Kevin Feige Explains Why Blade Was Delayed
Blade, one of Marvel fans’ eagerly awaited projects, has been on the agenda for quite some time, but never materialized. Since its announcement, the film has been delayed numerous times, and there has been no definitive developments. However, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has finally broken the silence. Feige explained both the reasons behind the delay and the film’s intended setting, and his comments may have rekindled hopes for Blade.
A New Era for Blade: “Only the Incredible Will Be Accepted”
Kevin Feige made the long-awaited announcement about the Blade project during the promotion of the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps. He candidly addressed how certain imbalances experienced during the expansion of the Marvel universe negatively impacted projects like Blade. Feige stated that “for the first time, quantity trumped quality,” and that this was a lesson learned.
According to Feige, the main reason Blade hasn’t been realized until now is their unwillingness to settle for a run-of-the-mill production. “We didn’t want to just put a guy in a leather jacket and have him hunt vampires,” Feige said, adding that they wanted to give the project a unique identity. He also admitted that the initial script wasn’t “outstanding” and that they found it lacking beyond repair during production.
The film was first announced in 2019, with Mahershala Ali set to star. However, since then, director changes and script revisions have continually delayed the project. The project, which has been directionless following the departures of Bassam Tariq and Yann Demange, currently lacks a new director. However, Eric Pearson, the screenwriter behind Fantastic Four and Thunderbolts, is working on a completely new script for Blade from scratch.
The most notable change is the film’s time period. While previous versions planned to take place in the past, such as during the Prohibition era, the film is now set in the present day. Feige stated that this decision aimed to more effectively convey the film’s universal theme. Even the period costumes were relegated to another Marvel production. This demonstrates the studio’s serious approach to the project.
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