Rumor: Marvel’s ‘Blade’ Reboot Delayed Due To Mahershala Ali Being Unhappy With Proposed Script

Blade goes to work in Deadpool Vol. 6 #28 "Til Death Do Us..., Part One" (2017), Marvel Comics. Art by Salvador Espin and Ruth Redmond / Cornell Stokes (Mahershala Ali) is unhappy with the news of his latest setback in Luke Cage Season 1 Episode 5 "Just to Get a Rep" (2016), Marvel Entertainment
Blade goes to work in Deadpool Vol. 6 #28 "Til Death Do Us..., Part One" (2017), Marvel Comics. Art by Salvador Espin and Ruth Redmond / Cornell Stokes (Mahershala Ali) is unhappy with the news of his latest setback in Luke Cage Season 1 Episode 5 "Just to Get a Rep" (2016), Marvel Entertainment

In the latest update on ‘The Little Film That Continually Tries To Ice Skate Uphill’, word on the street suggests that the delay of any news regarding Marvel’s Blade reboot is the result of star Mahershala Ali’s dissatisfaction with the film’s script.

Vector (Mahershala Ali) has an offer for Alita (Rosa Salazar) in Alita: Battle Angel (2019), 20th Century Fox

Vector (Mahershala Ali) has an offer for Alita (Rosa Salazar) in Alita: Battle Angel (2019), 20th Century Fox

RELATED: Alleged Plot Leaks For Marvel’s ‘Blade’ Reboot Read Like A Bad YA Novel, Claim Film Sets-Up The Daywalker’s Daughter As His Successor

This supposed reason behind the Daywalker’s inability to rise from the grave was first revealed by noted film reporter Jeff Sneider on the March 9th episode of his and film critic John Rocha’s The Hot Mic Podcast.

During the course of a discussion regarding the supposed fact that The Marvels‘ constant delays are the result of star Brie Larson’s own on-set diva behavior, Sneider explained to his co-host that “She thinks of [The Marvels] as if this is her movie.”

“Right?” he continued. “Rather than this is a Marvel movie that she’s the star of. This is how it’s been described to me.”

Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) tries to make sense of her recent location-swap in the post-credits scene to Ms. Marvel Season 1 Episode 6 “No Normal” (2022), Marvel Entertainment via Disney Plus

Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) tries to make sense of her recent location-swap in the post-credits scene to Ms. Marvel Season 1 Episode 6 “No Normal” (2022), Marvel Entertainment via Disney Plus

Having broached the topic of Oscar-winners-turned-Marvel-leads, Sneider then noted,”You know who else had a Marvel movie built around them before anything came into place? That would be two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali. With Blade, it got a a new director in November, here we are five months later still no update on casting.”

“See where I am going with this stuff?” he asked rhetorically of Rocha. “Brie Larson an Oscar winner, Mahershala Ali a two-time Oscar winner, these people want things done a certain way and they carry the weight to get their way. And yet, sometimes [this] causes delays.”

The Wasp recruits Blade in Avengers Vol. 8 #10 “The Battle for the Right to be Called..Earth’s Mightiest” (2018), Marvel Comics. Words by Jason Aaron, art by Andrea Sorrentino and Cory Petit.

RELATED RUMOR: Marvel’s ‘Blade’ Being Rewritten, Original Script Allegedly Ripped Off ‘Underworld’ And Was “Laughably Woke In A Particularly Distasteful Way”

However, despite the implied nightmare of working on such ever-changing productions, Sneider opined of the actors’ respective demands, “Maybe this is for the best, right? Maybe at the end of the day, Brie Larson being difficult or Mahershala Ali wanting script changes all the time, maybe at the end of the day this benefits it.”

As to why he held this particular viewpoint, the reporter explained, “Because, and I think this is clear in the final product, I don’t who could argue this with me, Kevin Feige is worn thin. Okay. He’s putting out fires on Blade. Putting out fires all over the place.”

Blade takes up a new job as the sheriff of Vampire Town in Avengers Vol. 8 #45 “The King in Blood” (2021), Marvel Comics. Words by Jason Aaron, art by Luca Maresca and David Curiel.

Met with the observation from Rocha that fans are “turning on Phase 4 and right off the bat Phase 5”, Sneider replied in agreement. “We can put up with that stuff when the movies are bulletproof, but when this s–t [is bad]… So yes, I hear there is some drama behind the scenes with both of these movies, Blade and The Marvels.”

Ultimately, Sneider summarized, “Mahershala Ali feels like Blade is his movie as ‘this is me and you are going to build it around me’ rather than ‘this is what we are doing, now we’re going to find an actor to fit it.’”

Blade rejects the Vampires’ offer in Wolverine vs. Blade Special Vol. 1 #1 (2019), Marvel Comics. Words by Marc Guggenheim, art by Dave Wilkins and Travis Lanham.

This is not the first time Sneider has alerted the public to Blade‘s supposed production woes.

Taking to Twitter on September 27th, 2023 the Hollywood insider informed the public, “I’m told that the current BLADE script is roughly 90 pages and features exactly TWO (lackluster) action sequences.”

“Mahershala said to be very frustrated with the process,” he added. “Feige said to be spread too thin. But hey, that’s just what sources are telling me. Don’t shoot the messenger”.

Jeff Sneider has news regarding Marvel's 'Blade' reboot

Archive Link Jeff Sneider via Twitter

After receiving some pushback from another user over the clarity of his original message, Sneider followed-up his initial post by elaborating, “I went back to the original message and the word was ‘underwhelming,’ not ‘lackluster.’”

“They are synonyms but my bad… now that we’ve established that, the point you were TRYING to make is moot,” he clarified No, it was not my opinion. We don’t invent sources here my friend.”

Jeff Sneider has news regarding Marvel's 'Blade' reboot

Archive Link Jeff Sneider via Twitter

Though Sneider was not privy to any details regarding the exact nature of Blade’s script, if previous whispers are to be believed, Ali’s rigorous criticisms can only stand to help the film’s final cut.

According to a supposed leak of the film’s script, not only will Blade see the daywalker underutilized in his own film, but he will end his supposed solo outing by passing the torch on to his daughter, Alex.

Logan Faerber's cover to the cancelled Blade Vol. 5 #1 (2015), Marvel Comics via Marvel.com

Logan Faerber’s cover to the cancelled Blade Vol. 5 #1 (2015), Marvel Comics via Marvel.com

NEXT: Original ‘Blade’ Star Stephen Dorff Blasts Modern Comic Book Films: “They’re Making A Bunch Of Money But The Movies Suck”

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