Blade Reboot Paused As Marvel Studios Searches For New Director

gamerant.com:

Blade fans may have to wait a bit longer to see the vampire hunter on the big screen again. Marvel Studios has reportedly hit pause on production amid a search for a new director.

Blade was previously being directed by Bassam Tariq, who stepped down due to «continued shifts» in the production schedule but remained on the film as an executive producer just two months before filming was set to begin. This Marvel Studios film marks the second Blade adaptation, the first of which was a trilogy starring Wesley Snipes in the title role, which was released from 1998 to 2004. Blade: The Series,which aired on SpikeTV, was also set within this continuity and only aired for 13 episodes in 2006.

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According to a new report by The Hollywood Reporter, the production of the new Blade film (which is set in the MCU) had been halted while the movie searches for a new director. The project, which stars Mahershala Ali in the role, was set to begin shooting in November. Crew members were reportedly notified on Tuesday that production would be moving to early 2023. Given that the Blade release dateis currently slated for November 3, 2023, THR notes that the film is unlikely to be ready by then. Unfortunately for fans of the character, this likely means that the release date will have to be pushed back. The likeliest possibility is that the film will release sometime in 2024.

With reports that Blade is undergoing a total script overhaul, it would be easy to assume that the film is undergoing difficulties in its production. According to sources who spoke to THR, however, the studio wants «to really get it right.» The studio appears willing to take the time it needs to make a Blade