MCU’s upcoming film Blade seems to have faced another delay. As such, fans are speculating that the lead actor Mahershala Ali might walk out from the film. So, is Mahershala Ali really leaving Blade?
Here is everything you need to know about the actor’s departure speculation from the film.
Could Mahershala Ali be leaving Marvel’s Blade after recent delay?
Mahershala Ali’s exit from Blade after the recent delay has not been confirmed.
Marvel Studios announced the reboot of Blade in 2019 at San Diego Comic-Con. Ali was all set to step into the shoes of the iconic character with fans eager for his version of Blade. However, the much-awaited project has been unable to see the light of the day due to endless setbacks.
The film ended up losing two directors and faced multiple changes in writers, along with the removal of actors due to scheduling conflicts. Additionally, the film reportedly saw a shutdown just a few weeks before the production. While Ali made a voiceover cameo in the post-credits of the 2021 MCU film Eternals, nothing has been fruitful for Ali’s Blade since then.
Recently, Blade was again put on the back burner. Elle Fanning’s Predator: Badlands will now be released on Blade’s tentative release date of November 7, 2025. Three other MCU films are looking forward to hitting the screens in February, May, and November of 2028. On the other hand, Blade has been pulled from Disney’s calendar with the new release date yet to be announced.
Due to the film’s numerous delays and issues, fans started speculating that Marshela Ali might exit Blade. However, the Academy Award winner hasn’t confirmed anything as such for now and seems to be still involved in the project.
Film critics Jeff Sneider and John Rocha recently opened up on the delay of Blade on The Hot Mic podcast. Rocha revealed that according to his friend, Ali was allegedly heard saying that he was “happy” that Disney “made this decision” and that he’s “excited” about the role. Rocha further added that he was given this information six to seven days back so it is possible Ali was aware of the delay. However, this has yet to be confirmed. (via GameRant)
While Ali is yet to address this development officially, rumors suggest Marvel is fast-tracking a Midnight Sons movie. So, it is possible Ali might choose to lead this given Blade’s delay.
