Blade Trilogy Writer Wonders: Why Is MCU Reboot Taking So Long?

David S. Goyer, the acclaimed writer behind the Wesley Snipes-led Blade trilogy, has expressed his readiness to step in and help revive Mahershala Ali's stalled Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) reboot of the iconic vampire hunter. The project, which has faced numerous setbacks, seems to be at a standstill with little indication of moving forward.

Last month, artist and DJ Flying Lotus, who was set to compose music for the film, shared on X/Twitter that the project he was involved with no longer exists. "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 said. Flying Lotus, who recently directed the sci-fi horror film ASH for Shudder, expressed doubts about the project's revival but noted it would have been an exciting opportunity.

Just a day before Flying Lotus's tweet, renowned costume designer Ruth E. Carter, known for her work on Sinners, confirmed on The John Campea Show that she was initially involved in designing costumes for Blade. The film was set to be placed in the 1920s, a setting that promised unique and fascinating costume and production designs.

Actor Delroy Lindo, who was set to star alongside Mahershala Ali, also shared his disappointment with Entertainment Weekly about the project's collapse. He mentioned that Marvel had initially been very inclusive and excited about his input, but the project "went off the rails" for unspecified reasons.

Blade was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019 with a planned release date in November of the following year. However, the film has seen multiple directors, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, come and go without any progress. In an interview with ScreenRant, Goyer voiced his confusion and eagerness to contribute, saying, "I would... I’ve always loved the character and I love him. I’ve been sitting on the sidelines wondering, ‘What in the world is going on? Why is it taking so long?’ Because I’m a huge Marvel fan myself, and I’ve just been totally puzzled."

The film was removed from Marvel's release schedule seven months ago, and while no new release date has been set, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige remains committed to bringing Blade to the MCU. In a November 2024 interview with Omelete, Feige assured fans, "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."

Meanwhile, the MCU film Deadpool & Wolverine, which featured a cameo by Wesley Snipes reprising his role as Blade, was a massive success, grossing $1.3 billion globally. Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds emphasized the importance of Snipes' Blade films, stating on X/Twitter, "There is no Fox Marvel Universe or MCU without Blade first creating a market. He’s Marvel Daddy. Please retweet for a Logan-like send-off."

Reynolds is reportedly in the early stages of developing a new Deadpool and X-Men film, where Deadpool would not be the central character but share the spotlight with other X-Men members, allowing them to be "used in unexpected ways," according to THR.

The 25 Best Superhero Movies

View 27 Images