A second cast member has been added to Marvel Studios’ upcoming Blade The Vampire Slayer, and it’s none other than the legendary Delroy Lindo. His role was not disclosed. He joins two-time Academy Award-winner Mahershala Ali who will star in the title role as a half-human/half-vampire monster slayer. The film and Ali’s casting were announced back in 2019 at San Diego Comic-Con International, but this is the first official announcement to come since then.
Though Marvel has yet to announce a release date for Blade, with Lindo’s casting, it appears things are ramping up. Ali’s voice was heard in the post-credits scene of Eternals, speaking to Dane Whitman/The Black Knight, so clearly, something is coming fairly soon!
It was previously announced that playwright Stacy Osei-Kuffour will tackle the script, making her the first Black woman to write a Marvel Studios movie. Bassam Tariq (Mogul Mowgli) will direct and will be the sixth person of color to helm a Marvel movie following Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok), Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Chloé Zhao (Eternals), and Nia DaCosta (The Marvels).
Blade was introduced in the 1973 comic book The Tomb of Dracula #10, by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan. He was a popular supporting character that popped up in various comics over the decades and was featured in a few solo stories in anthology books, but didn’t receive his own comics until 1993, during an initiative Marvel called “Midnight Sons.”
Of course, Blade became a household name in 1998, when Wesley Snipes portrayed the vampire-hunter in a live-action film released by New Line Cinema. The film was made with a relatively small budget of $45 million but grossed an impressive $131.2 million and spawned two sequels. It also inspired a TV show on the cable channel Spike, Blade: The Series, which recast the title role with rapper Sticky Fingaz. Though the show delivered solid ratings, it only lasted for one season due to its high budget.
Delroy Lindo recently won numerous awards for his role in last year’s Spike Lee joint Da 5 Bloods. He is also gaining a lot of notice and buzz for his role in the new Netflix movie The Harder They Fall. He is currently filming Anansi Boys, a series for Amazon Prime Video based on the novel by Neil Gaiman and a spin-off from American Gods. He also stars on the Paramount+ series The Good Fight. He has had a long and illustrious career, but among the highlights are Get Shorty, The Core, and Malcolm X.
Once again, Marvel Studios has not announced a release date for Blade yet, but check back for updates as they arrive!
