One major announcement during Marvel’s presentation at San Diego Comic-Con was that the studio would be rebooting Blade, with True Detective and Luke Cage actor Mahershala Ali set to star in the lead role.
The character was one of the first of Marvel’s superheroes to become a notable hit film, with Blade being released in 1998, starring Wesley Snipes as the vampire hunter, a role he’d go on to reprise in 2002 for Blade II, and in 2004 for Blade: Trinity. Marvel reacquired the rights to the character, as well as Ghost Rider and the Punisher, back in 2013.
The character was born Eric Brooks, and is half-human, half vampire. He first appeared in comics in 1973 in The Tomb of Dracula #10, and after saving a man from vampires, turned to hunting them.
For so many years Wesley Snipes was rumored to return to the role in another installment, but after his time served in prison, Marvel obviously wanted to start fresh. During an interview at Comic-Con, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said that Mahershala Ali called the studio after winning the Oscar for his work in Green Book. “When Marhershala calls, you answer,” Feige said.
Marvel didn’t release any additional details about when we’ll see Blade back in action, nor in what form; at this point you could only assume a feature film, seeing the success they had with the previous franchise.
