The long-in-development Marvel movie Blade the Vampire Slayer, starring Mahershala Ali, has hit a bump, as director Bassam Tariq has left the project due to scheduling conflicts due to the picture being delayed multiple times.
Marvel Studios released this statement:
“Due to continued shifts in our production schedule, Bassam is no longer moving forward as director of Blade but will remain an executive producer on the film. We appreciate Bassam’s talent and all the work he’s done getting Blade to where it is.”
Tariq released his own statement saying:
“It’s been an honor working with the wonderful folks at Marvel. We were able to put together a killer cast and crew. Eager to see where the next director takes the film.”
Reportedly, Marvel is actively searching for a replacement director. Blade is scheduled to open on November 3, 2023. Obviously, the film can’t begin production without a director, but it is also reported that the script has undergone multiple rewrites. The latest version was penned by Beau DeMayo, who previously scripted Moon Knight as well as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, The Witcher, and the animated The Witcher: Blood Origins.
Ali was announced as playing the vampire slayer Blade at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, so fans have been waiting a long time to see him onscreen in the role. Then again, there was a whole pandemic that slowed things down. According to Kevin Feige, it was Ali who approached him about playing the character, making this a project that didn’t originate with Feige and the Marvel Studios’ creative teams.
Ali’s voice is heard in the post-credits scene of Eternals which came out late last year.
Delroy Lindo and Aaron Pierre have also been cast in Blade.
Once again, Blade, which is part of Marvel’s Phase Five, is set to open in theaters on November 3, 2023.
