Holy schniekes, man. This year’s San Diego Comic-Con has been ridiculous thus far, but things really got cranked to 11 today with Marvel’s panel in Hall H. This was, probably, the most anticipated moment of the whole convention, and understandably so, as everyone’s been curious about where the gargantuan cinematic universe is going next, after making the highest grossing, most-character-containing film of all time. We got plenty of answers, but none more exciting than what we’re about to tell you.
Are you ready? We hope you’re sitting down because Marvel revealed tonight that Mahershala Ali, best known for his two Oscar-winning performances in Moonlight and Green Book, is going to star in a Blade reboot as the daywalking vampire slayer. We’ll give you a few moments to take that in.
Personally, this is without a doubt my favorite piece of news to come out of the whole convention. For years, fans have been clamoring for another stab (or perhaps, stake? hehe) at this franchise, after the faltering of the third entry in the otherwise well regarded run with Wesley Snipes in the title role. Heck, the 1998 original is one of the earliest Marvel movies ever made, so this is, basically, a return to where it all began.
Literally nothing else is known about the project at this time, so one can only wonder. But wow, it’s hard to not get incredibly hyped about a new Blade played by one of this generation’s strongest actors. And with Ali now on board, you can bet that Marvel will be roping in some other A-listers to support him in the surrounding roles. Whether we’ll find out who else they’re eyeing this weekend at Comic-Con remains to be seen, but the studio is certainly off to a fantastic start with the project, wouldn’t you say?