Mahershala Ali Unleashes Brutal Action in New Trailer for YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER
For a long time, fans hoped to see Mahershala Ali unleash his action chops as Marvel's Blade. That movie appears to be stuck in limbo as the actor confirmed he left the project.
But after watching the first full trailer for Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, it's hard not to think Ali may have taken on an even more compelling role.
The newly released trailer offers an intense first look at the upcoming thriller, which pairs Ali with director Bassam Tariq, the filmmaker who was once attached to Marvel Studios' Blade.
While that collaboration never made it to the big screen, they've reunited here for a movie that looks packed with emotional weight, brutal action, and a character caught between duty, faith, and family.
Ali stars as Latif, a deeply religious hitman trying to reconcile the life he lives with the values he holds onto. After the death of his wife, he's forced into a desperate race across Houston to keep his children safe while dangerous enemies close in around him. At the same time, the beliefs that have guided his life are pushed to their breaking point.
Alongside Ali, the film features an impressive cast that includes John Cho, Abubakr Ali, Laith Nakli, Tramell Tillman, Tiffany Boone, and Giancarlo Esposito.
Speaking with GQ, Ali reflected on how things came to an end with Blade and why this project became the right fit. "I didn't feel great about the fact that things finished the way that they did [with Blade]; I like seeing things through.
“I was really attracted to the challenge of playing a character that felt so stretched, but also the intimacy of his situation and the potential care he would take in executing his mission."
He went on to explain why Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother offered exactly the kind of challenge he was looking for.
"All TV and films are hard, and I just want it to be difficult for the right reasons, and it felt like this was going to be that. I'm so grateful that we were able to see this through and find what I believe is the right thing together."
Tariq also revealed that Ali was always at the center of this project, even before the character had fully taken shape.
"I didn’t even tell Mahershala this until recently, but, in the earliest drafts of this, I didn't even have a name for the character — I just wrote 'Mahershala.' Because I've been imagining, how do you carry dignity and grief, and have grace under fire? It's a tough thing. Some actors are incredible thespians, but when they move or run, they can't nail it."
The director also looked back at what he witnessed while the pair were developing Blade, explaining that Ali's physical ability immediately stood out.
"Mahershala is an athlete, and I saw the way he uses a sword on Blade. The first time he was doing sword practice on Blade, the stuff coming back was incredible. Then, here, it was exceptional to see the way Mahershala rose to that occasion; he was able to anchor it all."
It's tough not to wonder what Marvel Studios' Blade might have looked like. Thankfully, fans won't have to keep imagining what an action-driven Mahershala Ali performance could've been.
If this trailer is any indication, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother delivers exactly the kind of intensity, emotion, and physical performance that many were hoping to see from Ali all along. It may not be Blade, but it certainly looks like it'll satisfy anyone who wanted to see him lead a hard-hitting action movie.
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is currently set to arrive in theaters on September 25, and the footage makes a strong case that this could be one of the year's most gripping action dramas.