Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige spoke to BlackTree TV during his “Deadpool & Wolverine” press tour and briefly touched on the company’s long-in-the-making “Blade” remake, which is still set to star two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali. Marvel announced the “Blade” remake in July 2019, but development has been rocky as multiple writers and directors have come and gone from the project over the years. Feige said it was of utmost importance to the studio not to rush the film.
Feige was asked about “Blade” in relation to “Deadpool & Wolverine,” the first R-rated film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Marvel president said the only way to get Deadpool into the MCU was to keep the R rating because that’s what his character is all about. Feige said the same goes for Blade.
“I think that’s true,” Feige said. “I mean, over the last couple of years, as we’ve been trying to get this movie done, the most important thing for us has been to not rush it and make sure we make the right movie for the Blade franchise.
“Because there were some great 'Blade' movies from years ago, they were all rated R. So I think that, like Deadpool, is inherent to the character of Blade,” Feige continued.
Blade made his big screen debut with Wesley Snips in the role, beginning with the 1998 film of the same name and continuing with 2002's “Blade II,” directed by Guillermo del Toro, and 2004's “Blade: Trinity.”
Marvel announced its own “Blade” movie with Ali in July 2019. Bassam Tariq was the first director to join the project, though he exited in September 2022, nearly two months before the film was set to begin filming. Several screenwriters have also been announced over the years, from “Watchmen” scribe Stacey Osei-Kuffour to Michael Starberry.
diverse Last November, it was reported that “Blade” had gone through at least five writers by then. At one point, the story shifted to a female-led story filled with life lessons, said one person familiar with the script changes. Speculation at the time was that Marvel was still looking to make the film, but with a budget of less than $100 million.
Marvel's “Blade” is currently scheduled for release on November 7, 2025.
