Summary
The MCU’s plannedBladereboot starring Mahershala Ali may be in trouble, but new fan art sees aBlack Pantherstar stepping into the role. The character is based on the Marvel Comics antihero made popular by Wesley Snipes, who starred in a trilogy of films as the half-human, half-vampire, starting with 1998’sBlade. Snipes recently returned to the role for a short appearance inDeadpool & Wolverinein 2024, which saw him aiding the titular heroes. He also seems poised to potentially return to the role in upcoming projects,Avengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars, which will feature sizable casts.
Blade’sMCUreboot was first announced in 2019, with Ali set to star as the titular “Daywalker.” Since then, the project has faced nothing but delays, with turmoil seemingly plaguing it at every turn. It has gone through two directors, with the most recent being Yann Demange, who directed'71, and at least six different writers, includingTrue Detectivescribe Nic Pizzolatto and controversial figure Beau DeMayo, who helped bringX-Men ‘97to life. With things continually changing hands, the reboot appears to lack direction, as creative differences continue to hinder progress. The word behind the scenes is that theBladereboot may finally be dead, or at least in its current form, which sees the character’s return with Ali playing the role, potentially put on ice.
ArtistArifinityhas taken it upon themselves to recast the role of Blade, posting their proposed choice to Instagram. Their stylish poster fan art seesBlack Pantherstar Michael B. Jordan donning Blade’s classic look in a cinematic pose. The poster draws inspiration from Jordan’sSinnersposter, which is currently dominating the box office and setting records, and merges it with Blade to produce what feels like perfect casting. Check out theBladefan poster below:
Michael B. Jordan Is A Proven Vampire Slayer, But He Already Plays A Prominent Role In The MCU
As Jordan has proven withSinners, he can more than slay a few blood-sucking vampires.Sinnerssees him reteam withBlack Pantherdirector Ryan Coogler, and the film has earned stellar reviews from critics and audiences, maintaining ahistoric second-weekend dropof only 6%, a virtually unheard-of statistic, especially for an original horror film. The film sees him play twin brothers who rally up survivors at their juke joint to fend off a horde of vampires, many of whom started the night as loved ones, proving he has the skills to carry a genre creature feature, whichBladewould likely be.
While Jordan’s fan casting as Blade feels well-placed, as the actor embodies the character well, he has already appeared in the MCU. Jordan portrays Killmonger inBlack Panther,Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, andMarvel’s What If…?series. He also delivers a stellar performance as the complicated villain, proving to be a standout character. However, with Robert Downey Jr. returning in a completely new role, now portraying Doctor Doom, anything is possible. If Ali parts ways with the role, Marvel may have the perfectreplacement for theBladerebootin Michael B. Jordan.
