Marvel fans will be getting a new Blade movie set in the MCU in 2023, but despite the rumors, it doesn’t seem likely that the original Blade, Wesley Snipes, will appear.
Speaking in an interview with Comicbook.com, Snipes shared that as of right now, Marvel has not approached him to appear in their upcoming reboot, joking that he may need more practice acting first.
“No, not as of yet. I’m still working on my acting skills. So when I come up as an actor, maybe they’ll reach out and say, ‘Let’s have a conversation,’ or maybe they don’t feel I’m ensemble player.”
In this new Blade film the role of its titular character will be taken on by Mahershala Ali, who has briefly debuted in character during the post-credits scene of Eternals. As of yet Blade has not been seen on screen, only heard.
While Snipes may not appear in the film, he previously has shared his support for Ali in the role. Speaking to Yahoo, Snipes shared that he believes the actor will be a great fit.
“We spoke. The issue of him being cast wasn’t between us, I’m cool with that. I don’t walk around as Blade, so I’m not attached to the character like that. I feel no emotional loss, zero, and I’m happy that he’s being recast and will more than likely do a great job.”
Blade is set to begin filming in early July and is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on Nov. 13, 2023.