In the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe, encompassing movies and TV projects available with a Disney+ subscription, fans eagerly await Mahershala Ali’s Blade. His casting as the iconic vampire hunter was announced over four years ago, and it thrilled MCU enthusiasts. Yet, a recent report unveils the rocky path to bringing The Daywalker back to screens, raising concerns about delays and creative direction. Now, knowing the near-miss story that was in development, the character’s MCU debut delay doesn’t bother me at all.
A recent bombshell Variety report reveals that Kevin Feige, the mastermind behind the MCU’s success, has been axing projects that fall short of Marvel’s high standards. This cautious approach follows recent disappointments, such as Ant-Man 3’s underwhelming box office performance and the high-profile issues with She-Hulk.
The long-awaited Blade reboot, initially set for the 2023 movie schedule, has faced several project challenges and setbacks. Last September, director Bassam Tariq left the reboot, and at least five writers and two directors have been shuffled in to crack the formula for the character’s MCU debut. The most troubling turn of events seemed to be when the project was abruptly halted a mere six weeks before production was set to begin. This unexpected decision has understandably left fans anxious about the beloved character’s future.
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But perhaps the delay was for the best, especially when considering the puzzling revelation from the report that, at one point, the script took a bizarre narrative turn. It allegedly transformed into a story led by women, filled with life lessons, and relegated the Midnight Sons team member to the fourth lead in his own movie. Now, this is not to diminish the importance of female-led stories or life lessons in cinema. Still, it does seem like a questionable decision, especially when you have someone as talented as Mahershala Ali leading your cast. It’s important to promote diversity and inclusion in storytelling, but not at the expense of sidelining the titular character in a film centered around his return.
That is why I’m not mad about the movie taking its time, and figuring out a new plan before moving forward with production.
Amid Blade’s saga, reports have emerged concerning Marvel Studios’ desire to resurrect deceased characters like Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man. Along with the reports about their future plans, the article also revealed that both She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and WandaVision faced significant VFX challenges, with some final effects being rushed in post-premiere for Disney+ viewers. Surprisingly, it’s come to light that Victoria Alonso, the Marvel Studios executive fired last year, may have been unfairly labeled as the “scapegoat” for She-Hulk’s problems. The real issue appears to have been a “lack of oversight on script development,” leading to VFX hiccups.
The Blade situation raises legitimate concerns. While it’s not unusual for a big-budget project to face creative challenges and delays, the situation surrounding everyone’s favorite half-vampire crime fighter has been ongoing for a long time, and it seems like they’ve had to jump over way more hurdles than usual. Based on the behind-the-scenes look the Variety article has given us, it’s clear not all is well at the House of Ideas and their schedule of upcoming superhero movies. Here’s hoping they can get things back on track before audiences completely check out.