Before all that tax evasion drama, martial artist/actor Wesley Snipes was vampire halfbreed/hunter Blade. Okay, that has all become a running joke by now, but in all seriousness, the man deserves recognition for his Blade movies. We don’t like to talk about Blade: Trinity, not to mention how his behavior was on set. If you know nothing about it, go listen to Patton Oswalt talk about it and you’ll probably raise an eyebrow and crack up. From his physical altercations with director David S. Goyer and Ryan Reynolds, along with spending most of his time in his trailer, all that drama explains why Blade: Trinity turned out to be a train wreck. Such a anti-climactic ending to his time as one of Marvel’s most coolest anti-heroes.
What many fans need to appreciate is how dedicated Wesley Snipes was to the role. The man actually did press while literally acting as Blade. And while fans can debate if the first or second Blade is better, all can agree that those movies helped make the superhero genre a bankable movie genre. That was before Bryan Singer’s X-Men movies and Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. Now granted, the Blade movies weren’t your average superhero movie. They were all rated-R for a very good reason. There was a lot of blood, a lot of bloody violence, and plenty of disgusting deaths that would make anyone with a weak stomach hurl.
Hey, that’s okay, because you know what? Blade is still a Marvel superhero, just like the Punisher and Ghost Rider. They’re just operate a little differently than the boy scout types like Captain America and Spider-Man. The Marvel name was attached to the Wesley Snipes Blade movies and they were among the first to be the most successful. If it weren’t for Wesley Snipes and his Blade movies, including the atrocious Trinity, the first X-Men and Spider-Man movies probably would have had a much harder time getting made. Oh, and therefore, our precious Marvel Cinematic Universe probably would have never come to fruition either. So please, don’t ever forget about Wesley Snipes and his Blade, no matter how much his third movie sucked.
Speaking of Blade, every Marvel fan should know that two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali will be playing Blade in the MCU. Yes, no Wesley Snipes Blade for the MCU, as sad as that is. This announcement was made back when Ali appeared in the 2019 San Diego Comic Con panel. Yes, in 2019, which feels just so long ago. Ali’s casting as Blade was the only piece of information we got for that project. No plot details, no additional cast members, no confirmed release date, just a big name to play the titular hero. And to add on more disappointment, it has been confirmed that the MCU’s Blade reboot has delayed shooting to fall of 2022.
Can the movie still make its supposed 2023 release date? I sure hope so. However, I still think we need to discuss some interesting possibilities here. As excited as we should be for Mahershala Ali’s take on Blade, it’s just basically impossible to forget about Wesley Snipes. I personally wouldn’t of said no to the man being the Blade for the MCU. Then again, despite his Blade not getting a proper conclusion, I feel like his time as the character ran its course. I’m all for a new actor to carry the torch, but it wouldn’t be silly to think about Wesley Snipes reprising the role somehow.
In fact, Wesley Snipes himself has confirmed that he was still dedicated to continuing the character’s story after Trinity. During an interview with ComicBook.com, the actor claimed that he and his team worked on two scripts for more Blade sequels. Those obviously didn’t happen, probably due to the drama that surrounded Blade: Trinity. While that shouldn’t be too surprising, Snipes went further and said Marvel has yet to have contact him about reprising the role. So according to him, there have been no knocks on his door for anything concerning Blade.
With that in mind, it’s probably unlikely that we will ever see Wesley Snipes play Blade again. On one hand, that is kind of a bummer for those who grew up with him as Blade. No matter what you say, he was awesome as the character and he dedicated himself to that role. Aside from the drama that transpired on the set of Trinity, it’s evident that he was passionate to make Blade a cool character. He succeeded in spectacular fashion, and Mahershala Ali has some big shoes to fill. But on the other hand, since Mahershala Ali is now on board to be the new Blade, it makes you wonder something.
With a new actor playing Blade, what is the point of bringing back the old actor to play him again? What would be the purpose beyond that big wow factor to shock fans? I mean, Marvel has done that before in the past, but they rarely miss the mark when they do. If Wesley Snipes were to play Blade again, it would have to be for the right time and place. As of now, it’s hard to think about the appropriate setting for a Wesley Snipes Blade cameo. The only thing that would make sense is the expansion of the Multiverse. But even so, how would Marvel make a meeting of two different Blades work?
I do think there is a way they can make that happen. However, I don’t think Marvel will go out of their way to set that up. And why should they? No matter how good Mahershala Ali’s Blade is, Wesley Snipes will always be the first Blade. The only purpose of having their two Blades meet is for that shock moment. Sounds good on paper and Marvel can make it happen. It’s just not the interaction the Marvel fans are excessively asking for. As of now, we know that Wesley Snipes is up for it and it it happens, fans will probably like seeing him as Blade again. But just a friendly piece of advice, it’s probably not something I would bet money on seeing.
What are your thoughts, Marvel fans? Do you think Wesley Snipes could make a return as Blade in the MCU? Personally, I’m just more curious about this MCU reboot. I would expect to hear some updates very soon. Who is the villain? Can we expect to see other MCU characters? And please, please, please give us some concept art on how Ali will look. That’s not too much to ask for, is it? Hey, I guess we’ll find out when Comic Con comes around. It’s always something to look forward to.
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