The True Story Behind Wesley Snipes' Infamous Blade: Trinity Eye Scene, Revealed?

There's a long history of actor-based drama on film sets. Think of Val Kilmer and Marlon Brando duking it out on the set of "The Island of Doctor Moreau" or George Clooney's deeply expressed disdain for David O. Russell after they worked together on "Three Kings." In that vein, there have been plenty of rumors about Wesley Snipes' behavior on the set of "Blade: Trinity." As it turns out, the truth behind one of those rumors is more complicated than you'd think.

As investigated by TikTok creator @somelittlevideos, legend has it that Snipes refused to open his eyes for one take, forcing production to paste CGI peepers on his face. The moment occurs in an alternate ending where Blade is lying on an autopsy table but awakes to cause havoc. Director David Goyer appeared to confirm the rumor on the movie's DVD commentary track, stating, "Now, the other thing that happened in this scene is that we needed Blade to open his eyes, and on the day Wesley did not open his eyes." Goyer explained they used wraparound CGI to make it look like Snipes' eyes were open, noting that it's noticeable to viewers of the film.

It seems like a definitively open-and-shut case, and just one more bizarre story about how Snipes approached the movie. But when one takes Goyer's words and combines them with a statement made by the film's visual effects supervisor, Joe Bauer, to The Huffington Post, a different truth is revealed. What's more, it may prove that Snipes didn't somehow film an action scene with his eyes shut, which is how many have interpreted Goyer's story over the years. "I don't even recall whether Wesley was still on the show at that point," said Bauer, who indicated that Snipes' stunt double, who was employed frequently throughout the shoot, may have shot this scene. And when one considers how rough Goyer and Snipes' professional relationship was, it adds up that the actor simply decided not to participate in the scene's reshoot.

Wesley Snipes' conflict with David Goyer during the creation of "Blade: Trinity" appears to have been a shoot-long issue. Co-star Patton Oswalt told the AV Club that things got so bad between director and star that they communicated via Post-It notes, with all of Snipes' messages signed by his vampiric alter ego. Since Oswalt also reported that Snipes stayed firmly in character throughout the shoot, that's not surprising.

He also stated that Snipes choked Goyer on-set at least once, after the star noticed that an extra — the only other black actor in the production — was wearing a shirt that read "garbage" for a scene. "There's only one other black guy in the movie, and you make him wear a shirt that says 'Garbage?' You racist motherf*****!" Oswalt claimed Snipes said. Oswalt went on to claim that the extra was wearing his own clothing. There's one big problem with the rumor: Snipes himself denies that he ever laid his hands on Goyer. "Let me tell you one thing. If I had tried to strangle David Goyer, you probably wouldn't be talking to me now," he told The Guardian. "A Black guy with muscles strangling the director of a movie is going to jail, I guarantee you."

Snipes ultimately sued New Line Cinema and Goyer in 2005 for $5 million in damages for back salary and breach of contract. He also accused Goyer and New Line of racist casting and hiring practices before the suit was confidentially settled. "Blade: Trinity" made over $130 million on a $65 million budget, so in spite of its issues, the strife was worthwhile from a financial standpoint. The film series continues to stand the test of time, changing the way people think of superhero movies. It seems any bad blood between Snipes and Marvel is a thing of the past, as Snipes returned as Blade for "Deadpool and Wolverine."