JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA – Director Yann Demange has made the decision to step away from helming Marvel Studios’ upcoming “Blade” reboot, which stars Mahershala Ali. This development marks the second director departure for the project, with Bassam Tariq having exited in 2022. Sources reveal that Demange’s departure was an amicable one and took place several weeks ago amidst the lengthy development process of the film.
The “Blade” script has seen various writers come on board, with Eric Pearson being the latest to tackle the project. Marvel has not officially altered the release date for the film, which is currently set for November 7, 2025. However, with production progress uncertain, it is becoming increasingly unlikely for the movie to meet this deadline.
Originally announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, the new “Blade” movie was a result of Mahershala Ali’s pitch to Marvel to headline the franchise reboot. Ali’s character, Blade (aka Eric Brooks), is a unique Marvel protagonist with powers akin to vampires but without their characteristic weaknesses. His mission is to eradicate the undead creatures from the Earth.
In a December 2023 interview, Ali expressed optimism about the creative direction of the “Blade” reboot despite its eventful development journey. He highlighted his confidence in the individuals involved in the project, including the writers and directors steering its course.
While the departure of Director Yann Demange has raised concerns about the film’s timeline, Marvel’s schedule for upcoming releases, such as “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts,” and “The Fantastic Four,” indicates ongoing progress in the superhero cinematic universe. The pressure on Marvel to churn out titles has eased following Disney CEO Bob Iger’s statement regarding the limited number of movies to be released annually.
The news of Yann Demange’s exit from the “Blade” project was initially reported by TheWrap, adding another layer of complexity to the film’s production journey. As Marvel continues to navigate the challenges of bringing “Blade” to the big screen, fans eagerly anticipate the outcome of the highly anticipated reboot.