As the years drag on and the delay announcements continue to pop up, the chance of seeing Mahershala Ali as the daywalking, sword-swinging assassin known as Blade seems virtually non-existent. Marvel’s long-gestating remake is currently without a director, going through what seems like its tenth rewrite as the studio works to reconcile its “incredible” responsibility to the character with the demands of fans. Ali has been on the hook to step into Blade’s shoes since 2020 — maybe even longer — but the actor is finally spreading his wings and finding greener pastures.
Ironically, one of Ali’s most interesting upcoming projects might not exist if it weren’t for Blade’s long germination. After appearing in the box office-breaking Jurassic World: Rebirth, Ali has teamed up with director Bassam Tariq for an original thriller, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. Tariq was originally set to helm the Blade reboot, but he departed the project in 2022 after “continued shifts in [Marvel’s] production schedule” and creative differences. Later reports would eventually suggest that his ousting came from Marvel itself, as the studio “came to believe that Tariq was not the best fit for the project.” Insiders also pointed to Ali’s frustration over “untested” directors. But seeing as actor and director have reunited for a different project — and said project is getting off the ground long before Marvel can figure out what to do with Blade — the former sounds the most plausible.
