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Mahershala Ali talks Marvel's failure to make Blade: "If they wanted to do it, we would've done it"

Mahershala Ali is ready to move on from Marvel Studios failing to get the Blade film off the ground

An image of Mahershala Ali in Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother — Image credit: Amazon MGM

News by Jules Chin Greene, Staff Writer

Published on Tue Aug 04 2026

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Seven years ago, Marvel Studios announced at San Diego Comic-Con that a Blade movie starring Mahershala Ali was in the works. And seven years later, there still is no Blade film. At this point, with Ali now 52 years old, the dream of seeing him play Marvel's Daywalker is now over. But the actor has already moved past the project failing to materialize.

In an interview with GQ, Ali addressed how he's moved on from the Blade film falling through, and has instead welcomed taking an approach predicated on "original work," like his upcoming film Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, rather than big-budget adaptations. "The best way I can answer this question is, when I look at what is for me, is it was either this or that—and I'll take [Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother]. No offense to [Marvel Studios]," he began.

"I've been doing this professionally for pushing 30 years now, and one thing I've learned is that what is for you is for you and what is not is not. For whatever reason, [Blade] is not for me. If they wanted to do it, we would've done it. So I have to move on, and I have moved on. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother feels very much in alignment with the type of work I want to be known for. I don't really want to be known for remakes. I’d love to do original work that resonates with people and impacts them in unique ways," Ali said.

For now, Ali is finished answering questions about the Blade film. "Again, you had me under contract, they have billions of dollars, if they wanted to do the movie, we would’ve done the movie. So we’re not doing the movie… But I feel ready to move on from the Blade questions. Those questions are for them. They didn’t want to do it, so they should answer that question."

Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige recently shared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he felt "like a gigantic loser and failure" for not making the Blade film with Mahershala Ali, so it seems that the missed opportunity is haunting the studio exec.

Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother will be released on September 25 and is directed by Bassam Tariq - who was originally slated to direct the Marvel Studios Blade film.

Consider this a meta post-credits scene for Marvel fans - the four key articles you need to read next to continue the thrills:

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Jules Chin Greene: Jules Chin Greene is a journalist and Jack Kirby enthusiast. He has written about comics, video games, movies, and television for sites such as Nerdist, AIPT, and Multiverse of Color.