Thanks to a surprise announcement last July at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel fans around the world know that a reboot of Blade is on the way. Although the original trilogy of films featuring Wesley Snipes was very R-rated, Marvel Studios will be introducing this new take into its PG-13 franchise, with Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali in the role. All that we know is that this new Blade will be leading a solo film sometime in the future. That’s really it at this point. Will Ali’s first appearance as the vampire hunter take place in his own movie? Judging by the history of the MCU, probably not.
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It’s not that Marvel is against introducing characters in their own movies. But think about the most popular Marvel characters of the last few years. Spider-Man and Black Panther were introduced in Captain America: Civil War, while Captain Marvel was teased in Avengers: Infinity War. The Guardians of the Galaxy launched on their own, but they were already an entire team of characters. Solo characters do well when coming off of an appearance in a bigger, more established film. Although Blade already has a following, the new MCU take on the character could stand to catch the eye of some younger fans. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the best opportunity to do that.
Blade and Doctor Strange fit together like a glove, especially if this new Strange sequel is going to be as wild as advertised. It’s going to dip further into horror than any other MCU movie has before, which bodes well for Blade. Blood and vampires are a fantastic addition to a film that’s all about the supernatural. Sorcerers and witches are already involved in the action, why not vampires? Let’s also not forget Strange’s history with Blade on the Midnight Sons, which is something fans have been begging to see on the screen.
There is a lot of history with these characters, and introducing Blade into the MCU before his solo film is a tried and true Marvel move, but the biggest evidence to support Blade’s appearance in Doctor Strange 2 is the changing of the guard behind the camera. Scott Derrickson is out as the director of the Doctor Strange sequel, and Sam Raimi is in. Derrickson is a great horror filmmaker and would’ve done a fantastic job shifting this corner of the MCU into something more terrifying. But his specific brand of horror is dark and brooding, and probably didn’t mesh with Marvel’s vision for the film or the character. Enter: Sam Raimi.
Raimi’s horror films are much more on the wilder side of things than Derrickson’s. He likes to move fast, crack jokes, and make insane amounts of gore seem weirdly accessible. His films are crazy and gross, in a way that really connects with audiences. There’s an inherent lightness to it all that makes his movies a blast. It’s a great fit for Doctor Strange, but an even better fit when you throw Blade into the mix.
Blade is a violent character, but that violence needs to be transformed into something that an MCU audience can accept and show up for. That’s where Raimi comes in. There would be a twisted humor surrounding Blade and his bloody antics that folks would enjoy watching. Think Army of Darkness with Mahershala Ali and Benedict Cumberbatch as a third act battle on the edge of the multiverse. It doesn’t get better than that.
Look, the people want Blade. In 2021, Sam Raimi is going to be the one to give it to them. Just wait and see.
