A new report claims that Mahershala Ali is in talks to join a new Jurassic World movie and that’s led to speculation that he might be done with the long gestating and delayed Blade film.
Mahershala Ali as Cottonmouth and Mike Colter as Luke Cage in Marvel’s Luke Cage (2016), Marvel Entertainment
The Hollywood Reporter’s Borys Kit claims Ali “is in talks to join Scarlett Johansson in Universal’s new Jurassic World feature.”
Director Gareth Edwards is expected to helm the film based on a script from writer David Koepp. The movie is currently scheduled to hit theaters on July 2, 2025.
LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023) Ethan Hawke as Clay, Julia Roberts as Amanda and Mahershala Ali as G.H. CR: JoJo Whilden/NETFLIX
Following this report, speculation has bubbled up that Ali might be done with Marvel Studios’ Blade film. MCUFilmNews on X shared, “We can now definitely expect the infamous line from Marvel Studios stating that Mahershala Ali and the studio have ‘parted ways due to scheduling conflicts.’
MCUFilmNews on X
This speculation comes following a recent rumor and previous speculation from YouTuber John Campea that Marvel Studios might move on from Mahershala Ali for the Blade film.
First, scooper Daniel RPK as reported by Heroic Hollywood claims that “Marvel is looking for a new writer to significantly revise the script.” The outlet does note that “Marvel has finalized the overall story” and “that filming is expected to begin later this year in Mexico or Brazil.”
Blade: Sins of the Father #1 Cover Art by Claudio Castellini (1998), Marvel Comics
Following that rumor, Campea detailed, “About a week or two ago I had somebody say to me that — somebody relatively connected to the situation — that they had heard that they were right back to square one. That there are too many of the key players are not happy with the current iteration of the script.”
He continued, “Didn’t say what the key players were whether the key player is the current director or if the key player is Feige or if the key player is Mahershala Ali, or whoever. Didn’t mention it. So like most of the things I hear I just let that, I just put that away, right. But then this report came out. I went, ‘Oh maybe there was something to that.'”
A little bit later he speculated, “I do not believe Mahershala Ali is going to Blade. I think within the next two months we are going to get the infamous scheduling conflicts which actually I shouldn’t put quotes around that. It’s probably going to become a truth. There’s probably going to be a scheduling thing because this guy can only put his career on hold for so long. And again I have no inside information on that. Nobody’s told me Mahershala Ali isn’t going to be so just kill the headlines right.”
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The last time Mahershala discussed Blade was back in December 2023 to Entertainment Weekly when he noted, “We’re working on it. That’s the best I could tell you.”
He added, “I’m really encouraged with the direction of the project. I think we’ll be back at it relatively soon.”
Mahershala Ali as Vector in Alita: Battle Angel (2019), 20th Century Fox
The film has been in development hell for quite some time. The movie was initially announced at San Diego Comic-Con back in 2019 and has gone through numerous script writers since.
In 2021 it was announced that Watchmen scribe Stacy Osei-Kuffour was writing the script.
In September 2022, scooper Jeff Sneider claimed, “I’m told that the current BLADE script is roughly 90 pages and features exactly TWO (lackluster) action sequences.”
“Mahershala said to be very frustrated with the process. Feige said to be spread too thin. But hey, that’s just what sources are telling me. Don’t shoot the messenger,” he added.
Jeff Sneider on X
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On the same day of Sneider’s scoop, a Marvel spokesman told The Hollywood Reporter that director Bassam Tariq was exiting the project, “Due to continued shifts in our production schedule, Bassam is no longer moving forward as director of Blade but will remain an executive producer on the film.”
“We appreciate Bassam’s talent and all the work he’s done getting Blade to where it is,” the spokesman added.
Tariq said, “It’s been an honor working with the wonderful folks at Marvel. We were able to put together a killer cast and crew. Eager to see where the next director takes the film.”
Blade: The Early Years Omnibus (2023), Marvel Comics
After Tariq left the project, The Direct reported that Moon Knight and The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf writer Beau DeMayo was working on the script.
In April 2023, it was reported that Nic Pizzolatto was working on the script. More recently Variety’s Tatiana Siegel claims that Michael Green was working on it.
Blade #12 (2007), Marvel Comics
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Not only did Siegel claim Green was working on the script, but she shared that in one of the scripts it had “morphed into a narrative led by women and filled with life lessons.”
Furthermore she said , “Blade was relegated to the fourth lead, a bizarre idea considering that the studio had two-time Oscar winner Ali on board.”
She would also claim, “Ali was ready to exit over script issues.”
Blade the Vampire Hunter #1 Cover at by Doug Wheatley and Chris Ivy (1994), Marvel Comics
Interestingly, Michael Starburry, who also worked on the script, refuted her claim. He shared on X, “I worked on a draft of this before the strike. Never saw a version where Blade was 4th lead or it was a ‘narrative led by women and filled with life lessons’ but I suppose a lot could have happened since I had anything to do with it.”
He added, “He was in 99% of the scripts I was a part of.”
Michael Starburry on X
What do you make of this speculation that Mahershala might be done with Marvel Studios’ Blade movie?
