Blade Fans Celebrate Groundbreaking Marvel Film's 25th Anniversary

The release of X-Men in the year 2000 is often considered the start of the modern era of comic book movie adaptations, a genre that has since become one of the most popular in all of entertainment. While X-Men definitely deserves a lot of credit for creating the blueprint for many modern superhero movies, it wasn't Marvel's first successful trip to the big screen. That honor belongs to Stephen Norrington's Blade, the horror-action film that started proving there was box office money to be made from comic books.

Norrington and Wesley Snipes broke new ground with Blade, a gory and gritty vampire thrill ride that proved superhero characters could be taken seriously. From its visionary and memorable opening scene — a battle in a nightclub filled with vampires, blood flowing from the sprinklers — Blade established itself as something unlike anything we'd seen before.

Believe it or not, the Daywalker's big screen debut was 25 years ago. Blade hit theaters on August 21, 1998, which means that Monday is the film's silver anniversary.

Blade fans have spent the day sharing their love for the film on social media. From clips to messages about how it shaped their taste in film, the Blade faithful have had a lot to share and celebrate. You can check out some of those reactions and notes below!