Mahershala Ali's Blade Film Cancelled

It appears the long-awaited Blade movie has officially run out of steam. The Marvel Cinematic Universe project has faced numerous obstacles over the years, but now it seems to have halted entirely—with little chance of revival. This means fans won’t see Mahershala Ali portray the iconic Daywalker, arguably the most disappointing outcome in the MCU's recent history.

Rapper and artist Flying Lotus recently took to X/Twitter to reflect on his involvement, revealing that Blade has been shelved. "I guess it’s so far from being a possibility now, but yes, I was originally signed on to compose music for the new BLADE movie before it fell apart," the DJ, who recently directed Shudder’s sci-fi horror film ASH, shared. "Maybe it’ll come back someday, but I doubt it. Would’ve been fun, though."

Just before Flying Lotus’ tweet, costume designer Ruth E. Carter confirmed on The John Campea Show that she was set to design costumes for Blade before the project collapsed. Even more disappointing, the film was planned to take place in the 1920s—a setting that would have allowed for stunning costume and production design.

As misfortune often comes in threes, actor Delroy Lindo—who was at one point set to co-star alongside Ali in Blade—also spoke about the film’s cancellation just days before Carter’s comments.

"When Marvel approached me, they seemed genuinely interested in my creative input," he told Entertainment Weekly. "In my conversations with the producers, the writer, and the director at the time, there was a strong sense of collaboration. The concept was thrilling, and the development of my character felt promising. But for some reason, the project derailed."

Blade was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019. Under the original plan, the film would have been released this November. Since then, the project has cycled through multiple directors, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, though none remained attached.

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Considering everything this adaptation has endured, it’s surprising that only six months have passed since Marvel removed it from the release schedule in October 2024. A new release date has yet to be confirmed. That said, a month after the delay, MCU head Kevin Feige assured fans that the studio remains committed to bringing Blade to life.

"We are dedicated to Blade. We love the character and Mahershala’s vision for him," he stated in a November 2024 interview with Omelete. "Whenever we adjust a project’s direction or timing, we keep the audience informed—so you’re up to date. But rest assured, the character will definitely appear in the MCU."