Summary
WithBladerecentlylosing another director, it seems like time forMarvelto finally give the project to the director of the John Wick films.Bladeis set to be released in November 2025, but with another creative shake-up happening, its place inthe MCU timelinedoesn’t seem so sure. While writer Eric Pearson continues to work on the latest draft of the film - and his MCU history suggests hopeful things - Marvel still has to search for the movie’s third director.
Bladehas been plagued with production issues since it was announced in 2019. Since then, it has gone through two directors, multiple writers, and was also delayed by the nearly five-month writer’s strike that lasted the entire summer of 2023. Lead actor Mahershala Ali remains on board, but it’s clear the road for the movie hasn’t been smooth. As such, in order for this path to fully pay off with theperfectBlademovie, it may be worth giving the reigns over toJohn Wickdirector Chad Stahelski.
Every Upcoming Marvel Movie: Full MCU Phase 6 List (& Beyond)
With Marvel Studios' MCU now dominating the upcoming release slate for Marvel movies, here’s what to expect in the coming years and beyond.
Blade Needs A New Director
Bassam Tariq (Mogul Mowgli) was confirmed for the movie back in 2021, butleftBlade’sproductionin September 2022 due to continuous shifts in the production schedule of the movie. Soon after, Yann Demange (Lovecraft Country) took over as director alongside writer Beau DeMayo (X-Men ‘97) to rework the script. Now, Demange has stepped away, and a new writer has been brought in, leaving a director-sized hole in its wake and the fate of the film seemingly up in the air.
Insert Chad Stahelski, the director of all four mainlineJohn Wickmovies and a fantastic choice to helmBladeif Marvel decides to go with an experienced action director of his caliber. He has previouslyexpressed interest in directing aBlademoviefor the studio and his background starting out as a stuntperson before transitioning into the director’s chair has proven successful with theJohn Wickfranchise. In fact, those four movies provide a perfect road map for how this newBladefilm could ultimately find success.
Blade’s Formula Should Copy John Wick
Bladeseems like a simple premise to execute well. It’s about a half human, half vampire who hunts down and kills other vampires.The originalBladefilm still holds up to this day, having pulled the premise off in 1998. The film doesn’t need to be extensively complicated to succeed, as a franchise like Chad Stahelski’sJohn Wickhas shown across four smash hits. It’s all about executing a simple premise nearly flawlessly, andBladecould pull alot from what has made theJohn Wickfranchise a modern classic of the action genre.
John Wickis a highly stylized franchise soaked in violence and neon lights accentuated by some of the best stunt work around. The premise of one nearly unstoppable man vs. many is intriguing and should be one of the main focuses for the upcomingBladefilm. It could pull from the firstJohn Wickmovie and be about Blade hunting down certain vampires for a specific reason or flip the script like the other films in theWickseries ended up doing, where Blade ends up being the hunted.
The twoCaptain Americafilms that Stahelski helped work on have some of the best action in the entire MCU and provide valuable experience working within the Marvel Studios machine.
Chad Stahelski already has a familiarity with Marvel Studios as he previously worked on a number of MCU films, includingCaptain America: Civil War, where he was the second unit director following the success of the firstJohn Wickfilm. He also did stunt work forIron Man 2andCaptain America: The Winter Soldier. He also worked on a number of Marvel films outside the MCU, which includesSpider-Man 2,The Wolverine,X-Men Origins: Wolverine, andDeadpool 2.
The twoCaptain Americafilms that Stahelski helped work on have some of the best action in the entire MCU and provide valuable experience working within the Marvel Studios machine. This gives Stahelski a leg up when it comes to directing one of these behemoth blockbusters. His stunt work on numerous superhero projects throughout his career as well as his second unit directing efforts on bothCaptain America: Civil Warand DC’sBirds of Preyfilm shows he is more than capable of fitting into the wider world of blockbuster superhero films.
Chad Stahelski is one of the best action directors working right now. The astonishing stunt work and stylized action of theJohn Wickfilms helped make that franchise a modern-day classic. A valuable IP likeBladeshould be a top priority for Marvel, and the formula that theWickseries helped establish could be the perfect basis to make a highly successfulBladefilm which the MCU is struggling to put together - which giving Stahelski the project could set up perfectly.
Blade
Cast
Marvel Studios’ Blade sees the return of the iconic vampire hunter more than two decades after Wesley Snipes first played the character in live-action. Starring Mahershala Ali as Eric Brooks, the Blade reboot officially introduces vampires to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Eternals' second post-credits scene teased the Daywalker’s MCU debut.
