Mahershala Ali has shared updates on Marvel’s stalled Blade film while promoting Jurassic World Rebirth, offering little optimism for its progress.

Blade was first announced at San Diego Comic Con in 2019, with an initial release planned for this November. However, the project has faced setbacks, cycling through multiple directors, and now, six years later, Blade starring Mahershala Ali remains far from reality.

It’s been eight months since Blade was removed from Marvel’s release schedule, with no new release date confirmed. A month after the film was pulled, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige reaffirmed the studio’s commitment to the project.

“We are dedicated to Blade. We admire the character and Mahershala’s vision for him. Whenever we adjust a project’s direction or timeline, we keep fans informed. You’re fully updated on the status,” Feige said in an interview with Omelete in November 2024. “The character will absolutely appear in the MCU.”

When asked about the project, Mahershala Ali gave a brief, noncommittal update to Variety, saying, “Contact Marvel. I’m prepared. Tell them I’m ready.”

In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Ali elaborated slightly but remained uncertain about Blade’s future.

“I’d love for Blade to move forward; we’ll see where Marvel stands now,” he said. “I’m just focused on finding the next compelling role.”

Several individuals tied to the Blade project have commented on its collapse. In April, rapper and artist Flying Lotus took to X / Twitter to share his involvement, revealing the project’s diminished prospects. “I was signed on to compose music for Blade before it fell apart,” he said. “It’s unlikely to resurface, but it would’ve been exciting.”

The day before Flying Lotus’ post, Sinners costume designer Ruth E. Carter confirmed on The John Campea Show that she was set to design costumes for Blade, intended to be set in the 1920s, before production unraveled.

Actor Delroy Lindo, once attached to star alongside Ali, also discussed the project’s failure shortly before Carter’s comments.

“Marvel seemed genuinely open to my input,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “Discussions with producers, the writer, and the director at the time were inclusive and promising. The concept was thrilling, but for reasons unknown, it derailed.”

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Meanwhile, the MCU’s Deadpool & Wolverine, featuring Wesley Snipes reprising his role as Blade in a cameo, grossed $1.3 billion globally. Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds has advocated for a send-off film for Snipes’ Blade, similar to Hugh Jackman’s Logan, noting that 1998’s Blade and its sequels paved the way for superhero films, enabling the X-Men and Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“Blade created the market for the Fox Marvel Universe and MCU,” Reynolds posted on X/Twitter. “He’s the Marvel trailblazer. Please share for a Logan-style farewell.”