Mahershala Ali Will Star In Marvel’s Blade Reboot

Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images.

Marvel Studios’ president, Kevin Feige, said it best: “When Mahershala [Ali] calls, you answer.” And the audience at San Diego Comic-Con clearly agreed — when Feige announced that Ali will be starring as superhero Blade in an upcoming Marvel film and brought the actor on stage, the room erupted with applause.

The announcement was made Saturday at an Hall H presentation. Shortly after, Feige told The Hollywood Reporter that Ali contacted Marvel after winning an Oscar for his role in Green Book. He expressed an interest in playing Blade and, according to Feige, the rest is history.

AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

In the comics, Blade is a human with certain vampire-like powers that he uses to hunt vampires. He was previously portrayed by Wesley Snipes in Blade, Blade II, and Blade: Trinity, three films often credited as some of the first successful Marvel Comics adaptations.

Just announced in Hall H at #SDCC, Marvel Studios’ BLADE with Mahershala Ali. pic.twitter.com/mtrDBy5OV0
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) July 21, 2019

It’s hard to think of someone who would be better suited for the role than two-time Oscar winner Ali — and both Marvel superfans and leaders seem to agree. “Two Oscars, a surefire Emmy, and now a Marvel franchise of his very own,” tweeted screenwriter Cheo Hodari Coker. (Coker created Marvel’s Luke Cage on Netflix, which featured Ali as the villain Cottonmouth.) “Everybody wants to be the King...and Mahershala is the king.”

Two Oscars, a surefire Emmy, and now a Marvel franchise of his very own. Everybody wants to be the King...and Mahershala is the king.
— Cheo Hodari Coker (@cheo_coker) July 21, 2019

Director and actor Taika Waititi, who is helming the Thor series for Marvel, was also, apparently, a big fan of the casting choice.

Find someone who looks at you the way Taika Waititi looks at Mahershala Ali

(Photo by @karadefrias) pic.twitter.com/LLOT9hPWZk
— Al Kennedy (@housetoastonish) July 21, 2019

And he wasn’t alone.

Mahershala Ali is the new #Blade. That might be the best casting ever. Sorry, Wesley Snipes. #Marvel pic.twitter.com/ImuW2hH1BH
— Ethan Anderton (@Ethan_Anderton) July 21, 2019

MAHERSHALA ALI AS BLADE THE ACCURACY pic.twitter.com/DKCeKeqvH2
— tiny t⎊ny (@woIvern) July 21, 2019

We had to endure Mahershala in GREEN BOOK to be rewarded with BLADE
— Ira thee Third (@ira) July 21, 2019

The news of a Blade reboot is also making original fans nostalgic for Snipes’ iconic performance.

OMGGGGG!!!!! My heart belongs to Wesley Snipes but Mahershala is an excellent choice! https://t.co/xwPJcsj44X
— Rebecca Theodore-Vachon (@FilmFatale_NYC) July 21, 2019

Now that a new Blade movie is announced, let's remember that time Wesley Snipes was mad at the director of Blade: Trinity so he made the entire cast stay late because he refused to open his eyes for a scene. They ended up just CGing the eyes in. pic.twitter.com/W1QXOr1qlY
— Imran Khan (@imranzomg) July 21, 2019

Some people on Twitter are suggesting Marvel tap Snipes for some kind of role. Maybe Ali can make another call.

I need @wesleysnipes in the new #BladeMCU somehow, to pass the torch (or #Blade, if you will ?) to Mahershala Ali.

Let’s do this, @Marvel @MarvelStudios! pic.twitter.com/zcfORyy93t
— April (@ReignOfApril) July 21, 2019

AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

More from Movies

Entertainment

Jennifer Lawrence Got Real About Her Most Embarrassing DonR...

Editor’s note: This article contains minor spoilers for the Netflix movie Don’t Look Up. Since debuting on Netflix on 24th December, Don’

by Nick Levine

Unbothered
For Chanté Adams, Love’s Got Everything To Do With It
For Chanté Adams, Love’s Got Everything To Do With It WRITTEN BY KATHLEEN NEWMAN-BREMANG December 16, 2021 Black Is The New Black is R29Unbothered’s c
by Myesha Evon Gardner

Entertainment
Why Do Christmas Films Hate Single People?
Willie T. Stokes, Kevin McCallister and the Grinch. What do these three have in common? They’re among the very few Christmas movie characters I can r
by Hannah Davies

Entertainment
Why Are Christmas Films Obsessed With Rewarding Toxic Men For Bad...
Christmas rom-coms tend to fall on the ‘so bad, it’s good’ side of cinema. Simple plotlines and gushy moments make them easy and enjoyable viewing, p
by Alice Porter

Entertainment
The Psychology Behind Our Love Of Bad Christmas Movies
From The Christmas Prince to Holidate and The Princess Switch, there’s a joyful abundance of so-bad-they’re-great Christmas movies we religious
by Alicia Vrajlal

Unbothered
King Richard May Be About Richard, But Its Strength Is Sho...
When Venus and Serena Williams first rocketed into the tennis stratosphere, no one could have imagined the indelible impact that the sister duo would have
by Ineye Komonibo

Unbothered
The 10 Best Black Corny Christmas Romances Of The Season
by Kathleen Newman-B...

Unbothered
Bruised Isn’t Great, But Halle Berry And Sheila Atim Are
Welcome to “What’s Good,” a column where we break down what’s soothing, distracting, or just plain good in the streaming world with a “rooting fo
by Kathleen Newman-B...

Entertainment
Everything Christmas Films Lied To Us About
by Erin Donnelly

Entertainment
Jimmy O. Yang As A Lead Love Interest Is Everything I Needed As A...
Seconds into Love Hard’s trailer, I was audibly excited bopping along to the upbeat track and a glowing Nina Dobrev. Netflix Christmas movie season is up
by Maggie Zhou

Movies
Angelina Jolie Says She’s “Proud” Of Marvel For...
Spoilers ahead. Angelina Jolie has said she is “proud” of Marvel for refusing to cut Eternals scenes showing a main character in a same-sex rel
by Nick Levine

Unbothered
The Devastating — And Divisive — Ending Of Passing, Explained
This story contains major spoilers for the Netflix film Passing. The ending of Rebecca Hall’s Passing is ambiguous and shifting, perhaps even more
by Nylah Burton

Mahershala Ali Will Star In Marvel’s Blade Reboot & The Internet Is Wild With Joy