The much-anticipated Blade movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe seems to have hit a dead end. Despite years of development, the project appears to have stalled indefinitely, leaving fans without the chance to see Mahershala Ali portray the iconic Daywalker, a significant disappointment for the MCU community.

Rapper and artist Flying Lotus, who was set to contribute music to the film, confirmed its cancellation on X / Twitter. "I guess we are so far from it even being a possibility now but. Yeah I was signed on to write music for the new BLADE movie before it fell thru," he stated. Flying Lotus, fresh from directing Shudder's sci-fi horror ASH, expressed doubts about the project's revival but acknowledged the potential fun it could have offered.

Adding to the series of setbacks, costume designer Ruth E. Carter, during an appearance on The John Campea Show, revealed she was tasked with designing costumes for Blade, which was slated to be set in the 1920s. This setting promised unique and exciting costume and production design possibilities.

Actor Delroy Lindo, who was also attached to the film, shared his disappointment in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input," he said. "And in the various conversations I had with producers, the writer, the director at the time, it was all leading into being very inclusive. It was really exciting conceptually, but it was also exciting in terms of the character that was going to form. And then, for whatever reason, it just went off the rails."

Announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, Blade was expected to hit theaters in November if everything had gone according to plan. The film has seen multiple directors, including Yann Demange and Bassam Tariq, but none have stayed on board.

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It's been just six months since Blade was removed from Marvel's release schedule in October 2024, and no new release date has been set. However, a month after its removal, MCU boss Kevin Feige reassured fans of the studio's commitment to the project. "We are committed to Blade. We love the character, we love Mahershala's take on him. And rest assured: whenever we change direction with a project, or are still figuring out how it fits into our schedule, we let the audience know. You're all up to date on what's happening," he stated during an interview with Omelete in November 2024. "But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU."