The Marvel Cinematic Universe kicked off its Blade movie in 2021, but the film doesn’t seem any closer to release. Three years ago, the Marvel Cinematic Universe officially introduced Blade, hinting at the long-awaited revival of the iconic vampire hunter. Played by Mahershala Ali, Blade was positioned to bring a darker, more supernatural element to the MCU, generating massive excitement. However, despite this setup, Marvel’s Blade film has been plagued by multiple delays. Blade technically made his MCU debut in the Eternals post-credits scene. Marvel initially set up Blade’s MCU entry in 2021’s Eternals, albeit in a subtle way. The post-credits scene featured Dane Whitman (played by Kit Harington) hesitating over a mysterious sword, hinting at his future as the Black Knight. Just as Dane picked up the sword, an off-screen voice asked if he was ready for what was to come. This voice, although not confirmed visually, was later revealed to be none other than Mahershala Ali’s B.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe began its Blade film in 2021, but the film doesn’t appear any closer to release. Three years ago, the Marvel Cinematic Universe officially introduced Blade, hinting at the long-awaited revival of the iconic vampire hunter. Played by Mahershala Ali, Blade was positioned to bring a darker, more supernatural element to the MCU, generating massive excitement. However, despite this setup, Marvel Blade the film was beset by several delays.

While the MCU’s official Blade has been teased, Wesley Snipes’ variant has excitingly joined the MCU timeline in Deadpool and Wolverine. Wesley Snipes reprized his role as the iconic vampire, celebrating his role in the original Blade trilogy. An especially nice line from Deadpool declared that there is only one Blade, a line that increasingly reflects the character’s state in the MCU.

Blade technically made his MCU debut in Eternals’ post-credits scene

Marvel initially set Blade’s MCU entry in 2021 Eternalsalbeit in a subtle way. The post-credits scene showed Dane Whitman (played by Kit Harington) hesitating over a mysterious sword, hinting at his future as the Black Knight. Just as Dane picked up the sword, an off-screen voice asked if he was ready for what was to come. This voice, although not visually confirmed, was later revealed to be none other than Mahershala Ali’s Blade. Although fans didn’t see him, Blade’s presence was teased, confirming that his character was part of the MCU’s future plans.

This brief vocal cameo served as the first step in reintroducing Blade to a new generation of Marvel viewers. Marvel’s choice to use Ali for the role was seen as a perfect casting moveespecially since he had already received praise for his performances in Moonlight and Green Book. However, while this subtle introduction laid the groundwork for a larger plot involving Blade, Marvel has struggled to make significant progress with the project since then.

What has happened to the Blade movie since then?

Marvel Blade the film has encountered one obstacle after another since it was first announced. The project was initially scheduled for a late 2023 release date. However, production delays, a change in creative vision, and changes to the film’s creative team affected postponed the release several timeswith the latest rumors suggesting a late 2025 release at best. The film was plagued by “development hell” – an industry term for films that get stuck in seemingly endless cycles of rewrites, delays and internal disagreements.

Since the announcement, Blade has gone through several directors and writers, suggesting that Marvel has yet to find the right creative direction. Originally, Bassam Tariq was set to direct, but left the project in 2022. “creative differences”, according to reports. Yann Demange, known as Lovecraft Countrywas later hired to take over, wihe hopes his experience in horror and supernatural themes can guide the film in a compelling direction.

While Marvel has been celebrated for mixing superhero action with humor and heart, Blade’s darker tone and supernatural elements seem to be challenging to incorporate into the broader MCU. Reports suggest that Marvel is torn between delivering an R-rated Blade film that builds on its horror roots or a more family-friendly version that fits into the broader MCU brand. Finding that balance has been a recurring problem and has slowed production as Marvel appears uncertain about which direction to take. Blade.