Marvel’s notable vampire hunter Eric Brooks, or as he’s far better known, Blade, will grace the silver screen in 2023. Indeed, this high-profile reboot film will place the character squarely into the MCU. And not only that, he’ll be portrayed by Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali.
Blade won’t hit theaters till late next year, but naturally, the cast and crew have already been assembled, with Bassam Tariq on directorial duties and Delroy Lindo and Aaron Pierre playing supporting characters.
While fans eagerly wait for Blade to make his full debut, (Devotees will recall his voice-only cameo in 2021’s Eternals) they also might be aware that the start date for principal photography on the film has been pushed back several times. But now, it looks as though production is inching closer to a confirmed green light.
Blade‘s Exact Production Start Date Revealed
According to a new listing on KFTV.com (via The Cosmic Circus), Marvel Studios’ Blade has a planned date of October 5, 2022, for the start of filming in place.
It was previously mentioned at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con that production on Blade would kick off in October; however, no specific day of the month was given.
As mentioned above, filming on the Marvel movie has been delayed more than once. Originally, things were set to get cracking in September of 2021, then July of 2022, and then, at SDCC the aforementioned month of October was indicated. These pushbacks have been due to several factors, but chiefly among them, the pandemic once again complicated matters.
Blade Will Be Worth the Wait
It’s hard to believe that Mahershala Ali was originally announced as Blade way back at Comic-Con 2019. At that point, there was no director, writer, or supporting cast in place. In fact, it seems the movie was greenlit because Kevin Feige and Mahershala had a mutual interest in working together.
It all works out in the fans’ favor though. The MCU has largely steered away from Marvel’s darker, more horror-tinged characters and stories. But Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness contained some decidedly unsettling elements, so perhaps one can consider that film a start on the path to more horror content. October’s yet-to-be-officially-revealed Werewolf by Night will also pick up the slack in this regard as well.
Despite rampant speculation, Blade will, in fact, not receive an R rating. This may end up disappointing some, given the character’s often violent and scary nature. But the MCU has definitely shown a capacity to nevertheless contain some fairly heavy violence in its projects (RIP Black Bolt.)
After all is said and done, Marvel Studios’ Blade will hopefully be a fun, compelling time at the movies when it finally hits theaters on November 3, 2023.
