Blade’s New MCU Upgrade Looks Even Better Than The Bloody First Looks

Blade is ready to become Moon Knight in Marvel Studios’ next upcoming animated series, Marvel Zombies, but this new art imagines what he could look like as the Fist of Khonshu in the live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe. Mahershala Ali was revealed to have been cast as the MCU’s Eric Brooks back in 2019, but, aside from a brief voice cameo in Eternals, he has not yet made his MCU debut. Blade is finally set to appear in Marvel Zombies, which hits Disney+ on September 24, 2025, which opens the door even further for the Daywalker to make his live-action appearance.

While it won’t be Mahershala Ali voicing Blade in Marvel Zombies, the character will have Ali’s physical appearance. We caught a glimpse of this Moon Knight version of Blade at the end of What If…? season 3, and new art shared by @arifinity_ on Instagram reveals what this version of Blade could look like in live-action. The art proves that this iteration of Blade would be an incredible addition the MCU, giving the half-vampire antihero powerful new gifts and showcasing his sheer might.

When Will Blade Debut in the Live-Action MCU?

When Mahershala Ali was announced to be becoming the MCU’s Blade, plans were in motion to debut him in a solo movie reboot. However, in the six years since, the production of the Blade reboot has been very tumultuous. The project has seen huge writer, actor, and director turnover, Bassam Tariq and Yann Demange had both been attached to the movie, but neither stuck around. Marvel Studios removed the Blade reboot from its upcoming release schedule in 2024, but work on the project is still continuing behind the scenes.

Read Next

The MCU’s Blade Delay Forced an Unplanned Power Upgrade for His First MCU Appearance [EXCLUSIVE]

Marvel boss Kevin Feige recently suggested that Blade is now headed in the right direction, with Michael Green and Eric Pearson working on the script and Ali still attached to star. It’s unclear exactly when the Blade reboot will release, though it’ll likely be after Avengers: Secret Wars in the MCU’s next Saga. This could be informed by the Moon Knight version of Blade that we’ll soon see in Marvel Zombies, which is the same designed by @justinkimart that showed up briefly at the end of What If…? season 3.

Todd Williams (San Andreas, The Chicago Code) will be voicing Blade in Marvel Zombies, so we’re still waiting for Mahershala Ali to return after his voice debut in Eternals. Whether Mahershala Ali’s Blade appears in the MCU as a version of Moon Knight – working alongside or succeeding Oscar Isaac’s Marc Spector – remains to be seen. At least Marvel Zombies will debut an iteration of Blade who looks like Ali, gearing us up for his live-action introduction at some point in the MCU’s future.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!