Blade 4 - Will It Ever Happen?

In 1998, Wesley Snipes' Blade sauntered into a blood rave and whooped a coven of vampires into oblivion — and no one ever looked back. While the two sequels to the Stephen Norrington-directed "Blade" produced mixed results (one, "Blade II," was pure Guillermo del Toro genius and the other was "Blade: Trinity"), there's still real love for Snipes' Daywalker and a genuine desire for "Blade 4." His crowd-pleasing cameo in "Deadpool and Wolverine" gave everyone renewed hope that anything is possible in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), especially after the character's cheeky quip: "There's only been one Blade and there's only ever gonna be one Blade."

It sounds like a no-brainer for fans and commentators alike, but there are other factors to take into consideration here. Namely, what in the world is happening with Mahershala Ali's "Blade"? That project appears to circle the drain at Marvel Studios every other week, as no one manages to stick around for longer than a hot minute. The other question is: Does Snipes even want to do "Blade 4"? After all, there's no point in skating uphill then.

So let's take a look at the facts and analyze the possibility of Snipes' Blade returning for one last ride of vampiric vigilantism. Oh, and if the movie is anything less than R-rated, don't waste anyone's time here, suckheads.

The launch of the MCU in 2008 brought with it the opportunity to create one shared universe where Marvel characters could play in harmony. While it took a while for Marvel Studios to acquire the rights to the characters — and there are still complications and technicalities around specific heroes and villains — Blade became a hot topic of discussion after there was simmering chatter around a potential "Blade 4" movie in 2014. Fans wondered if Wesley Snipes would really return as the Daywalker or if Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and his team had their sights set on a new actor. The official answer arrived at the 2019 Comic-Con International in San Diego, when Marvel Studios took to the stage to announce Mahershala Ali would star in the MCU's "Blade" reboot.

Everyone knew filling Snipes' boots as Blade would take a special actor. However, considering Ali's pedigree as a multiple Oscar winner and celebrated actor, no one could deny Marvel Studios chose a more than adequate replacement here. Not too long after the casting became official, Snipes issued a statement to ComicBook.com. While he admitted the news caught him off guard, he didn't have any problems with it and thanked his fans for their longstanding support. He added: "Congratulations and Salaam to Mahershala Ali, a beautiful and talented artist whose expressions I look forward to experiencing for many years to come."

The film industry loves juicy gossip, and there's no better tea than the bizarre way Wesley Snipes filmed "Blade: Trinity" – well, allegedly. According to infamous comments made by Patton Oswalt, who plays Hedges in the movie, Snipes displayed peculiar behavior on set, including an incident where he got physical with writer-director David S. Goyer. In a later interview, the filmmaker didn't confirm nor deny Oswalt's version of events. However, Goyer stated that he didn't believe anyone enjoyed working on "Blade: Trinity" all that much, including himself.

Snipes denied he ever laid hands on Goyer in a 2020 interview with The Guardian. "Let me tell you one thing," he said. "If I had tried to strangle David Goyer, you probably wouldn't be talking to me now. A black guy with muscles strangling the director of a movie is going to jail, I guarantee you." He questioned Oswalt's recollection of events, suggesting that people "are predisposed to believing the black guy is always the problem." In addition, Snipes stated that as an executive producer, he had a major say on how the movie should or shouldn't play out, which upset a number of people.

Despite the behind-the-scenes drama and harsh reviews, "Blade: Trinity" didn't fare too badly at the box office, making $132 million worldwide from a $65 million budget. However, the on-set stories and Snipes' later prison conviction inevitably delayed the chances of "Blade 4" entering production sooner rather than later.

Wesley Snipes remained connected to the Daywalker long after "Blade: Trinity" was released in 2004. He admitted in 2014 that he would welcome the opportunity to do "Blade 4" and had ideas of what could be done in the movie if it ever moved forward. In the same year, reports surfaced that Snipes would put on the black sunglasses and grab his sword once more for a sequel, with a reported salary of $3 million and a slice of the profit share.

Of course, none of this happened, and fans feared Snipes' Blade had already boarded the Demeter for his last voyage. The question remains, though: How close was the actor to returning to the role or was it nothing more than gossip and wishful thinking?

According to Snipes, he held both serious and not-so-serious talks. "Over the years, we've had very interesting conversations, some of them very substantive and some of them not," he told Entertainment Weekly. "So I kind of decided that I was moving on from them, which is okay. I did three of them, and I thought they turned out pretty good. Not so bad ... So we move on to other things, and bigger and better things, as well."

