The MCU’s Blade has been postponed once again and still doesn’t have a premiere date! Understand why

The first Blade movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was announced in 2019, but has been delayed again and remains without a release date. The film’s last official release date was November 7, 2025, however It is no longer part of Disney’s future release calendar.

It will be replaced by Predator: Badlands, which will follow up on the hit film The Hunt, released in 2022. Among the reasons for the decision is the fact that despite having a lead actor in it, the story about the half-vampire continues without a specific script or hired director.

Blade has been through a lot of crises since its announcement

So far, the only element that seems set in Blade is the fact that the character will be played by Mahershala Ali – who was on the verge of leaving the project at one point. Initially, Marvel hired director Bassam Tariq and screenwriter Stacy Osei-Kuffour to work on the film, which was scheduled to be released on November 3, 2023.

Mahershala Ali was hired by Marvel Studios shortly after the success of Green Booksource: Disclosure/Global Images

However, Tariq ended up abandoning the project due to “creative differences” and Osei-Kuffour was replaced in 2022 by Beau DeMayo, creator of X-Men ’97. He ended up being fired shortly after, and the company accused him of engaging in abusive activities and not behaving professionally, which he denies.

After that, the “Blade” script passed into the hands of Michael Starberry and Nick Pizzolatto, who almost caused Ali to leave the project in 2023. According to the “Variety” website, at that point the film’s story had been transformed into a novel about a group of women. Full of life lessons,” which would leave the half-vampire in the background.

Since then, the film’s script has passed through the hands of Michael Green, and more recently Eric Pearson, responsible for works like Thunderbolts and the new Fantastic Four. In June this year, director Yana Demange, who was set to replace Tariq, also announced that he was leaving the project.

Therefore, Ali’s only “appearance” as Marvel’s new Blade came in the post-credits scene for The EternalsIn which only your voice is heard. Considering that the film ended up being a commercial failure and could end up being “forgotten” by the MCU, the current situation does not look positive at all for the character’s future in theaters.

The film was a victim of internal changes at Marvel Studios

Blade’s current situation can be explained by the big changes Marvel has made recently as a way to make up for some of the failures in recent years. Since the Thanos saga ended, the company has seen the MCU lose steam — and issues like the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the 2023 writers’ strike haven’t helped much.

Wesley Snipes remains cinema’s most famous Bladesource: Reveal/Marvel

All of this created a strange situation, as the most popular version of the half-vampire hit theaters He’s still the guy played by Wesley Snipes, who starred in the New Line movies. While her most recent release was in 2006, the actress successfully reprized the role once again in Deadpool & Wolverine, which was released this year.

After a weak year of releases in 2024, the MCU is currently developing three films for 2025. In February, we should see the premiere of Captain America: Brave New World, in May it will be Thunderbolts’ turn to premiere and, in July, Awesome: Steps The first should hit theaters.