Marvel’s ‘Blade’ Reboot Suffers Yet Another Stake Through The Heart As Film Loses Second Director

Spencer Baculi |

Jun 12, 2024

Blade has a warning for the Avengers in Blood Hunt Vol. 1 #1 (2024), Marvel Comics. Words by Jed MacKay, art by Pepe Larraz, Marte Gracia, and Cory Petit.

It should not be this hard to make a movie about ‘a superhero vampire killing other vampires’, but alas, in adding to its ever-growing number of production issues, the second overall director attached to Marvel’s Blade reboot has officially exited the project.

Blade leads the anti-vampire resistance on Tony Daniel's variant cover to Blood Hunt Vol. 1 #4 (2024), Marvel Comics — Blade leads the anti-vampire resistance on Tony Daniel’s variant cover to Blood Hunt Vol. 1 #4 (2024), Marvel Comics

As first learned by TheWrap‘s Umberto Gonzalez via the outlet’s own alleged insider sources, director Yann Demange stepped away from the Marvel Cinematic Universe outing “a while ago and it was entirely amicable”.

Blade does his best ‘anime swordfight’ impression on C.F. Villa’s Stormbreakers variant cover to Blade Vol. 5 #3 “Mother of Evil: Part Three” (2023), Marvel Comics

Unfortunately for those curious, said sources did not provide any details as to why the director of Lovecraft Country‘s pilot episode stepped down.

However, one insider did alleged that, according to Marvel higher-ups, “getting Blade right is much more important than getting the film out.”

Blade and Captain America take the vampire world by storm on Martín Cóccolo’s Stormbreakers variant cover to Blade Vol. 5 #3 “Mother of Evil: Part Three” (2023), Marvel Comics

Far from an isolated incident, Demange is but the second director to flee from Blade‘s fangs over the course of its troubled production.

As announced in September 2021, the film was initially set to be helmed by Mogul Mowgli director Bassam Tariq, only for him to depart the MCU a year later due to “continued shifts in [Marvel’s] production schedule”.

“Bassam is no longer moving forward as director of Blade but will remain an executive producer on the film,” Marvel told The Hollywood Reporter. “We appreciate Bassam’s talent and all the work he’s done getting Blade to where it is.”

The Wasp has an offer for 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. — The Wasp has an offer for 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.

Of course, as anyone with even a passing knowledge of the Mahershala Ali-led reboot may already know, this directorial shake-up is only the latest problem to have arisen in the process of bringing the Daywalker back to the silver screen.

Additionally, in the five years since it was first revealed, Marvel’s Blade has seen its script rewritten at least six times (eventually transforming from a ‘girlboss’ story meant to set-up the titular hero’s daughter as the franchise’s actual vampire hunter into a reportedly simple ‘Blade kills vampires’ tale), its release date pushed back at least thrice, and Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige reportedly losing his temper over the film’s abysmal pre-production quality.

Blade and his daughter, Brielle, as depicted on Ivan Tao's variant cover to Bloodline: Daughter of Blade Vol. 1 #2 (2023), Marvel Entertainment — Blade and his daughter, Brielle, as depicted on Ivan Tao’s variant cover to Bloodline: Daughter of Blade Vol. 1 #2 (2023), Marvel Entertainment

At current, if it ever actually materializes – and let’s be honest, the odds are looking slim – Marvel’s Blade will unsheath its katana on November 7th, 2025.

NEXT: Marvel Exec Behind ‘Blade’ Reportedly Fired Because “He Didn’t Sound The Alarm” On Film’s Abysmal Direction: “It’s One Of The Few Times That Anyone Has Actually Ever Heard Kevin Feige Yell At Someone”