The MCU's Blade reboot might have its own production issues, but a bright spot has been revealed as the search for its next director has finally finished.
Blade has had its fair share of ups and downs ever since it was first announced during Marvel Studios' panel at 2019's San Diego Comic-Con. A past report revealed that the film's production was pushed back to early 2023, which then led to a barrage of news that slowly revealed its issues.
Blade's production was eventually shut down, following news of director Bassim Tarriq's departure as the studio scrambled for a replacement. This is on top of the frustrations of its lead star Mahershala Ali alongside the report that the movie's script was said to be only about 90 pages long with "exactly TWO (lackluster action sequences)."
And now, it seems that a timeframe for its filming may have eased fans' concerns about a possible delay.
Who is Blade's New Director?
Marvel Studios reportedly tapped Yann Demange as the director of the MCU's Blade reboot, as first reported by The Hollywood Reporter (THR).
Demange is best known for directing the pilot of HBO's Lovecraft Country, and he will be joined by Michael Starrbury (When They See Us) to pen a brand new script for the movie.
Starburry was nominated for an Emmy back in 2019 for his work on Ava DuVernay's When They See Us from Netflix.
Plot details are still being kept under wraps, but the new direction will reportedly lean more on the dark and gritty tone.
THR also shared that the studio's plan is for Blade to go into production in Atlanta in 2023, thus likely maintaining its release date that is set for September 6, 2024.
Alongside a page one rewrite, lead star Mahershala Ali was "personally involved" in selecting the writer which led to the hiring of Starrbury.
Starrbury, in a tweet, confirmed the news, promising fans that they are going to do their best to "give you a movie that you will love:"
"I'm lucky to be working with an amazing, incredibly smart team. I know there are a lot of Blade fans out there and we are going to do our best to give you a movie that you will love. Let's get it."
Will Blade Find Success With its New Director?
This latest report about Blade is a promising development, especially after the production issues that Marvel Studios and its team have faced in the past months.
Yann Demange's experience in HBO's Lovecraft Country should come in handy due to the show's horror-based elements, meaning that this would likely translate into how he would handle the MCU's Blade reboot.
In addition, the fact that Mahershala Ali was personally involved in the search for the film's writers means that he trusts Starburry's new direction for the character and the movie in general.
The reassurance that Blade will stick to its original September 2024 release date could hint that no further delays will be announced. This comes after concerns from fans that the MCU's 2023 movie slate will be impacted by Blade's production issues.
Hopefully, as the dust settles, this new development for Blade means that everything is in order and a movie that the studio can be proud of will be underway.
Blade is still set to premiere in theaters on September 6, 2024.
