BLADE Reportedly Dead at Marvel Studios as Mahershala Ali Eyes a MIDNIGHT SONS Debut
It sounds like Marvel Studios may have finally closed the coffin on its long-troubled Blade reboot, but the Daywalker isn’t completely being scrapped from the MCU just yet. A new report suggests the standalone movie is finished for now, while Mahershala Ali could still step into the role through Midnight Sons.
It’s been seven long years since Marvel Studios surprised fans in Hall H at Comic-Con by announcing that Mahershala Ali would play Blade. What followed was a brutal cycle of rewrites, director exits, schedule reshuffles, and mounting frustration.
In 2024, the studio officially removed Blade from its release calendar. Soon after, reports claimed the project was merely on indefinite hold, keeping hope alive that the vampire hunter would eventually rise again.
That optimism may have been misplaced. On a recent episode of The Hot Mic, industry insider Jeff Sneider said he’s heard the Blade reboot is now “dead.” The plan, according to the report, is for Ali’s version of the character to debut instead in Midnight Sons, Marvel’s supernatural team-up project that’s been quietly taking shape.
Ali, for his part, hasn’t gone anywhere. While attending the red carpet premiere for Jurassic World Rebirth last year, the actor made it clear the delay isn’t coming from him. “Call Marvel,” he said. “I’m ready. Let them know I’m ready.”
He echoed that same energy in a separate conversation, making it clear the door is still wide open. “I would love for Blade to happen; we’ll see, I don’t know where Marvel is at right now. I’m just looking for the next great part, I really am.”
Behind the scenes, Blade has been through an incredible number of creative overhauls. The most recent draft came from Eric Pearson, marking the sixth writer attached after Michael Green, Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Michael Starrbury, Beau DeMayo, and Nic Pizzolatto. At one point, word was that Pearson’s script had finally pleased everyone involved. But, obviously, that didn’t stick.
The delays don’t appear to be about cracking the character. Instead, the timing may have worked against the film. Marvel is currently all-in on its Multiverse build toward Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, leaving little room for a darker, standalone supernatural story. That shift reportedly pushed Blade further and further down the priority list.
There’s also been talk that the crowd-pleasing response to Wesley Snipes showing up as Blade in Deadpool & Wolverine sparked new conversations internally. Some believe Marvel briefly explored turning the reboot into a Multiverse story that could feature both versions of the character, though nothing concrete ever materialized.
Despite all the noise, Kevin Feige previously stressed that the character itself was never abandoned, even after the latest delay.
“We are committed to Blade. We love the character. We love Mahershala’s take on him. And rest assured: whenever we change direction with a project, or are still figuring out how it fits into our schedule, we let the audience know. You’re all up to date on what’s happening. But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU."
If Blade really is done as a solo movie for now, Midnight Sons may be the cleanest way to finally introduce Ali’s Daywalker to audiences. A supernatural ensemble could set the stage, build the mythology, and give Marvel room to revisit a standalone film later.
For fans who’ve waited years to see Ali in the role, it isn’t the outcome anyone hoped for. But, seeing Blade finally step out of the shadows in Midnight Sons might be better than nothing. It’s a shame that Marvel hasn’t been able to crack this project.