Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige shocked everyone when he announced at San Diego Comic-Con back in July that two-time Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali (Moonlight, Alita: Battle Angel, True Detective) would be playing Blade in a brand new Blade movie set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Mahershala taking the reigns from Wesley Snipes, who alongside David Goyer helped reinvented the black exploitation character for a modern take and predating X-Men by two years as one of the first successful films based on a Marvel Comics character.
TheAssociatedPress was able to get some comments from Snipes on Ali taking over the role while speaking with him for his upcoming Netflix movie Dolemite Is My Name starring Eddie Murphy.
Snipes giving his full support.
SNIPES: “People are very sneaky they try to make it about the actors. It’s not about me and [Mahershala Ali], I’m happy for him…”
“What do they say? Imitation is the best form of flattery.”
“It’s something that he acknowledges that he wanted to do and his family wanted him to do it. I’m appreciative of getting the love, I’ve created something that others want to carry on and maybe put their own stamp on it.”
‘IMITATION IS THE BEST FORM OF FLATTERY’: @WesleySnipes shares his thoughts on Oscar winner #MahershalaAli taking over as #Blade pic.twitter.com/Mh9lspD3UJ
— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) September 30, 2019
Eric Brooks aka Blade is a vampire hunter that is a Daywalker, a human-vampire hybrid that has all the strengths of vampires without being effected by silver or daylight. Although, uses a serum to suppress his thirst for human blood.
Vampires in the original cinematic version of Blade are embedded within human society as they control criminal/legitimate enterprises and have made back-alley deals with various humans to hide/deny their existence.
It’ll be interesting to see how Marvel Studios tackles Blade and the horror side of their universe and with the Ghost Rider series at Hulu (couldn’t crossover with the MCU) now dead, there is a good shot that a version of Ghost Rider could appear in Blade movies.
We still don’t know when Blade will begin shooting as the feature film is currently without official director or screenwriter announced. Although, things could already be put together behind the scenes and are quietly gestating.
SOURCE: AP
