One of the most anticipated new entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Blade reboot is reportedly being tailored for an R-rating. As we previously reported, the new take on the half-vampire, half-human character is one of the most likely candidates for being the first MCU movie to come with a harder content rating and we’ve now heard from our sources – the same ones who told us Black Knight and Moon Knight were coming to the MCU long before the studio made it official – that Marvel are aiming for an R-rating, even if it’s not completely finalized just yet.
The Mahershala Ali-starring Blade certainly has the material to support a more mature rating, as was the case with the previous three movies based off the property. A commitment to more gruesome on-screen violence, language and sexuality would no doubt represent a gear shift for Marvel, but we understand that new Deadpool content is also aiming to keep the series’ R-rating. Of course, the success of Deadpool and Logan show that more adult-oriented Marvel pictures can work as well, if the material’s suitable, so perhaps it shouldn’t be too surprising to see the studio heading in this direction.
In any case, Blade fans are certainly keen for Marvel to use the R-rating, even going so far as launching a petition to voice their strong opinions on the matter. Furthermore, if Marvel handed the directorial reins to Spike Lee, as has been rumored, then we could be seeing a feature unafraid to pull its punches when it comes to dialogue or politics. In terms of the latter area, however, upping the certificate of a movie is more likely for Disney than any specific political message.
Whatever the final result, we probably won’t see the Blade reboot until Phase 5 of the MCU, with the character possibly becoming a member of a new Avengers line-up. Of course, the exact shape of Phase 5 is still unknown, but given Marvel and Disney’s long-term planning, we’d imagine that the connections between the movies are being actively developed.
Although ratings are one of the more flexible parts of a film’s production in terms of content, it does seem that Blade is still one of the leading candidates to take Marvel into R-rated territory and as soon as it’s made official, we’ll be sure to let you know.