The Blade film seems to be back on track at Marvel Studios as the Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Five names new director and writer.
Deadline is reporting Yann Demange has come on board to direct the reboot after the original director, Bassam Tariq (Mogul Mowgli), stepped away from the project in October. Michael Starrbury (When They See Us) will join Demange on Blade and will write a new version of the screenplay.
The film stars Mahershala Ali (House of Cards) as the vampire-slaying superhero by the same name with Delroy Lindo, Aaron Pierre, and Milan Ray in unknown roles.
In 2019 at San Diego Comic-Con, Kevin Feige announced that a Blade film was in development and with Ali to star. At SDCC in 2022, Feige stated the film would be released on November 3, 2023 in the role out of the next phases. However, after Tariq opted to step down the movie was moved from its initial release date to September 6, 2024.
Deadline stated “By having the extra time to meet with candidates, Marvel could now zero in on the writer and director who could deliver the tone they wanted to achieve with this film.”
Blade it set to be the 36th film in the MCU and the 12th installment of Phase Five, preceded by Thunderbolts (originally announced as the final Phase Five film) and followed by the start of Phase Six with Deadpool 3.