There are many lessons that Marvel should learn from "Deadpool and Wolverine," with the biggest one being this: Give the fans what they want. The superhero film turned into the event of the summer because of the NSYNC-fueled intro, all-round good vibes, and unexpected cameos that caught everyone off guard. While Channing Tatum's Gambit more than makes a name for himself and the Cavillrine grunts to perfection, theaters around the globe exploded into wild cheers when Wesley Snipes' Blade walked into the scene. If anything, it proved that even after 20 years, Snipes still possesses the aura of the character — that special "something" that can't be manufactured or bought.

In addition, his appearance served as another welcome reminder of how "Blade" changed superhero movies and no one noticed. When the film was released in 1998, the genre was at one of its lowest points after 1997's "Batman and Robin" turned the audience ice-cold toward comic book movies. "Blade" established itself as the antithesis of what came before. Edgier, grittier, and dripping in attitude, it showed how the genre could be something more than just a vehicle to peddle toys and Happy Meals.

Considering all the talk about superhero fatigue and the decline of comic book movies nowadays, it almost feels like kismet that Snipes' Blade returned when the genre needed him to inject excitement into its veins again. Not surprisingly, it also had people clamoring for more from the original Daywalker.

At one point, it appeared as if Wesley Snipes was the one actor whom Ryan Reynolds would never work with again. The pair collaborated on "Blade: Trinity," where Reynolds played the character of Hannibal King, and there were reports they didn't get along on set. Despite the much-publicized turmoil of "Blade: Trinity," Reynolds owes a thank-you to the film since it was the first time a studio executive suggested that he should play Deadpool, noting the similarities between King and the Merc with the Mouth.

Two decades later, Reynolds paid the good karma forward by recruiting Snipes to return as Blade for "Deadpool and Wolverine." As Snipes recalled in July 2024, Reynolds texted him and they spoke on the phone about the idea. Initially, Snipes didn't think his homecoming would be possible because of Mahershala Ali's "Blade" film, but Reynolds reassured him it could happen if he accepted the proposal.

After the release of "Deadpool and Wolverine," Reynolds posted photos of himself and Snipes on X (formerly known as Twitter) and subtly urged the powers-that-be to give Snipes a proper sendoff in "Blade 4." Reynolds wrote: "There is no Fox Marvel Universe or MCU without Blade first creating a market. He's Marvel Daddy. Please retweet for a 'Logan'-like send off." Reynolds' original message received over 100,000 reshares on the social network.

Across the three "Blade" movies, the Daywalker faced Deacon Frost, mutant vampires, and the master suckhead himself, Dracula. With death in comic book movies being about as permanent as job security in the modern era, any of Blade's former villains could make a comeback in "Blade 4." 

However, Ryan Reynolds already suggested the perfect setup for the sequel: A "Logan"-inspired movie. The James Mangold-directed "Logan" gave Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) a pitch-perfect goodbye, in a heart-wrenching tale that wrote the final chapter in his story and let the character go out in one last hurrah that meant something. "Blade 4" could also serve as Eric Brooks' last stand as he sacrifices himself for the sake of humanity.

Additionally, there's an alternate ending from 1998's "Blade" that could form the basis of a sequel. In this cut, Blade sees Morbius staring at him from a rooftop, teasing a battle between the pair. This scene remained on the editing floor, even though director Stephen Norrington and screenwriter David S. Goyer wanted Morbius to be the main baddie of "Blade II"; Guillermo del Toro, however, had other plans. Perhaps Norrington and Goyer's original idea could be revisited in "Blade 4" and provide a mouth-watering clash for the ages. That said, let's not make it morbin' time: please don't invite Jared Leto's version of the Living Vampire to the party.

For "Blade 4" to work, the main ingredient needs to be Wesley Snipes. If he doesn't come back as the Daywalker, there's no real point to the film, is there? Considering how "Blade: Trinity" panned out, with all the shenanigans surrounding it, it's unlikely that David S. Goyer, who wrote all three previous films, would contribute to this new story in any way. However, stranger things have happened in showbiz, so never say never.

One person who could return alongside Snipes is Jessica Biel, who plays Abigail Whistler in "Blade: Trinity." When asked about the potential of a "Nightstalkers" spinoff movie by Blackfilm.com in 2004, Biel said: "Yeah. We had such a good time that we just said, 'Let's do it.' That's just another party, just getting in great shape and hanging out together and making a fun movie. So I would love to be Abigail again and do my movie." While it's unlikely a "Nightstalkers" movie will ever materialize, "Blade 4" could be the last chance for Biel to revisit a character she enjoyed portraying in the past.

