Blade Is Delayed To 2024?
The 2023 scheduled release date for Blade may not be realistic and cause a delay to 2024.
It’s been 3 years since Marvel announced a new Blade film at the San Diego Comic Con. While fans are skeptical to see if the Disney-owned MCU project can possibly live up to expectations, it is facing some serious hurdles. Now according to a report in The Direct, the 2023 release date may not be realistic and those looking forward to the feature may have to wait until 2024 or later.
No one at Marvel Studios has confirmed any changes yet. Despite this, Blade director Bassam Tariqu stepped down from the project shortly before filming was set to begin. This was a quick move that insinuates there was trouble on the set and new reports have determined that the movie may be delayed.
In 2020 the Blade reboot was set to be seeking writers and directors. Marvel has been known, in recent times, to carefully select production crews based on much more than just merits. As reboots and sequels continue to dominate Hollywood’s output, carving out a new niche while appeasing existing fans and drawing in new ones is quite the task when compared to the original.
Marvel is also known for having difficulties keeping directors, so this Blade split is not entirely shocking. This is so common there are now lists of great directors who straight up quit on the MCU.
Well-regarded director Edgar Wright reportedly encountered difficulties when developing Ant-Man for Marvel (or Marvel just wasn’t his cup of tea, rather). The movie ended up being directed by Peyton Reed. A host of well-known female directors have also experienced issues working with Marvel, from Patty Jenkins to Ava Duvernay, these women found it just as frustrating as other notable directors like Jon Favreau and Darren Aronofsky, and this spells bad news for Blade.
Tariqu’s split with the project is only adding tension to the situation. Marvel Studios has released a statement blaming “shifts in the production schedule,” on the director’s departure. Now remaining as an executive producer, Tariq also offered encouragement for Blade and its future director.
Regardless of whether these public statements fully display all that led to the director’s change in affiliation with the movie or not, the original 2023 release date is becoming less realistic. With just over a year to film, cut, and edit a movie that lives up to audience standards, Marvel is moving into hot water. So will they push out a rushed sloppy film, or will they be forced to delay the November 3rd, 2023 release?
Only time can possibly tell, because Marvel is clearly not spilling any change in plans. For now, Mahershala Ali is still signed on to step into the shoes once filled by Wesley Snipes (who himself is being wooed to return as a version of the character for an upcoming film). That’s a tall order as it is, but add in the loss of the film’s director and the continued issues Marvel seems to have with their films and crews, and the Blade release date may have to be delayed.
