Mahershala Ali just gained a new co-star for Blade, the upcoming Marvel movie, and she's perfect for it. Mia Goth — a fastly-rising star whose face you probably have seen even if you've yet to watch one of her movies — has reportedly joined the MCU movie cast.
This fantastic bit of news comes from Deadline, though it notes "Marvel could not be reached for comment. While the outlet's reporting is top-notch and reliable, I would have believed this from lesser sources.
That's because Mia Goth is an absolutely perfect addition to a Blade movie. It's the kind of casting call I never knew I needed until I'd heard it, and now I can't believe I hadn't thought of it. Here's why.
Mia Goth brings the right vampire movie vibes
Having seen most of Goth's previous movies, I'm of the belief that she'll understand the assignment perfectly. Of course, it all depends on how Marvel Studios and director Yann Demange (Lovecraft Country) set the right tone for her and Ali, who plays the titular day-walking vampire.
Most notably, Mia Goth won tons of applause for her work in the starring role of Pearl, the second chapter of Ti West’s horror trilogy. She played an increasingly-unraveling young lady named Pearl, who was under the thumb of a controlling mother during the 1918 flu pandemic. The first chapter of said trilogy, simply titled X, is connected to that movie, but I won't spoil the ties that bind.
As Pearl, Goth irradiated a constant need to get away from her parents' home, which helped propel an otherwise slow-starting film. And that performance ensured that her shocking actions in the third act felt more believable.
More recently, Goth starred in the 2023 film Infinity Pool, an unsettling movie from director Brandon Cronenberg. There, she portrayed Gabi, an enigmatic fan of protagonist James (Alexander Skarsgård) who pulls him into a bizarre and supernatural world of law-breaking, human cloning and misbehavior. As Gabi, Goth seduces, confuses and frightens. All of which make her a perfect cast member for a vampire movie.
Outlook: Mia Goth shows Marvel continues to take slightly risky choices
Mia Goth is the kind of actor who will make some folks look at this Blade movie slightly differently than before. While Marvel movies do occasionally cast actors who seem outside of their walls — Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight still feels like a good pull — they could easily stand to do this more often.
And the more actors Marvel introduces to wider audiences in its films, the more these films have a chance to feel unique. On top of that, Marvel exec Kevin Feige has a steep hill to climb, as Wesley Snipes' iconic Blade movies (well, the first two, we don't talk about Blade: Trinity) are pretty beloved.
The more its cast feels vibrant and befitting — helping it feel like more than some standard movie cookie-cutter project — the sharper this Blade will get.
