“When Mahershala calls, you answer.”
That’s Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige there, recalling how the casting of two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali as Blade came about – just in time for San Diego Comic-Con, no less.
Ali, star of Luke Cage, Green Book, and Alita: Battle Angel, essentially called up Feige and asked for a status report on Blade, and how he may fit into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fast forward to SDCC 2019, and Mahershala Ali was on stage being introduced as the new-fangled Daywalker, sending the Internet into a giddy state of pandemonium.
Turns out that excitement wasn’t limited to Marvel’s fanbase; all across the MCU, everyone from Chris Pratt to Scarlett Johansson celebrated the casting of Mahershala Ali as Blade.
It was undoubtedly one of the coolest moments of SDCC 2019, especially when Hall H fell into darkness as Ali unveiled the by-now iconic Blade baseball cap.
Alas, this is a project still incubating in the formative stages of development, with no real release window – let alone a specific launch date – attached to its name. Be that as it may, confirmation that Mahershala Ali is returning to the Marvel franchise after his standout performance as Cottonmouth in the now-canceled Luke Cage series is exciting in and of itself. We’ve said it before, but Marvel’s upcoming interpretation of Blade will be an MCU movie like no other.
When, exactly, we can expect Mahershala Ali’s big debut as Blade is another question entirely, but Feige may be planning to use the vampire flick as a springboard for the X-Men. Oh, and did we mention David Leitch (Deadpool 2, John Wick) is also interested in the director’s chair? Suddenly, Marvel’s nascent Blade movie has become one of the hottest properties in town.
