Kit Harington’s Dane Whitman. And, as is usual for Marvel, there is no indication as to what role Goth will play.

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

What’s the background for ‘Blade’?

Originally crafted by Gene Colan and Marv Wolfman 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 appeared in a less-than-enthusiastically received movie last year via Sony’s Spider-universe, starring Jared Leto.

But the character is probably best known thanks to the trilogy of ‘Blade’ movies that starred Wesley Snipes, released by New Line in 1998, 2002 and 2004.

Marvel Studios' 'Blade.'

The MCU ‘Blade’ movie development so far

Marvel’s take on ‘Blade’ was originally announced to ear-splitting audience reaction as a surprise at the company’s San Diego Comic-Con panel in 2019. Ali was brought out wearing a cap bearing the Blade logo.

All seemed to be moving forward properly, with ‘Mogul Mowgli’ director Bassam Tariq boarding the movie roughly a year later, and Stacy Osei-Kuffour writing the script. But it hit a major roadblock in September last year when Tariq left the movie.

Marvel said this to The Hollywood Reporter at the time,

“Due to continued shifts in our production schedule, Bassam is no longer moving forward as director of 'Blade' but will remain an executive producer on the film. We appreciate Bassam’s talent and all the work he’s done getting ‘Blade’ to where it is.”

There was talk of problems with the script and Marvel hit the pause button. Things appear to be back on track now, as ’71’ and ‘Lovecraft Country’ director Yann Demange is overseeing the movie, while Michael Starrbury, who earned an Emmy nomination for an episode of Ava DuVernay’s drama ‘When They See Us’, is on board to overhaul the screenplay. The tone is reportedly headed in a darker, grittier direction.

Assuming it all goes well, the movie should be in theaters on September 6th, 2024.