Mahershala Ali criticizes Marvel for ruining the Blade reboot and shares that he has moved on.

      As Spider-Man achieves a record-breaking weekend at the global box office, Mahershala Ali is expressing disappointment that his long-awaited Blade film never took off.

      In a detailed interview with GQ to promote his upcoming action drama Your Mother Your Mother, the Academy Award-winning actor candidly shared his thoughts about being cast as the Daywalker, which was announced with much excitement during a surprise Comic-Con presentation in 2019. However, the project encountered several changes in directors, numerous rewrites, and production delays, ultimately resulting in its cancellation earlier this year.

      Your Mother Your Mother features Ali collaborating with Bassam Tariq, who was previously set to direct Blade. He stated to GQ: “When I reflect on this and Blade, I couldn't have pursued both, and this exists because that project fell apart, allowing Bassam to have the time, space, energy, and focus to create this and then come back to me.” Ali added, “I was able to apply the skills I had been honing for over a year while training for Blade. In that sense, I feel somewhat creatively redeemed in my own journey.”

      The Moonlight and True Detective star seemed less optimistic about his experience with the Blade cancellation, noting, “When I consider what was meant for me, it was either this or that, and I'll choose this. No offense to them. I’ve been in this profession for nearly 30 years, and one lesson I've learned is that what is meant for you will come to you, and what isn’t won’t. For whatever reason, that project wasn’t meant to be. If they truly wanted to proceed, we would have done it. So I have to move on, and I have moved on. You had me under contract; they have billions at their disposal, and if they wanted to make the film, we would’ve proceeded. Thus, we are not making the film.”

      Following recent casting announcements like Ryan Gosling as Ghost Rider and David Jonsson taking on the iconic Black Panther role, Ali’s situation is even more frustrating for those who were excited to see him portray Marvel’s half-human, half-vampire antihero. It seems we’ll have to settle for that voice cameo during The Eternals’ post-credits scene—and perhaps even another appearance by Wesley Snipes after his return as Blade in Deadpool and Wolverine?

      Share your thoughts on this news by connecting with us on our social media platforms @FlickeringMyth…