Marvel Studios will bring characters and actors into the MCU next year who will break an MCU record currently held by Wesley Snipes' Blade. Snipes has had quite a rollercoaster run with his iconic Marvel role, both in the MCU and out of it, setting a new standard for Marvel characters that is difficult to surpass.
Sir Patrick Stewart, James Marsden, Ian McKellen, and Rebecca Romijn are set to tie Wesley Snipes' record for the longest tenure in a superhero role when they appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Currently, Snipes holds the record at 26 years, having played the iconic vampire killer since before the turn of the millennium.
Avengers: Doomsday will feature the four aforementioned actors tying Snipes' record, as they join a cast of 27 already-confirmed stars in this movie. Portraying Professor X, Cyclops, Magneto, and Mystique, they will all have 26-year runs in their superhero roles (2000-2026) upon Doomsday's debut, tying Snipes' own 26-year tenure in his role after he was last seen in 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine.
Also of note is that Hulk star Lou Ferrigno holds the record in a different way, with 40 years of work as the Hulk. However, Ferrigno's tenure started on TV as he led the way in The Incredible Hulk (1977), with his last credited appearance coming in 2017's Thor: Ragnarok on the big screen. The four actors tying Snipes' record (and Snipes himself) are all known for their work in theaters.
Coming out on May 1, 2026, Avengers: Doomsday will bring together generations of Marvel heroes from the last 25 years, including teams made up of Avengers, X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and more. At least two dozen heroes (with more on the way) will assemble to take on Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom as he threatens the stability and existence of the entire multiverse.
Will Wesley Snipes' Blade Take MCU Record Back?
While the MCU's Blade movie still has plenty of issues to work through, many are hoping Wesley Snipes' Eric Brooks gets the opportunity to continue his run with Marvel Studios.
Should Snipes be cast in either Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars, he would then take back the record for the longest superhero role tenure from Stewart, Marsden, McKellen, and Romijn (three of whom make their MCU debut next year). This would give him either 29 or 30 years with the role in total.
Considering both movies are looking to be game-changing movies in terms of cast and story, there is a real chance Snipes gets to bring his character back, albeit in what would be his first non-R-rated Marvel movie.
For now, all fans can do is wait for more announcements from Marvel, which should come once Doomsday pushes further into its production schedule.
