Director Yann Demange has been signed by Marvel Studios to helm its much-anticipated Blade movie.

Demange is known for the critically-acclaimed features 71 (2014) and White Boy Rick (2018). He will helm the project from a script by Michael Starrbury.

He joins the project months after the exit of director Bassam Tariq. The filmmaker will still be attached as an executive producer on the film. 
    
Blade centres on the iconic comic book vampire slayer. He is half-mortal, half-immortal, trying to free the world from vampires as a way of avenging his mother, who was killed by a vampire as she gave birth to him.

The film is set to star Oscar winner Mahershala Ali in the title role alongside actors Delroy Lindo and Aaron Pierre.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige will produce the movie, which is expected to start production in Atlanta in 2023.