Mahershala Ali's Blade Movie Project Appears to Be Dead

The much-anticipated *Blade* movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) seems to have hit a dead end. After facing numerous challenges over the years, the project has now officially stalled, leaving fans without the prospect of seeing Mahershala Ali as the iconic Daywalker. This development marks a significant setback for the MCU.

Rapper and artist Flying Lotus recently took to X / Twitter to share his involvement with the project, revealing that *Blade* is no longer moving forward. "I guess we are so far from it even being a possibility now but. Yeah I was signed on to write music for the new BLADE movie before it fell thru," he stated. Flying Lotus, who recently directed the sci-fi horror *ASH* for Shudder, expressed doubt about the project's revival but noted it would have been a fun endeavor.

Just a day before Flying Lotus' tweet, costume designer Ruth E. Carter confirmed on *The John Campea Show* that she was set to design costumes for *Blade* before the project fell apart. The film was intended to be set in the 1920s, promising unique and captivating costume and production designs.

Adding to the series of disappointing updates, actor Delroy Lindo, who was also attached to the film, shared insights on the project's collapse with *Entertainment Weekly*. "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input," Lindo said. He described the initial excitement around the project due to its inclusive approach and the potential for his character's development, but lamented that it "just went off the rails" for unspecified reasons.

*Blade* was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, with plans for a November release this year. However, the project has seen several directors come and go, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, without any sticking to the film.

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Despite the setbacks, it's been only six months since Blade was removed from Marvel's release schedule in October 2024, and no new release date has been confirmed. However, a month after the film was pulled, MCU boss Kevin Feige reiterated the studio's commitment to the project. "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," he told Omelete in November 2024. "But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU."