At the New York premiere of Jurassic World Rebirth on June 23, Oscar‑winner Mahershala Ali delivered an emphatic message about his eagerly awaited turn as Blade. Asked about the long-stalled Marvel project, he stated plainly: “Call Marvel. I’m ready. Let ’em know I’m ready.”
Ali’s remarks come amid growing speculation around the supernatural anti‑hero’s place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The reboot was originally set to release on November 7, 2025, but was removed from the Disney/Marvel calendar last October amid ongoing script rewrites and production delays. Despite the postponement, studio chief Kevin Feige has repeatedly reassured fans that Marvel “is committed to the movie” and won’t proceed until it “makes the right Blade movie.”
A Turbulent Production Timeline
The Blade reboot was first announced at San Diego Comic‑Con in July 2019, with Disney confirming the casting of Ali as the Daywalker. Since then, the project has endured a series of setbacks. Stacy Osei‑Kuffour was the first writer, joining in early 2021, followed by director Bassam Tariq in mid‑2021. But Tariq exited in late 2022 due to scheduling conflicts. A succession of writers—including Michael Starrbury, Nic Pizzolatto, Michael Green, and Eric Pearson—were brought on to revise the script. Meanwhile, multiple directors came and went, leaving the project without finalised leadership.
In October 2024, Disney pulled Blade from its release schedule. Feige explained it was removed to ensure the film wouldn’t be rushed and would live up to its predecessors. Wesley Snipes, who played Blade in the 1990s trilogy, expressed support for Ali. He said the delays are not the actor’s fault and advise Ali: “Good luck. You’re my man, though.”
On the red carpet, Ali made it clear he hasn’t abandoned hope for the project, saying, “I would love for Blade to happen; we’ll see, I don’t know where Marvel is at right now.”
Although no firm production date has been announced, Ali’s reiteration—“Call Marvel. I’m ready.”—is a clear signal. The ball, for now, lies in Marvel’s court. Fans everywhere are waiting for the call.