Marvel Studios' Blade has been pulled from pre-production, and if that leads to a delay it could greatly affect the MCU's Phase 5 plans. Blade was initially announced in 2019 at San Diego Comic-Con with Mahershala Ali in the titular role with production beginning in February 2021 after Stacy Osei-Kuffour was hired to write the script. However, Tariq leaving the project, alongside Beau DeMayo being brought in to rewrite the script, led to many worries about if the film would be negatively affected.
Well, Blade's production has officially been delayed as Marvel Studios search for a new director after Bassam Tariq left the project. The film was supposed to begin production in November 2022, yet without a director in place, it was clear this deadline would not be met. Marvel Studios have subsequently paused development, which will be sure to affect Phase 5 and likely lead to a delay in Blade's release date which begs the question of whether Blade will release in Phase 5 at all as that possibility seems increasingly unlikely.
How Blade's MCU Delay Can Hurt Phase 5
Blade being delayed beyond Phase 5 could certainly hurt it in a lot of ways. While it is not exactly catastrophic to Marvel's overall plan for Blade to be delayed, it is certain to weaken the overall Phase. For starters, Mahershala Ali as Blade has been much anticipated and is sure to be one of the best MCU performances and characters with an actor as charismatic and talented in place. Another way Phase 5 would be weakened without the Blade movie is in of the overall tone of the MCU Phase. Marvel Studios have often been criticized for only dealing with fairly light subject matter, and nothing else in Phase 5 promises anything particularly dark to counteract this. Ant-Man 3 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 are both likely to be more light-hearted movies based on their previous installments, meaning Blade leaving Phase 5 will take its anticipated darker tone with it.
Blade was also expected to be the next appearance of Kit Harrington's Dane Whitman in the MCU after he and Blade cameoed in Eternals' post-credits scene. With Whitman expected to become Black Knight, wielding the Ebony Blade from Marvel Comics, Blade was expected to delve much deeper into the MCU's supernatural elements than ever before. If Blade is delayed from the MCU's Phase 5, fans will have to wait even longer to see this.
Could Blade Still Release During The MCU's Phase 5?
Because of the pause of development on Blade, it is highly unlikely for the film to still release in Phase 5. Blade was initially supposed to release in November 2023, with only Captain America: New World Order and Thunderbolts set to release afterward to round out Phase 5. If Blade is delayed, it will likely be by at least six months to a year, depending on how long Marvel Studios take to lock down a director and finalize the script. However, if this is the case, Blade would then have to be released after both Captain America 4 and, more importantly, Thunderbolts. As there is no Avengers movie in Phase 5, Thunderbolts will be used to satisfy the fan's team-up cravings and end Phase 5 on a strong note, something that Blade likely would not offer to the same degree. With that in mind, it is unlikely Blade will release in Phase 5, more likely being saved for one of Phase 6's unassigned slots.
