Since the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con announcement of Mahershala Ali’s casting as Blade in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the project has become a running gag for internet fodder. A revolving door of creatives and release date shuffles have only added to the ongoing struggle to bring the Daywalker back on the big screen outside Wesley Snipes’ surprise cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine. In the wake of Marvel’s recent announcement of Blade losing its November 2025 release date, a new development has emerged.

According to MCU scooper Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK), the recent draft of Blade by Eric Pearson has been discarded altogether, leaving Marvel with a clean slate to start over again. Pearson is one of several screenwriters including Michael Green, Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Michael Starrbury, Beau DeMayo, and Nic Pizzolatto whose drafts have not met the needs of Ali and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. It is unclear who Marvel has on board presently to pen the next draft of Blade.

Speculation has been rampant about Blade‘s overall creative direction in the MCU. In September, controversial X-Men ’97 showrunner DeMayo shared details of his take on the Daywalker as a John Wick-inspired action fest with vampires on a $30-$40 million budgeted MCU project. Additionally, a version developed when Yann Demange was attached to direct was set in the 1920s, featuring MaXXXine’s Mia Goth as the vampire goddess antagonist out for the blood of Blade’s daughter. The recent draft by Pearson was reportedly set in the present day.

Rumors about Blade’s indefinite status are speculated to be the result of Marvel looking to ramp up the conclusion of The Multiverse Saga. This would leave the threads for several MCU projects leading up to Avengers: Secret Wars more connective than recent phases. The delays on Blade resulted in the exits of Ali’s co-stars Delroy Lindo and Aaron Pierre. The latter actor joined cast as John Stewart in HBO’s Lanterns series. Goth’s status on the project remains unknown.

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As for 50-year-old Ali, there has been no confirmation about his future as the MCU’s Daywalker. However, on an episode of The Hot Mic, host John Rocha speculated from a “friend” that Ali was reportedly “happy” with the delays. Should Blade move forward at a later time, it appears likely the latest date would be sometime in 2028 unless a supporting role/cameo is planned in another project ala Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War.

How do you feel about the ongoing Blade behind-the-scenes drama? Let us know in the comments below.

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