Where on Earth Is Blade?

Just five years ago, the fervor was palpable when Marvel Studios brought Mahershala Ali on stage during San Diego Comic-Con’s Hall H panel to reveal he would be playing Eric Brooks, the antihero known as Blade. It should have been a triumphant announcement meant to set the stage for the release of another blockbusting Marvel movie. However, what followed has been a series of delays and setbacks that have pushed the project far from pre-production status.

The film has already gone through the tumultuous process of losing two directors and has been mired in what can only be described as “writers’ hell.” For now, the movie is tentatively scheduled to come out next year, though Marvel Studios has notably remained tight-lipped about it.

On Saturday night, Marvel boss Kevin Feige took the Hall H stage again to discuss Marvel’s upcoming releases through 2025. He talked extensively about Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. However, in a conspicuous omission, there was not a single mention of Blade, despite its seemingly slated release for next year.

Earlier in the week, Feige attempted to shed some optimistic light on the project. During a press tour for Deadpool & Wolverine, he told Shadow and Act that although the delays have been frustrating both for the studio and the fans, there is a silver lining. “We have a writer working on it now,” Feige said, adding, “I’ve read half of his new draft and it’s feeling good so far.”

Despite Feige’s encouraging words, the troubles surrounding Blade have essentially become a meme within the fan community. The delays and roadblocks have been so pronounced that even Wesley Snipes, who played the character in the early 2000s, has commented on the situation.

“I shouted him out, told him he’s got all my blessings and support,” Snipes told EW this week. “I even referenced the fact that some of the challenges they’re facing now with the project, it shouldn’t be accredited to him … It’s not the actor’s fault. There’s a lot more that goes on with pulling this Blade stuff off … You need a lot of secret sauce to do the Blade thing, man. Good luck. You’re my man, though.”

As it stands, Blade is slated to hit theaters on November 7, 2025. The lengthy timeline and considerable number of obstacles the project has faced continue to leave fans in suspense. With Marvel Studios remaining largely silent about the film, only time will tell if Eric Brooks will make his comeback as resoundingly as fans hope.