Ryan Reynolds might potentially join Snipes and Biel as well. Judging by his social media posts and drive to ensure Snipes gets another "Blade" movie, he had a great time hanging out with Snipes and could have his interest piqued in a return to his old stomping grounds. The question is: Does he reprise his role as Hannibal King or appear as Deadpool?

Although Wesley Snipes declared his support for Mahershala Ali's "Blade" reboot, that hasn't stopped him from commenting when the project has taken a wayward turn. Around the same time that a big report dropped about the problems surrounding the production in June 2024, Snipes posted the following message on X: "Blade, [lordy lordy lordy]. Folks still [looking] for the secret sauce, [riding] snowmobiles in traffic, kinda rough. Daywalkers make it look easy, don't they?"

A month later, Snipes' Blade made his MCU bow in "Deadpool and Wolverine." Naturally, the online commentary turned to the possibility of Marvel Studios canceling Ali's "Blade" reboot and pushing forward with Snipes instead. Posting on X, Snipes shared a link to an article that suggested this idea with the comment: "Y'all, crazy. Hahaha." While Snipes' caption didn't agree nor disagree with the sentiment, his post was picked up by various publications as well as fans who wrestled with the possibility.

Let's not mince words here: The new "Blade" movie's behind-the-scenes issues are worse than Marvel fans think. The Mahershala Ali-led project has been in development since 2019, but it seems like it's only a barrage of bad news that breaks about the film every few months. From the merry-go-round of directors to the constant change in writers, there's a sense that Marvel Studios hasn't been able to agree on the direction of the movie. Kevin Feige has said as much, stating that everybody has been working hard in the background to pin down the kind of film they want to make.

Even Ali's attorney, Shelby Weiser, commented to The Hollywood Reporter about the worrisome lack of movement on the film, saying: "That deal was in 2019, and they still haven't shot it, which is pretty much the craziest thing in my professional experience." Of course, real-world events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the actors and writers' strikes affected production timelines — plus Marvel Studios shifted gears after the MCU hit a few hurdles — but Weiser's comments echo what everybody else has been thinking about the reboot. As time continues to tick on by, the likelihood of the film happening lessens. At some point, Ali himself might even walk away.

The MCU has embraced the untapped potential of the multiverse in films like "Spider-Man: No Way Home," "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," and "Deadpool and Wolverine." These stories showcase how it's possible for multiple versions — or variants — of characters to coexist in the same or different worlds. The concept also provides a wonderful get-out-of-jail-free card for filmmakers, making everything canon and taking nothing off the table. Want Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker back in the movie? Not outside of the realm of possibility. What about Josh Brolin's Cable? Also feasible.

Similarly, Marvel Studios could address its Daywalker dilemma by sinking its fangs into two productions. Despite the delays in getting the Mahershala Ali "Blade" movie off the ground, it's unlikely that Kevin Feige and company will want to scrap it after years in development. At the same time, the demand for "Blade 4," starring Wesley Snipes, continues to grow louder after the character's appearance in "Deadpool and Wolverine."

Each project could stand as its own movie — or even as a Disney+ show. The MCU's timeline no longer remains a straight line or linear by any means, so there's the ability to play across the multiverse with multiple projects about variants of the same character at once.

In a way, the MCU painted itself into a corner with Hugh Jackman coming back as Wolverine in "Deadpool and Wolverine." Now that he's unsheathed the claws and grown out the mutton chops again, fans will struggle to accept anyone else as the Ol' Canucklehead in the MCU. Marvel Studios could encounter the same problem in terms of Blade and Wesley Snipes. There's been no real traction or serious movement on the reboot for over half a decade, so there's a lack of connection from the fans to the Mahershala Ali project. 

Conversely, the response toward Snipes' return as the Daywalker was universally praised and warmly embraced as his appearance tugged at the nostalgia strings. What if — like the character said in the movie — there is only one Blade? Sure, Marvel's forgotten "Blade" TV series proves Wesley Snipes' "Deadpool and Wolverine" line wrong, but it's unlikely that anyone will start an online petition demanding rapper Sticky Fingaz play the Daywalker again. In the hearts and minds of people around the world, Snipes is — and always will be — Blade.

The ball, however, remains in Marvel Studios' court. Maybe Ryan Reynolds' idea of "Blade 4" being a "Logan"-style movie is the way to go, allowing Snipes the opportunity to bow out on his own terms and give his character a fitting end. Indisputably, though, the chances of Snipes getting a fourth movie are certainly much higher now than they have been in over a decade.