'Leave me out of it': Mahershala Ali dodges 'Blade' question
What's the story
Mahershala Ali, the Oscar-winning actor who was cast as Blade in Marvel's reboot, has reached maximum awkwardness dealing with questions about the project. In a chat on Vogue's Off the Cuff alongside Jurassic World: Rebirth co-stars Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey, Ali skipped the question when Bailey asked how many Marvel films they've both acted in. "Leave me out of it," Ali said in jest. "That's a Scarlett question." Blade has been stuck in development for over six years now.
Production hurdles
The film has lost its original director and screenwriter
First announced in 2019, the Blade reboot has seen a series of changes in its cast and crew. It was originally set to be directed by Bassam Tariq, but he left the project after a few years. The film also lost its original screenwriter and is now being helmed by a new team. Blade aka Eric Brooks is a human-vampire hybrid who hunts vampires, famously played by Wesley Snipes.
Studio's assurance
Feige assured fans that they are 'committed' to the project
Despite the ongoing issues, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige assured fans at D23 Brazil 2024 that they are "committed" to making Blade a reality. "We love the character. We love Mahershala's take on him," he said. Earlier at Jurassic World's New York premiere, Ali also expressed his eagerness to finally get the show started. He said, "Call Marvel... I'm ready. Let them know I'm ready." But how long are the crew and audiences going to wait before losing interest?
Costume crossover
'Sinners' used costumes created for 'Blade'
Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that Sinners used costumes that were initially created for Blade but never used due to the film's delays. "At one point [Blade] was going to deal with the past around the same era as Sinners," said Sinners producer Sev Ohanian. "She happened to have a warehouse full of period-appropriate clothes... And Marvel was generous enough and kind enough to let us basically purchase it at price."