JP Nunez
Marvel’s upcoming Blade reboot can’t seem to catch a break. The movie’s original director left the project last September, and a few weeks after that, its release date was pushed back ten months. Then, after acquiring a new director and bringing a new screenwriter on board, it looked like Blade was finally headed in the right direction. But, as the WGA strike continues, Marvel has had to shut down pre-production on the film.
It’s just been one thing after another, and now, Blade has hit another snag. Disney has shifted around a bunch of their upcoming release dates for the next several years, and one of the movies that’s being affected is Blade. Previously scheduled to come out on September 6, 2024, the feature is presently set to hit theaters five months later, on February 14, 2025.
Admittedly, this news isn’t unexpected. Production delays almost inevitably mean a release date push. Still, it’s a pretty big bummer. I’m a huge fan of vampires, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the first two Wesley Snipes Blade films, so I’ve been anxiously awaiting this reboot since it was announced.
However, because of the uncertainty brought by the strike, we’ll have to wait even longer to see it, and I’m almost starting to wonder if this movie will ever see the light of day. If this trend continues, I wouldn’t be surprised if Mahershala Ali, who’s supposed to be playing the titular vampire hunter, gets fed up with all this bad luck and walks away from the project.
He’s a great actor, so I’m sure he’d much rather spend his time working at his craft than sitting around waiting to start shooting a movie that seems to perpetually be in limbo. Plus, he’s 49, so if the film gets pushed back any further, he might feel he’s getting too old to helm a new action franchise. And if that happens, all bets are off. Sure, Marvel could always replace him, but at that point, would they want to? Or would they decide this movie is more trouble than it’s worth? I don’t know, but I could see it going either way.
Admittedly, that’s all just frustration-driven speculation, so maybe Blade will actually make its new 2025 release date. We don’t know what the future holds for this seemingly cursed film, so all we can do is sit tight and hope for the best.
