Marvel’s ‘Blade’ Reboot Now on Hold

Blade has gotten a stake through the heart. As a result of the writers strike, Marvel Studios has delayed filming its upcoming vampire thriller, which stars Mahershala Ali. Initial filming was set to begin next month in Atlanta, and now the project has once again been put on hold. Notification was sent to cast and crew members Friday afternoon. True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto had been hired to work on the script, but an insider told The Hollywood Reporter, “time simply ran out.” Blade will resume production after the strike ends.

Since Tuesday, the strike action has affected late-night talk shows and Saturday Night Live. Production of Showtime’s Billions was halted on Thursday as protests continued. Marvel seems to be bolstering the industry by shooting three movies simultaneously, along with two series, when some studios have just one or two films in the works. 

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Despite the Blade shutdown, the company is gearing up for its busiest time ever, according to THR. The filming of Captain America: New World Order is currently underway in Atlanta. In addition to Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Wonder Man is filming in Los Angeles. Thunderbolts is scheduled to hit Atlanta in June, while Deadpool 3 is expected to start in London later this month. Thunderbolts is still on track as of now. Fantastic Four is aiming for a January 2024 premiere. It could change if the strike lasted six months or longer, but sources told THR that is unlikely. There is no doubt that, even if the strike lasts only a few weeks or a month, there will likely be some impact, including the possibility of more movie release dates being pushed back.

“There’s a billion dollars net in production costs that are exposed because of the strike. That’s certainly a concern,” a source with knowledge of Marvel’s current production schedule told THR. Usually, big-budget blockbusters have their scripts evolve during production. Still, the strike will be a significant departure for Marvel, which is used to having a writer on set who can adjust things as needed. 

According to THR, the deals between stars Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield on Spider-Man: No Way Home weren’t finalized until around December 2020, after more than a month of filming. As a result of the Spider-Man actors’ input, writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers reworked the third act over Christmas. Uncredited screenwriter Patrick Burleigh (Eternals) wrote 25 pages daily on Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), with director Peyton Reed and Marvel executives, including Kevin Feige, reviewing his work every evening. Captain America poses a significant concern since filming is currently underway.

As one rival production executive explained to THR, “[Marvel] will shoot what they can, then wait for the reshoots,” a process Marvel is already incorporating into its production schedule. In addition to script challenges, Marvel also faces the possibility of picketers, which is an additional concern. One WGA member called for people to join him in picketing a Marvel production filming in Hollywood on Thursday. It appeared that the tweet, which was deleted, was aimed at Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Wonder Man.