Summary

Marvel's Blade reboot is facing ongoing delays due to continued shake-ups behind the scenes.
Fan art sees Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan cast as Marvel's Blade.
Jordan's proven performances in Sinners and the MCU as Killmonger make him a fitting yet complicated replacement.

The MCU's planned Blade reboot starring Mahershala Ali may be in trouble, but new fan art sees a Black Panther star stepping into the role. The character is based on the Marvel Comics antihero made popular by Wesley Snipes, who starred in a trilogy of films as the half-human, half-vampire, starting with 1998's Blade. Snipes recently returned to the role for a short appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024, which saw him aiding the titular heroes. He also seems poised to potentially return to the role in upcoming projects, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, which will feature sizable casts.

Blade's MCU reboot was first announced in 2019, with Ali set to star as the titular "Daywalker." Since then, the project has faced nothing but delays, with turmoil seemingly plaguing it at every turn. It has gone through two directors, with the most recent being Yann Demange, who directed '71, and at least six different writers, including True Detective scribe Nic Pizzolatto and controversial figure Beau DeMayo, who helped bring X-Men '97 to life. With things continually changing hands, the reboot appears to lack direction, as creative differences continue to hinder progress. The word behind the scenes is that the Blade reboot may finally be dead, or at least in its current form, which sees the character's return with Ali playing the role, potentially put on ice.

Blade’s MCU Movie May Be Dead, And That’s Actually The Best Thing For Both Blade And Marvel

Could the cancellation of the Mahershala Ali starrer actually be a good thing? After years in development hell, that might just be the case.

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By Sandip Kishan Anbuselvan

Artist Arifinity has taken it upon themselves to recast the role of Blade, posting their proposed choice to Instagram. Their stylish poster fan art sees Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan donning Blade's classic look in a cinematic pose. The poster draws inspiration from Jordan's Sinners poster, which is currently dominating the box office and setting records, and merges it with Blade to produce what feels like perfect casting. Check out the Blade fan poster below:

Michael B. Jordan Is A Proven Vampire Slayer, But He Already Plays A Prominent Role In The MCU

As Jordan has proven with Sinners, he can more than slay a few blood-sucking vampires. Sinners sees him reteam with Black Panther director Ryan Coogler, and the film has earned stellar reviews from critics and audiences, maintaining a historic second-weekend drop of only 6%, a virtually unheard-of statistic, especially for an original horror film. The film sees him play twin brothers who rally up survivors at their juke joint to fend off a horde of vampires, many of whom started the night as loved ones, proving he has the skills to carry a genre creature feature, which Blade would likely be.

While Jordan's fan casting as Blade feels well-placed, as the actor embodies the character well, he has already appeared in the MCU. Jordan portrays Killmonger in Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Marvel's What If...? Series. He also delivers a stellar performance as the complicated villain, proving to be a standout character. However, with Robert Downey Jr. Returning in a completely new role, now portraying Doctor Doom, anything is possible. If Ali parts ways with the role, Marvel may have the perfect replacement for the Blade reboot in Michael B. Jordan.

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