Marvel Studios’ live-action Blade project has been one of its most anticipated and troubled productions. With Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali attached to star, the initial excitement was palpable. The character even made a voice-only debut in a post-credits scene of 2021’s Eternals, teasing his imminent arrival. However, the years that followed have seen the film mired in development hell, cycling through multiple directors and writers, leading to significant delays and indefinite removal from the release schedule. The prolonged standstill has led to rumors that Marvel Studios might scrap the solo film in favor of a Midnight Sons project with Ghost Rider leading the supernatural team instead. While the Daywalker’s live-action future remains uncertain, he recently made his official Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the animated series Marvel Zombies, offering fans their first substantial look at the hero in action.
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As part of the marketing campaign for Marvel Zombies, Marvel Studios released a new character poster that details the abilities of this specific variant of Blade. In the animated series, Blade is enhanced by the powers of the Egyptian moon god Khonshu, effectively making him a hybrid of Blade and Moon Knight. The poster highlights his superhuman agility as a key advantage. However, it also explicitly identifies that Blade’s preference for swords makes him inefficient against armored foes and gives him a limited combat range.
This official acknowledgment of Blade’s weakness carries significant implications beyond the animated series. The same vulnerability would logically apply to the main Sacred Timeline version of Blade, who presumably relies on the same core fighting style. In fact, the primary MCU Blade would be at an even greater disadvantage, as he would not possess the divine enhancements from Khonshu that his animated counterpart wields. This tactical limitation offers a potential in-universe explanation for his absence in larger conflicts, such as the upcoming multiversal war in Avengers: Doomsday. A hero whose primary weapon is ineffective against armor would be of little use against a villain like Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.), who is famously encased in a suit of metal.
Where Is Blade Most Likely to Appear Next in the MCU?
While Blade’s appearance in Marvel Zombies was a welcome development for fans, the path to his next appearance is far from clear. The next major event on Marvel Studios’ calendar is Avengers: Doomsday, a film already boasting a colossal roster of confirmed and rumored characters. To introduce a figure as significant as Blade within such a crowded narrative would be a disservice to the character, denying him the proper focus he deserves after years of anticipation. The more likely scenario for a multiversal appearance would involve a different iteration of the character entirely. The version played by Wesley Snipes, who made a celebrated return in Deadpool & Wolverine, could logically reappear in Avengers: Secret Wars, which is expected to feature numerous characters from across Marvel’s cinematic history. Similarly, the Khonshu-infused variant from Marvel Zombies could also make the leap from animation to live-action for the massive crossover event.
As for the official MCU version set to be played by Mahershala Ali, his debut will likely be reserved for the saga that follows the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga. Reports and rumors suggest that the next major overarching narrative in the MCU will place a greater emphasis on supernatural and mystical threats, with characters like Mephisto (Sacha Baron) expected to play a prominent role. This new direction would provide the perfect thematic landscape to finally launch Blade.
Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.
How do you think the MCU can properly integrate Blade into the Sacred Timeline? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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