Mahershala Ali on Marvel’s cursed Blade reboot: ‘If they wanted to do it, we would’ve done it’
Mahershala Ali confirmed that the Marvel Blade reboot he was attached to is no longer moving forward. The project had been stalled in development hell since its 2019 announcement, with multiple directors and writers involved. Ali said he is moving on and that the responsibility for the film’s cancellation lies with Marvel.
- ▪Mahershala Ali was set to star as Blade in a Marvel reboot announced in 2019.
- ▪The film entered development limbo, at one point attaching director Bassam Tariq.
- ▪In a GQ interview Ali said the project is not proceeding and he is ready to move on.
- ▪Marvel head Kevin Feige expressed disappointment, calling himself a “gigantic loser” for not getting the film made.
2 outlets in our directory ran this story, first to last over 1 hour. All of the coverage we found sits in one bucket: lean left. That one-sidedness is itself worth noticing.
- ▪ Mahershala Ali Has ‘Moved On’ From ‘Blade’ — Gizmodo
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — World |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jul/31/mahershala-ali-marvel-blade-reboot |
| Publication time | Fri, 31 Jul 2026 16:50:54 GMT |
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Mahershala Ali wears a hat to promote Blade at Comic-Con in 2019. Photograph: Chris Pizzello/Invision/APView image in fullscreenMahershala Ali wears a hat to promote Blade at Comic-Con in 2019. Photograph: Chris Pizzello/Invision/APMahershala AliMahershala Ali on Marvel’s cursed Blade reboot: ‘If they wanted to do it, we would’ve done it’Two-time Oscar winner was to take on role of vampire-hunting antihero but said project is no longer happeningBenjamin LeeFri 31 Jul 2026 12.50 EDTLast modified on Fri 31 Jul 2026 12.58 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleThe two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali has confirmed that his Blade reboot is no longer going forward.The star of Moonlight and Green Book had been attached to play Marvel’s vampire-hunting antihero in 2019.
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