Marvel Studios' long-awaited Blade reboot has been plagued by production woes ever since it was first announced over four years ago, going through a number of directors and writers.
The project finally seemed to be back on track after a recent update claimed that shooting was set to commence this Fall, but we recently learned that director Yann Demange will no longer helm the movie.
These continuous setbacks have led to speculation that the project may have been shelved (or at least put on the back burner for the foreseeable), but we have been assured that it is still moving forward with Mahershala Ali attached to star as the Daywalker, and we're now hearing that Marvel may have settled on a new director.
According to The World of Reel's Jordan Ruimy (via ComicBookMovie.com), the studio recently met with several potential directors, and Jeymes Samuel "impressed the Marvel brass." He doesn't know if the filmmaker has officially entered talks, but believes there's a good chance he will ultimately land the gig.
Samuel has previously helmed the underrated Netflix western The Harder They Fall, and recent revisionist religious epic The Book of Clarence.
Ruimy also mentions that the latest draft by Eric Pearson - who is the sixth writer to have been assigned to the script after Michael Green, Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Michael Starrbury, Beau DeMayo and Nic Pizzolatto - has "finally satisfied everyone involved," and there's a good chance the movie will meet its current shoot date of November 1.
Ali's last update during an interview with EW was a positive one.
“We’re working on it. That’s the best I could tell you. I’m really encouraged with the direction of the project. I think we’ll be back at it relatively soon.”
“I’m sincerely encouraged in terms of where things are at and who’s on board and who’s leading the way as far as the writing of the script and the directing and all that,” he added. “So that’s the extent of what I can tell you.”
Demange (who stepped in to replace Bassam Tariq) previously confirmed that the movie will indeed be rated R.
"I'm excited to show a kind of ruthlessness, a roughness he has, that allows him to walk the earth in a particular way. I love him for that," said the filmmaker. "He’s got a dignity and integrity, but there is a ferocity there that he usually keeps under the surface. I want to unleash that and put it on the screen."
Blade is currently set to hit theaters on November 7, 2025.