The next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will bring Blade into the mix with a brand new reboot, and Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali is taking over the vampire-slaying role. Bassam Tariq (Mogul Mowgli) was originally on board to direct the movie, but as we learned back in October, Tariq ended up departing the hotly anticipated horror project.
Blade‘s new release date is September 6, 2024, bumped back from the original November 2023 plan, and Deadline reports today that Yann Demange has come on board to direct.
Demange directed ‘71 and White Boy Rick, as well as the premiere of “Lovecraft Country.”
Michael Starrbury (When They See Us) will be writing a new version of the screenplay.
Deadline reports, “By having the extra time to meet with candidates, Marvel could now zero in on the writer and director who could deliver the tone they wanted to achieve with this film. While it probably won’t be as dark as the previous Blade pics, Insiders say Marvel is looking to go with a darker tone on this film than other MCU projects have been in the past.”
The site’s report continues, “Following weeks of meetings and pitches, Demange would land the job after delivering a pitch that execs were excited about.”
The vampire-slaying character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan, introduced in July 1973’s The Tomb of Dracula #10. Wesley Snipes played Blade across three films from 1998 through 2004, and he was played by Sticky Fingaz in a short-lived TV series.
