Mahershala Ali Deserves Better Than Blade

Mahershala Ali is set to play the titular vampire hunter in Marvel Studios’ Blade, which was originally set to come out this month but has now been delayed until February 2025. That is a long time for an actor to wait to film a role. That being said, Ali is at the top of his game, and playing what has become a secondary Marvel character seems a bit beneath him.

There are plenty of reasons for this statement, but the main one is that he is a high-caliber actor joining the Marvel Universe at a time when its future is so uncertain. Sure, we’ve seen all kinds of people put on the tights, but some have only been for a brief cameo. Ali is going full-tilt with his own standalone film. It doesn’t feel right when you consider all the drama surrounding the project.

Mahershala Ali Has a Proven Track Record

Mahershala Ali has been a staple of the entertainment industry since 2003. His work has been spread among both TV and film, although he has featured in far more of the latter, sometimes in shows that lasted a number of episodes and seasons. Ali has found quite a bit of work in the science fiction/superhero department, working on shows like The 4400 and Alphas, as well as in the Netflix version of a Marvel property as a character in Luke Cage.

Ali has two Oscars under his belt, a feat not met by many actors. Both of these Oscars are for Best Supporting Actor. The first was in 2017 for Moonlight, while the second was in 2019 for Green Book. Moonlight was met with extraordinary accolades, while Green Book has fallen into disfavor due to certain character depictions. Ali has even apologized to the family of his character for his role in the film. However, this act alone seems to add a touch of class to a man who presents a unique face in the entertainment industry.

Related: Moonlight Ending, Explained

In 2019, he showed once again how intriguing he can make a character by starring as Wayne Hays in season 3 of True Detective. The short series gave him a chance to flex his dramatic muscle and create even more buzz, having been nominated for multiple awards for this particular role.

In 2023, he lent his voice to the animated Spider-Man sequel, Across The Spider-Verse, reprising his role of Aaron Davis, The Prowler, and uncle to Miles Morales. It is likely he will play the role for a third time when the third film is released in 2024.

Blade and Marvel

Blade was one of the first Marvel superheroes with a live-action adaptation. Wesley Snipes played the titular character, clad in utility belts and a black duster, with his futuristic sword and bandolier of stakes. This character was not a brightly colored superhero. He was certainly no superman. But he was fun, kind of funny, and completely badass. His soundtrack pulsed with club beats, and his foes were pale and literally bloodthirsty. It was also rated R, which was a big deal for a superhero film that people would have thought would be aimed at kids. It was not. Its sequels certainly weren’t, and even Guillermo Del Toro got in on the action for the second movie.

Related: Mahershala Ali Was Ready to Exit Blade Over Script Issues

But now Marvel is planning on reviving the character for their MCU. But Blade has existed in his own world for decades. What happens when he enters the current MCU?

What’s strange is that Blade is an amazingly cool character by himself. He is fighting for humanity against a breed of inhuman creatures. But when the world is full of mutants, extraterrestrial beings, and even gods, who cares about vampires? Adding vampires to the Marvel universe seems like a last-ditch effort to create hype. As if the name Blade will bring people running to theaters even though it really is an afterthought. Perhaps Marvel has a plan in mind for how the character fits in. However, with Blade surrounded by the current Marvel roster, he no longer seems that formidable.

Let Mahershala Ali Walk

Let’s face it: if Blade were a new character back when Wesley Snipes first played him, Mahershala Ali would have been an amazing substitute. He’s got the charisma, the attitude, and the poise to pull off the character. But Wesley Snipes already did it. And audiences expect Wesley Snipes to be their Blade. Marvel isn’t one to rock the boat anymore, so their Blade needs to be exactly the same or completely different. That means they will probably stick with as close to completely the same as possible.

Recently, there have been talks that Ali was about to leave the movie due to complete script changes. However, he stuck with it and, at this moment, is still set to star as the fanged fan-favorite. But the odds are that Marvel Studios have asked him to do a Snipes impersonation. And Mahershala Ali is better than that. He deserves the room to create a new character that has never been seen on screen before. One that actually does need an introduction because we’ve never heard of him or because he’s more recognizable to comic book nerds.

In fact, Ali may have jumped at the idea too quickly. With James Gunn starting his own superhero universe, there are now so many new characters that Ali could play that he seems locked into the Marvel Studios system. He’d make one hell of a John Stewart Green Lantern. But, it appears that, for now, he’s Blade.

Mahershala Ali can be seen in Leave the World Behind on November 22.