If you were holding out any hope that Marvel Studios was ever going to make that Blade movie with Mahershala Ali happen, well, the Oscar-winning actor just threw some cold water on your face today. As far as he’s concerned, the Blade movie isn’t happening ever, at least not with him starring as the Daywalker. While speaking with GQ Magazine to promote his new film Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, directed by one of the directors of the failed Blade reboot, he pretty much killed all hope we’d ever see him as the character. After Kevin Feige recently admitted he felt like a total failure for never getting Blade off the ground, GQ asked Ali if we’d ever see the film with him in the role. Here’s what he had to say:
Not with me. The best way I can answer this question is, when I look at what is for me, is it was either this or that—and I’ll take this. No offense to them. I’ve been doing this professionally for pushing 30 years now, and one thing I’ve learned is that what is for you is for you and what is not is not. For whatever reason, that project is not for me. If they wanted to do it, we would’ve done it. So I have to move on, and I have moved on. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother feels very much in alignment with the type of work I want to be known for. I don’t really want to be known for remakes. I’d love to do original work that resonates with people and impacts them in unique ways.
So, I’m good. [Laughs.] Again, you had me under contract, they have billions of dollars, if they wanted to do the movie, we would’ve done the movie. So we’re not doing the movie. When I look at this and Blade, I couldn’t have done both, and the reason this even exists is because that project fell apart and Bassam had the time, space, energy, and focus to go and write this and then re-approach me. And I was able to use those skills that I had been working on for over a year training for Blade. In that way, I feel creatively redeemed on some level, just in my own journey between me, myself, and I. But I feel ready to move on from the Blade questions. Those questions are for them. They didn’t want to do it, so they should answer that question.
Mahershala Ali does not mince words here. He pretty much lays the blame for Blade never materializing on Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios. Over the seven years since Blade was announced at Hall in 2019, the movie has gone through one of the most tumultuous development processes in modern movie history. Originally, the film was going to be directed by Bassam Tariq. It cast celebrated actors like Sinners’ Delroy Lindo and future Lanterns star Aaron Pierre. (He would honestly make a great Blade himself one day). Tariq reimagined Blade as a period piece set in the 1920s. But that version fell through, leaving everyone back at square one.
Later, Yann Demange came on board to direct, leaving as set construction began. Writers like X-Men ’97’s Beau DeMayo and even True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto took turns on the script. But sadly, nothing came of them. Finally, Marvel removed Blade from their schedule completely, after years of delays, and millions of dollars spent. Wesley Snipes returned as the original Blade in Deadpool and Wolverine, cracking a joke that would become prophetic: “There’s only ever going to be one Blade.” In the end, though, Mahershala Ali did get to play Blade in the MCU once. You can hear his voice in the end-credits stinger for Eternals. One day, Marvel will crack Blade. He’s too important a character not to. But it won’t ever be with Mahershala Ali, that much is clear.