Marvel's Blade Movie Taps Yann Demange To Direct, Michael Starrbury Writing New Script
Marvel's "Blade" has just found its director (again). Deadline is now reporting that "Lovecraft Country" director and "White Boy Rick" filmmaker Yann Demange will step in to replace Bassam Tariq, who was originally slated to direct the film but stepped down in September. The movie looks to be getting a pretty big revamp, as the outlet also reports that a new screenwriter is on board. Michael Starrbury, whose writing credits include "Colin in Black & White" and the masterful fourth episode of Ava DuVernay's series "When They See Us," is reportedly set to pen a new script for the film.
Furthermore, The Hollywood Reporter says that "Blade" still plans to make its current release date of September 6, 2024, which was moved from its original 2023 release date after Tariq's exit. At the time, the studio cited "continued shifts in our production schedule" as the first director's reason for leaving in a statement to THR. Tariq did, however, stay on as an executive producer. The film reportedly went on pause in October as it searched for a new director, and a /Film source indicates that star Mahershala Ali has been directly involved in shaping the film as it has continued to evolve.
Blade is still on track for 2024
Any shake-up within a system as streamlined as the Marvel Cinematic Universe is sure to turn heads, but there's an undeniable amount of talent in the latest lineup that makes the upcoming "Blade" reboot as intriguing as ever. THR's own source indicates that the new script is likely to take a darker, edgier direction, and may even be reminiscent of Wesley Snipes' R-rated "Blade" films.
The vampire-hunter character may be most remembered thanks to Snipes' portrayal, but Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan's character been around in Marvel comics since the 1970s, appearing in "The Tomb of Dracula" before appearing in his own comic arcs over the years. A "Blade" reboot has long-since been on the agenda for the MCU as well, with "Moonlight" star Ali cast back in 2019. Last year's film "Eternals" also hinted at the character's introduction in a post-credits sequence that features Ali's voice in conversation with Kit Harington's Dane Whitman.
In addition to "Blade," Demange is reportedly set to direct and executive produce an HBO version of David Cronenberg's "Scanners," while Starrbury wrote the script for "The Come Up," the Matthew A. Cherry-directed heist comedy starring Lil Rel Howery. Meanwhile, "Blade" will hit theaters on September 6, 2024.