Summary
TheBladeMCU reboot has undergone significant changes in the years since it was announced, and a new rumor claims the latest adjustments involve the film’s villain.
Since Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige and Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali announced the new BladeMCUmovie at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, the reboot has had difficulty moving from development to production. The project has seen multiple writers and directors depart, with a handful of actors exiting due to the production delays. Perhaps the most significant setback occurred in October 2024 whenBladewas removed from Disney’s release schedulewithout a new date.
Is Blade Adding a New Villain?
Throughout these behind-the-scenes changes,Mia Goth’s attachment toBladeas the villain Lilithhas been one of the few consistent elements (besides Ali’s involvement as the titular vampire hunter). Now, notable scooperMyTimeToShineHelloreports thata new “male villain” is being added to theBladeMCU movie’s character roster.However, Lilith is reportedly still part ofBladeand this new villain is merely joining her as a fellow antagonist. While MyTimeToShine did not appear to mention Goth, as of this writing, the actress is seemingly still on board to play Lilith.
MyTimeToShineHello also noted thatMarvel Studios is still searching for a newBladedirector and is “expected to finalize one soon.“Bassam Tariq was tapped to directBladein 2021 until he dropped out in 2022 due to production schedule delays. While Tariq reportedly remained on board as an executive producer,Yann Demange was hired as the new Blade directorshortly after the former stepped down. However, Demange departedBladeunder “amicable” terms with Marvel Studios in 2024. If MyTimeToShineHello’s claim is correct and Marvel Studios is close to selecting a director, it’s currently unclear who’s in contention for the role.
These delays and rotating writers and directors have some fans concerned thatBlademay never see the light of day. It’s been over 5 years since the Blade MCU movie was announced. While the most recent reports claim Marvel Studios stillplans to begin production onBladein 2025, many fans only half-jokingly say they won’t believe the film is happening until they’re sitting in the theater to watch it.
Despite the skepticism,Feige reassured fans that Marvel Studios remains committed toBlade. While these delays are frustrating, perhaps fans should find solace in knowing that Marvel Studios prioritizes getting Blade right over rushing its release. Now that Disney has reportedly lifted its mandate for Marvel Studios to produce as much content as possible, the studio can focus on delivering a film worthy of a character as beloved as Blade.
Marvel Studios’Bladeis in development.
MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a sprawling movie and television franchise that weaves together individual stories of superheroes including Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and many more. The first film in the franchise, Iron Man, was released in 2008. The MCU has garnered critical praise and financial success, earning billions at the box office and becoming a cultural phenomenon.
