Blade MCU Movie Has Lost Its Director

The Blade movie that is going to be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has just lost its director only a few weeks before shooting was planned to start. The movie will star Mahershala Ali as the titular character, and it was going to be directed by Bassam Tariq. However, it’s now been revealed by The Hollywood Reporter that its original director, Tariq, has left the project.

Blade, which is still slated for release on November 3rd, 2023, was going to start filming in November in Atlanta. However, I’m not sure if they’re going to be able to hit that production start date anymore. That said, it’s still unclear how Tariq’s departure will impact the production start of the upcoming MCU movie. The movie will star Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali in the title role, with the cast also including Delroy Lindo and Old actor Aaron Pierre.

The Blade MCU movie has lost its director

Credit: ANDREAS RENTZ/GETTY

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Here’s what Marvel Studios said to The Hollywood Reporter in a statement about Bassam leaving the project:

Due to continued shifts in our production schedule, Bassam is no longer moving forward as director of Blade but will remain an executive producer on the film. We appreciate Bassam’s talent and all the work he’s done getting Blade to where it is.

Tariq also made his own statement about him leaving the project. In the statement, he took the time to thank Marvel. Here’s what the director had to say on the matter:

It’s been an honour working with the wonderful folks at Marvel. We were able to put together a killer cast and crew. Eager to see where the next director takes the film.

This isn’t the first time that the movie’s had to shift its production. It’s actually the third time. The film was initially supposed to start filming back in 2021, but it was put on hold due to the pandemic, and also Marvel seemed to struggle to find the right director for the job. Are they back at square one? Well, maybe not. The film’s script has undergone several rounds of script rewrites. Beau DeMayo, who has worked on shows such as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Moon Knight, and The Witcher, is the film’s current writer. It’s being reported that Marvel is already looking for a new director.

Who could Marvel hire to direct the movie now?

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The character was originally played by Wesley Snipes in live-action. There have been rumours that Marvel has been trying to convince Snipes to join the Blade movie. As for Tariq, he directed and co-wrote Mogul Mowgli, which is a pretty well-regarded rap drama starring Riz Ahmed. He’s been attached as Blade’s director since the summer of 2021, when it was announced that he would be helming the project.

However, the question now remains, who will Marvel hire to replace Tariq? I’m sure there are many names on Marvel’s list. That said, there are some names that stand out more than most. The likes of Regina King, Barry Jenkins, Ava DuVernay, F. Gary Gray, Victoria Mahoney, and Jordan Peele (I wish he would do a Marvel movie) are all great candidates for the gig. However, I have a feeling that Marvel might turn to Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. They were the directors behind the cancelled Batgirl movie, and have already worked with Marvel Studios before. They directed two episodes of Ms. Marvel, and I think they might be a good fit for the job.

What do you make of this news? Are you a bit worried about the Blade movie? Who do you think Marvel Studios will get to make the movie now? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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