Why You Can Trust CNET 'Blade' MCU Reboot Postponed as Disney Delays Several Marvel Movies
Deadpool, Fantastic Four, the Avengers and more get bumped as Mahershala Ali can't step into Wesley Snipes' vampire-fighting shoes just yet.
Marvel stars welcome Blade star Mahershala Ali on stage at the 2019 San Diego Convention.
Bad news if you're staking your heart on Blade's return to the big screen: Marvel has officially postponed the vampire-themed movie after the director dropped out last month. Blade will now arrive in September 2024, as Deadpool 3, Fantastic Four and Avengers: Secret War are also postponed.
Mahershala Ali is still set to star as the comic book vampire hunter, making his official debut as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Wesley Snipes memorably played the character in three standalone Blade movies between 1998 and 2004. The new Blade was supposed to start shooting next month, but director Bassam Tariq walked away amid rumors of a script nowhere near ready. The search for a new director will delay production.
Blade's postponement has led to a reshuffle of several Marvel movies even though the details of phase 5 and phase 6 were only just announced. Deadpool 3 (which will star Hugh Jackman also making an MCU debut as Wolverine alongside Ryan Reynolds), Avengers: Secret Wars and Fantastic Four are all postponed, while a couple of mystery MCU movies are delayed or dropped.
Disney also confirmed a title and release date for Kenneth Branagh's third outing as Agatha Christie's shrewd detective Hercule Poirot. A Haunting in Venice will be released in September 2023.
Meanwhile the recently revealed new Planet of the Apes movie, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, will be in theatres in May 2024.
Here's the update to Disney's schedule:
- Chevalier is now dated on 4/7/23
- A Haunting in Venice is the updated title of previous untitled 20th Century film dated on 9/15/23
- Blade previously dated on 11/3/23 moves to 9/6/24
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the updated title of previous untitled 20th Century film dated on 5/24/24
- Untitled Deadpool sequel previously dated on 9/6/24 moves to 11/8/24
- Fantastic Four previously dated on 11/8/24 moves to 2/14/25
- Untitled Marvel film previously dated on 2/14/25 moves to 11/7/25
- Avengers: Secret Wars previously dated on 11/7/25 moves to 5/1/26
- Untitled Marvel film dated on 5/1/26 is removed from schedule
Mahershala Ali was announced as the new Blade in 2019 and made an (unseen) cameo in the post-credits scene of 2021's Eternals. But at least we'll see him staking vampires someday, right?
