Marvel Phase 4: Mahershala Ali cast as BLADE but there is a major blow for excited fans

There were two enormous shocks at SDCC this weekend. Incredibly, in a world of leaks and rumours, both came as a complete surprise to the live crowd at the event and also to fans and media worldwide. The first was the double-whammy announcement that Natalie Portman is returning to the Thor franchise. Not only that but her character, Jane, will be taking on the Female Thor role from the Might Thor comic storyline. Equally stunning was the news that a Blade reboot was on the way and a double Oscar-winner had been cast as the antihero vampire.

Kevin Feige revealed the news when he told the crowd; “Here’s one I’ve heard no rumours about.”

Ali strolled onto the stage and then pulled out a Blade baseball cap to stunned cheers.

Feige has been speaking about the shock announcement since to media at the event. He told Rotten Tomatoes: “Mahershala wanted to come in and meet with us. And when Mahershala Ali wants to meet, you take the meeting. And I think he had just come off his second Academy Award. And we were talking very polite, and he was talking about what a fan he is, and then he just cut right to it, and was like, “Blade”. And we were like, ‘yes’.”

MARVEL PHASE 4: EVERY FILM AND TV SHOW CONFIRMED PLUS RELEASE DATES

Feige added: “We have, for years, wanted to find a new way into Blade, we love that character. We love that world. Now with Dr Strange and the supernatural elements coming into the MCU, it felt like we could definitely start exploring that.”

Fans are universally happy at the prospect, despite much affection for Wesley Snipes’ previous 1998-2004 incarnation. With acting Oscars for Moonlight and Green Book under his belt, Ali is hot property right now.

Despite the spectacular array of projects for Phase 4 film and digital series announced, however, there were no release dates or further information for Black Panther 2, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 or Blade.

The first two are definitely on the way, with Guardians back in the hands of James Gunn. What about Blade?

In another interview with Collider Feige was asked directly if Blade was part of Phase 4. He bluntly replied: “No.”

With Phase 4 kicking off next year and expected to span up to four years of big-screen releases, it looks like fans have quite a wait for Blade, although teh Marvel supremo held a slender spark of hope: “The way I announced the complete Phase 3 five years ago, things can move and change. But we have been working on this for quite a while and it is pretty set… but there are always changes possible. “

Collider asked whether Ali’s Blade had any in-universe connection to Cottonmouth, the villain he plays in the cancelled Netflix’s Marvel TV series Luke Cage and Feige also said a firm, “No.”

ORIGINAL INTERVIEW AT COLLIDER