SDCC 2019: Mahershala Ali Is Marvel’s New BLADE

Just when we thought Marvel was done dropping bombs at SDCC, they pull the rug out from under us: as just announced in Hall H, Blade is being brought back into the Marvel fold, and this time he'll be played by Mahershala Ali. 

If you're not already aware, Mahershala Ali is a goddamn powerhouse of an actor, having turned in MVP roles in Barry Jenkins' Moonlight, Netflix's House of Cards and this year's excellent third season of True Detective. Of course we need to pay our respects to Wesley Snipes, who is apparently not returning to the role (as some rumors led us to believe), but if it's not gonna be him...Ali is an excellent choice for this role.

How the new Blade will fit into Marvel's grand design is anyone's guess. It's not even entirely clear whether this Blade will be a TV series or a feature film (we think it's a movie, but we're honestly not sure as of this writing). Whichever the case may be, we are extremely hyped to hear the character's being brought back into the fold, and can't wait to learn more. 

UPDATE: Confirmed via a press release sent our way directly by Disney/Marvel, the new Blade is, in fact, a feature film. Holy shit.

Stay tuned for further updates on Blade as they roll in, and feel free to celebrate along with us in the comments below in the meantime.