Original Blade screenwriter David S. Goyer weighs in on the multiple delays and rewrites Marvel’s Blade has been through since the MCU movie was announced. Since its announcement at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, Marvel’s Blade reboot has been delayed and rewritten multiple times. Blade has gone as far as casting at least three actors in supporting roles. Yet, six years after its original announcement, there have been few major Blade updates that suggest the project will release anytime soon.
Speaking to ScreenRant‘s Liam Crowley at the Murderbot world premiere, David S. Goyer reveals he’s just as puzzled about Blade‘s delays as Marvel fans. Goyer wonders “What in the world is going on?” and jokes Marvel should give him a call to push the project forward. Created by Chris and Paul Weitz as a live-action adaptation of Martha Wells’ The Murderbot Diaries and executive-produced by David S. Goyer, Murderbot premieres on Apple TV+ on May 16. Read Goyer’s full response below:
Liam Crowley: “You cracked the code earlier in your career because you wrote all three Blade movies, and they successfully made it to screen. What does Marvel Studios need to do?”
David S. Goyer: “Give me a call.”
Liam: “Would you write it?”
David S. Goyer: “I would. I’ve always loved the character and I love him, and I’ve been sitting on the sideline wondering, ‘What in the world is going on? Why is it taking so long?’ Because I’m a huge Marvel fan myself, and I’ve just been totally puzzled.”
What David S. Goyer’s Blade Comments Mean For The MCU Movie
Blade Should Be An Easy Movie To Make
The 1998 Blade movie starring Mahershala Ali was instrumental in the rise of the superhero movie genre in the early two thousands. Alongside Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy and Bryan Singer’s X-Men trilogy, the Blade trilogy laid the foundations for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. These Marvel movies were bold for their time, but they were all rather straightforward in concept. Just like Spider-Man told a story about a teenager who gains superpowers and X-Men told a story about heroes with genetic mutations, 1998’s Blade told a story about a half-vampire vampire hunter.
Marvel’s Blade has gone through various scripts written by different writers and overseen by different directors. One version of Blade reportedly took place in the 1920s, and others have featured characters who may or may no longer play a role in the story, as suggested by multiple actors’ departures. What exactly Marvel is looking for in Blade isn’t known, but it certainly raises a lot of questions. More complex movies with a larger number of variables, like Eternals, Spider-Man: No Way Home, ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, and Captain America: Brave New World have had much smoother development and production than Blade.
Our Take On David S. Goyer’s Blade Comments
Marvel’s Blade Reboot Likely Won’t Take Too Long To Provide A Significant Update
After so many delays and changes, Marvel’s Blade is unlikely to go through another major overhaul. Blade is more likely to advance into production with a complete script in within a year, or Marvel Studios may cancel it altogether. Marvel Studios has changed its approach to greenlighting and developing movie and TV projects since Blade was first announced. If a movie like Blade doesn’t move forward properly, it might be in Marvel’s best interest to axe it altogether.