NAVIGATING THE STORM: THE UNYIELDING JOURNEY OF MARVEL'S BLADE MOVIE

While it lasted, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was the longest, most successful globally prominent narrative ever told in cinema, comprising of up to 30 (!) superhero-focused movies, nine TV shows, and countless cross-pollinating playing (such as Marvel Studios was able to secure the presence of its first team of heroes for the 20th Century Fox’s X-Men: Apocalypse) or Easter eggs (the presence of Stan Lee cameos as numerous as the Avengers themselves). The franchise’s upcoming instalment, the Blade movie, is a product of this creative endeavour, in which the vampire hunter is meant to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for the first time. Unfortunately, both the production and community reaction to the new Blade project had trouble staying on track, leaving fans and industry observers alike concerned as to what (if anything) may come out of it.

THE DIRE CHALLENGE OF KEEPING DIRECTORS

It’s bizarre then that Marvel’s Blade seems unable to hold onto a director, with the film now on its second director-to-be leaving the job vacant, following the exit of November 2022’s Yann Demange. After taking the helm from Bassam Tariq, who left the movie in September 2022, Demange left the film in February 2023. The project has now gone through two director-to-bes, surely a sure-fire way to make sure it never gets off the ground.

The Ripple Effect of Production Delays

The film adaptation of Blade has been delayed many times: the writers’ strike and other interruptions pushing it more and more into the far-off gloaming, until it’s (hopefully) now pencilled in for 6 September 2024. The fans have had to wait, but all this delay has also created problems of scheduling and production that make the project much more difficult to hang together.

MAHERSHALA ALI: THE BEACON OF HOPE

But it is the actor Mahershala Ali who, sitting right at the centre of this storm, has remained throughout the troubled gestation of the project. In fact, it is his persistence that has prevented this film from stalling. Now the departing directors have left Ali with the responsibility of a film which, at least for the next few months, is in danger of blowing away.

MARVEL'S SILENCE AMIDST SPECULATION

In the wake of all this, Marvel Studios’ silence has been deafening. There’s been nothing said about Demange’s exit, and no official announcement about who has been asked to replace him. It’s anyone’s guess what the studio is planning to do next, but the fact that no one seems to be talking about the film has certainly been the source of some heated speculation about its future, and whether or not it’s heading for indefinite limbo, or worse.

THE RESILIENCE OF BLADE'S LEGACY

These hurdles notwithstanding, the legacy of Blade remains enormous within the MCU. The very existence of his creation speaks volumes about his enduring appeal, as he has become a character whom fans have eagerly anticipated seeing on the screen following previous film adaptations. The undertaking of this project to sail these choppy waters and bring the character to life in a new era of Marvel storytelling remains a something of a cinematic high-wire act, one that we can only hope will eventually be realised.

THE UNCERTAIN HORIZON OF MARVEL'S BLADE

And ultimately this is where the status of the Blade movie represents a crucial turning point in the MCU; the need for strong leadership and vision is greater than ever as this project attempts to correct course and head to its well-deserved port. Until then, fans will continue to hold their breath, hoping for news to reassure them that Blade will indeed be coming to a theatre near them.

UNDERSTANDING STATUS THROUGH MARVEL'S BLADE

Viewing the status of Marvel’s Blade film through that lens provides an interesting window into what it’s like to make a movie in the biggest and most interconnected cinematic universe of all time. But it also demonstrates the necessity of leadership, communication and flexibility in such a volatile industry as entertainment, and the possibility of cinematic success or failure on a grand scale. If you want to know the status of Marvel’s Blade, bloodlust, Wakandan royalty and werewolves in the land of vampires, it’s still out there. (Sorry.) It’ll happen when it happens.