This guest post is written by Raphael Garcia.
The entertainment industry is flush with characters who come with an alluring “cool” factor. Examples like James Bond, Lara Croft, and even the crew from Fast and the Furious stand out, with years upon years of financial success beneath them. Then there are some who struggle to find those consistent victories, no matter how cool they may be. Blade is such a character, and after the latest series of flounders you must wonder why the character can’t seem to get any momentum going.
Blade is a motorcycle-riding, leather-wearing, sword-using, profanity expert who happens to be a vampire-human hybrid who hunts the former day and night. Everything about him screams marquee character, yet since his creation in 1973, he’s spent so much time in the background.
Created by Marv Wolfman (there has to be some irony there) and Gene Colan, Blade has eclipsed his initial start to become a cult-favorite character of sorts. He’s appeared in video games, popular television shows like Spider-Man back in the ’90s, and has a trilogy that set the tone for dark superhero movies. Even with all that cache, the latest flounders make it seem like Blade is never going to get another spark that pushes him even higher.
The video game industry is in a horrible place, and it is only worse for studios working with big IP. Arkane Studios popped up in recent reports as a studio that may be shuttered by Xbox. Even after a series of layoffs, Arkane isn’t in the clear as Xbox negotiates with the French government. Arkane was working on a “Blade” video game, one that had a lot of anticipation surrounding it since its announcement back in 2023. That title is suddenly in danger and may be the latest on the long list of games that fans wanted but may never see.
Tom Warren of The Verge reported that Xbox is “weighing cancelling Marvel’s Blade.” Those reports have further grown that the game is grossly over budget, while potential players haven’t seen anything other than the barber shop teaser. Things don’t bode well for a title that could have helped put him at the front of popular Marvel IP. Do not be surprised if this title is canceled, becoming the latest game to be hit by rising costs and developmental hell.
But what about movies? Marvel has a lot of hype heading into “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” and the next Avengers films. This should translate over to Blade, right? Nope. Not a chance.
Remember the excitement that came when Mahershala Ali was revealed to be the man to take over the Blade mantle in 2018? How has that panned out? Latest reports are that the Blade movie is cancelled, with the focus potentially going to a Midnight Sons film – where Blade will be a part of an ensemble cast. It’s wild to think about how today’s MCU doesn’t have a space for Blade when in the eyes of many the trilogy released from 1998-2004 are the catalyst to today’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. Remember the scene of Wesley Snipes walking into the vampire rave and turning it into a bloodbath? Yeah, everyone does!
As a solo comic character, Blade has struggled there as well. With more than 50 years since his creation, it’s surprising to learn that the longest Blade solo series lasted only 12 issues. He’s yet another character in the world of comics who looks the part, has the background story and powerset, but fans don’t offer up their cash to make his book a success.
All jokes aside, Marvel has the potential to build Blade into something special. He touches a lot of things that are popular in mainstream entertainment and can branch out even further. Take the 2023 teaser for the video game as an example. Seeing Blade, a dark-skinned Black male character, sitting in a barber’s chair while subtle tones of Hip Hop music play in the background screams to demographics who are consistently looking for characters to grasp onto across media. Blade is an established character who could have avoid much of the online grift that is rampant in the industry today when a title features a Black lead. He was untouchable in that way.
Take that idea and apply it to what you see on the movie screen. Wesley Snipes elevated Blade in a way that no one saw coming. He was so successful that the story was continued in the Blade television series where Kirk Jones (best known as the rapper Sticky Fingaz) starred. Think about how random that is.
All respect to Sam Wilson, Marvel is still struggling to find a strong Black male lead character since the death of Chadwick Bosman, and the story transition within Black Panther. Ali could have been that person as the new Blade, but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. Ali’s voice chimed in during the post-credit scene in The Eternals, but that will be one of several scenes that didn’t get the proper follow-up.
Let’s take it back to video games for a second and consider what Blade could be. Blade is an excellent hand-to-hand fighter, who carries an arsenal that would make The Punisher weep. Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, accelerated healing, and more. Imagine taking that skill set, the background story featuring big name vampires like Dracula, throw in the once famed Marvel aura, and top it off with some “Devil May Cry” action. Or go the other direction, focus on his hand-to-hand and vampire-like abilities, then throw it into a “Metal Gear Solid” type of slow-paced game with intriguing boss battle mechanics. All the pieces are there, but it doesn’t seem like anyone will be able to put them together to build a successful video game.
Side characters are an important part of entertainment. Some breakthrough to become the titular character in their own titles. But not all of them. Blade has all the makings of a character who should draw fans in and hold them down. Unfortunately, these latest failings hitting so close together will perhaps put the final nail in the proverbial coffin that keeps the vampire hunter in the background.
Image Credit: “Marvel’s Blade,” Arkane
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