Marvel’s long-anticipated Blade reboot starring Mahershala Ali got surprisingly close to reality – so close, in fact, that there was an entire warehouse of custom costumes prepared for the shoot.
But when the project hit yet another development snag, those period outfits found a second life… in Sinners, Ryan Coogler’s dark and stylish period drama.
Producer Sev Ohanian recently revealed in an interview that Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth Carter had been deep into prepping for Blade when the project suddenly stalled. “Ruth was working on the Blade movie that didn’t end up happening,” Ohanian shared. “She had a warehouse full of era-specific clothes. When it was clear Blade wasn’t moving forward, Marvel generously allowed us to purchase those pieces for Sinners.”
This unexpected costume reuse not only illustrates how close the Blade reboot came to filming, but also highlights how stalled the project currently is. Carter had previously confirmed the film would have taken place in the 1920s, making it a rare period piece in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s now clear that Marvel had been exploring a bold creative direction that included a noir-like setting, an approach fans never got to see materialize.
Blade was first announced back in 2019 at San Diego Comic-Con and even teased in the post-credits scene of Eternals (2021), with Ali’s voice giving fans hope. But since then, the project has been plagued by delays, rewrites, and the exit of director Yann Demange in mid-2024. The reboot was quietly removed from Marvel’s release calendar last October.
Despite the setbacks, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige insists the studio remains committed to Blade. “We love the character, and Mahershala’s version is something we’re excited about,” he said in a 2024 update. Still, with Marvel currently focusing on bigger franchise plays like Fantastic Four: First Steps and Avengers: Doomsday, Blade’s future remains uncertain.
Ali, for his part, is ready. “Call Marvel,” he said in a recent interview. “I’m ready. Let them know I’m ready.”
But is Marvel ready?
For now, Blade fans are left in limbo, watching as vintage fangs and trench coats make their way into other films. Perhaps someday, Marvel will dust off those 1920s vampire-slaying threads – or start from scratch entirely.