The comic book movie genre has made a name for itself in Hollywood. Not only does it dominate the box office, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day becoming the highest-grossing movie in domestic box office history, but it also catches the attention of awards voters. Marvel films have been nominated for their fair share of Oscars, and that's not the only love the Academy shows the company.
DiscussingFilm recently visited the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, CA, an archive that highlights the biggest achievements in entertainment history. Among the displays was one for the costume Wesley Snipes wore in the original Blade trilogy.
Of course, Snipes' first superhero vehicle took the genre into uncharted territory, being the first R-rated project based on a Marvel Comics property. While the sequels mostly failed to recreate the charm that made the first film so memorable, they still had their moments and helped establish Snipes as one of Hollywood's biggest stars.
All that to say, it's not surprising to see the Academy put Blade's costume on a pedestal. The timing of its inclusion in the Museum is interesting, though, as the character finds himself in the middle of a nasty public battle between the actor who was supposed to take the reins from Snipes and the company that was set to produce the Daywalker's next solo project.
Back in 2019, Kevin Feige brought Mahershala Ali on stage at San Diego Comic-Con and announced a Blade movie was in the works with the Oscar-winning actor at the helm. A couple of years later, Ali made an off-screen cameo as the antihero in Eternals, setting the stage for something bigger down the line. However, Blade never came together, as it was plagued by behind-the-scenes issues, including delays and director changes.
Ali kept things cordial for a while. But as he prepared for the release of his latest movie, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, he brought the fangs out. In an interview with Variety, the actor didn't hold back when asked about why he stepped away from the project.
"To this day, I don't know why it didn't happen. I just know that it was—Kevin [Feige], he said it was the biggest failure of his career and I agree.”
Losing an actor of Ali's caliber would be a blow to any franchise. Marvel Studios isn't the kind of company that throws in the towel after a major setback, though. Blade still has a future in the MCU, especially after a recent hit gave the character a second wind.
Blade Won't Go Down Without a Fight
Snipes would be wise to send a thank-you note to Ryan Reynolds, who pulled enough strings to bring Blade back in 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine. Out of all the cameos in that movie, Snipes' was easily the second most surprising, next to Henry Cavill's, as he and Reynolds famously had issues on the set of Blade: Trinity. They buried the hatchet, which paved the way for a couple of epic sequences that reminded audiences just how cool Blade is.
While Snipes hasn't yet secured an encore, it feels like one is right around the corner. Channing Tatum will reprise his role from Deadpool & Wolverine in Avengers: Doomsday, a movie that's sure to be chock-full of surprise appearances from familiar faces. Snipes would fit right in alongside the likes of Tobey Maguire and Hugh Jackman.
And if the next two Avengers movies don't have room for him, Marvel Studios can try a different path. Ryan Gosling and Shawn Levy announced their Ghost Rider movie at San Diego Comic-Con earlier this year. In the comics, both the Spirit of Vengeance and Blade are members of the Midnight Sons. When it's finally time for that team to assemble, the powers that be won't have to worry about introducing a new Daywalker because they already have a perfectly good one at home.
