Marvel’s Blade: Will Mahershala Ali Join Midnight Sons After Film Setbacks?

For more than half a decade, the much-anticipated return of Blade has been mired in setbacks, with whispers now circulating that Marvel Studios may have quietly shelved the project altogether. According to recent insider chatter, the fate of Mahershala Ali’s take on the iconic vampire hunter is up in the air, with speculation mounting that his character could instead be introduced in a different ensemble film.

Jeff Sneider, speaking on a popular podcast, fanned the flames by suggesting that not only has the solo outing for Blade been put on ice, but that Ali’s version of the character might be repositioned for a future Midnight Sons feature. While nothing has been officially confirmed, the persistent production delays and lack of concrete updates have left fans and even those involved with the project feeling rather uncertain about what’s next.

Ali’s Frustration with the Ongoing Delays

It’s been over six years since Mahershala Ali was first announced as the new face of Blade in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Throughout that time, he’s done his best to reassure audiences that the film was still in the works, occasionally offering glimmers of hope with the odd promising update. Yet, as the months have dragged on with little to show for it, even Ali’s patience appears to have worn thin.

During a recent appearance on Vogue’s Off the Cuff, when asked about his involvement in Marvel projects alongside Scarlett Johansson, Ali responded with a wry, "

Leave me out of it.

" The remark, delivered with a hint of exasperation, did little to dispel the growing sense that confidence in the solo Blade film is waning, both on and off screen.

The Midnight Sons: Marvel’s Darker Side

Back in 1992, Marvel introduced a rather different sort of superhero team: the Midnight Sons. This group, drawn from the publisher’s more supernatural and occult corners, includes the likes of Blade, Ghost Rider, Doctor Strange, Moon Knight, Werewolf by Night, and Morbius, among others. Their stories tend to veer into the eerie and the arcane, with alliances formed more out of necessity than camaraderie.

Unlike the more conventional superhero fare, the Midnight Sons’ adventures are steeped in horror and cosmic dread, pitting them against formidable foes such as Satan, Dormammu, and Mephisto. The latter, incidentally, has recently made an appearance in another Marvel project, further fuelling speculation that the studio is laying the groundwork for a proper introduction of this shadowy team.

What’s Next for Blade and the Midnight Sons?

With the solo Blade film’s future looking increasingly uncertain, attention has naturally shifted to the possibility of seeing Mahershala Ali’s character debut as part of the Midnight Sons. Given Marvel’s track record of weaving together disparate storylines and characters, it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if Blade’s next appearance comes as part of a larger, more supernatural ensemble.

Whether or not the Midnight Sons will make their way to the big screen any time soon remains to be seen. For now, fans are left to wonder if this darker corner of the Marvel universe will finally get its moment in the spotlight—or if Blade’s long-awaited return will remain just out of reach.