Wesley Snipes Says He Is Still Blade
Wesley Snipes says that when it comes down to it, no matter what casting decisions are made going forward, that he is Blade forever.
Wesley Snipes definitely wants back into an old role he played years ago when comic book movies were a thing but weren’t the massive universe-encompassing behemoths we see today. Sure, it was fun to bring the illustrated pages to the big screen and certain franchises were giving it a whirl, but the movies lacked the interconnectivity they have these days. So it makes sense Snipes would want to get back in on the action, and that looks like he’s putting his foot down about the issue. Wesley Snipes is insisting that when it’s all said and done he’s Blade “forever”. Check out the Tweet that puts a stamp on it:
Now it’s important to note that just because someone states something, it doesn’t memorialize it or stand as a confirmation of a specific casting. So while Wesley Snipes might see himself as the definitive choice for the character, there are other folks who’d need to get on board for it to happen. Namely, Kevin Feige and the folks at Marvel Studios.
But in the Marvel Cinematic Universe options for casting and characters are nearly infinite. Often the studio can have its casting cake and eat it too when it comes to having multiple iterations of a character. That means there’s always significant latitude around stories, meaning Wesley Snipes is probably still in the running in some shape or form.
Know that Blade, the character is returning to this universe, just for now it’s not going to be Wesley Snipes hunting down the vampires in the black leather trench coat and wraparound shades. That honor is going to Mahershala Ali who’ll get a crack at the role in Blade 2020. That movie is slated to be part of Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Five which is all still very much in (pre) pre-production.
The original Blade films, which starred Wesley Snipes in the titular role first hit screens in 1998 and were a surprise success. The franchise encompasses three films and made a total of $415 million at the box office on around $160 million in budget dollars. But in 2012 the rights to the Blade character went back to Marvel Studios which, at the time, felt like the end of the line for Snipes in the role. This was a totally new universe and the studio wanted to get a reset on the story.
But seeing as how we are firmly in the multiverse these days, the rules about timelines and character casting can be bent and shifted to fit every different possibility both past and present. There’s still reason to suspect we get Wesley Snipes back in the role somehow. Heck, in the upcoming Spider-Man 3 movie, it’s already reported that both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will reprise their roles as the webslinger alongside Tom Holland. Plus, rumors a few months ago had Wesley Snipes returning to the Blade movies in some fashion (even if not as the main character).
Again, a tweet from an actor doesn’t count as a signed contract to star in a movie. That much is abundantly clear. But it could portend news that Wesley Snipes feels comfortable in this universe and is prepping to return to the character in some way. Stay tuned as Blade news heats up.
