Recently, Marvel Studios removed the Mahershala Ali starrer Blade film from its release slate. However, the studio's president Kevin Feige has assured fans that the film will eventually get into the MCU.
Speaking to Omelete through IGN, Feige said, "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."
Since Marvel Studios announced the project with Mahershala Ali in the lead role in 2019, many screenwriters and filmmakers have committed to and exited it. Feige's comments come not long after he stated during his press tour for Deadpool and Wolverine that the studio has been prioritising to not rush the project.
“I mean, for the last two years as we’ve been trying to crack that movie, the most important thing for us is not rushing it and making sure we are making the right ‘Blade’ movie,” the Marvel Studios boss stated back then.
Bassam Tariq, the first filmmaker to join the project, exited it around two months prior to the schedule date of production. Recently, filmmaker Yann Demange also dropped out of the project. In the meantime, screenwriters, including Stacy Osei-Kuffour and Michael Starrbury, made their way out.
Marvel Studios has slated Predator: Badlands for release on November 07, 2025, in place of the vampire hunter film. The original Blade franchise started in 1998, with Wesley Snipes as the titular character. Snipes played the same role again in its two sequels Blade II and Blade: Trinity, as well as Deadpool and Wolverine.