Marvel Studios pulled back the curtain on its first-ever merchandise centered on the MCU's Blade. Blade's place in the MCU has been rocky for years, with some feeling his upcoming solo movie should be canceled so that Mahershala Ali can go down other avenues with the role. However, the character lives on in other areas of MCU storytelling, which was celebrated with a new collectible item.
Funko released a Funko Pop! for a new version of Blade, who will make his debut in Marvel Animation's Marvel Zombies on Disney+. Recently teased in the closing montage from What If...? Season 3's finale, this version of Blade has been a hot topic of conversation for some time on the internet, while Marvel Studios continues to work out the core MCU hero's future on the big screen. Now, ahead of his first true action under Marvel Studios, Marvel Studios is taking the opportunity to commemorate his arrival.
Available for pre-order on Funko's website, this Funko Pop! is the first in MCU history to be modeled after Mahershala Ali's Blade. However, this take on his character comes as a mash-up with the MCU's Moon Knight, as this take on Eric Brooks joins forces with Khonshu instead of Marc Spector.
This take on the character is officially called "Blade Knight," seamlessly combining the names of the two characters coming together. Completing the look are a black mask over Eric Brooks' mouth and white, pupil-less eyes similar to those in the mask the classic Moon Knight has on his costume. The Pop! is estimated to be available in August 2025 and is expected to cost $14.99.
Previously, the only version of Blade that had gotten the Funko Pop! treatment was Wesley Snipes' Variant, who made his MCU debut in 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine. Snipes' Blade was one of about half a dozen Multiversal variants who showed up in the Void, eventually joining Ryan Reynolds' team and fighting Cassandra Nova's forces.
Snipes' Blade Funko features a small spot of white hair near his hairline. He holds one of the guns he is known for using in battle in the MCU and his original Blade trilogy.
Blade will make his next MCU appearance in Marvel Zombies, continuing his R-rated escapades in an alternate reality that will be afflicted by a zombie apocalypse. While story details are still unclear, Blade Knight is expected to be a key character amidst an impressive group of alternate-reality heroes from MCU lore.
Marvel Zombies is an upcoming spin-off from Marvel's What If...?, picking up from a Season 1 episode in which a zombie infestation started after Hank Pym's dive into the Quantum Realm to save Janet Van Dyne. Behind Iman Vellani's Ms. Marvel, Simu Liu's Shang-Chi, and Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova, a new team of Avengers will fight the infected, which includes former heroes and villains who succumbed to the virus. Marvel Zombies will begin streaming on Disney+ on October 3.
What To Expect From Blade in Marvel Zombies
While Blade will surely be something similar to the vampire hunter fans know from past appearances, Marvel Zombies will bring a different version of the dark hero to life. After being teased for a Moon Knight-style upgrade in What If...? Season 3's ending credits, this new character should come with plenty of thrilling moments.
What could be most exciting is finally seeing Blade interact with newer characters in the MCU after Snipes' hero shone in Deadpool & Wolverine (see the record Snipes set here). Working alongside heroes like Black Widow, Shang-Chi, Kate Bishop, and Ironheart is sure to entice viewers, even if this is not what the usual Blade viewers are used to seeing.
Following Marvel Zombies, the biggest question will be when Blade finally makes his way into the live-action MCU after his solo movie encountered numerous delays. Announced in 2019, its original release date was in November 2023, but it has since been taken off Marvel Studios' release schedule and delayed indefinitely.
While that movie is still a huge question mark, Marvel Zombies will at least give fans a taste of what Blade can do under Marvel Studios' watch.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
