The Marvel Studios “Blade” reboot, which was set to start production soon at Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, has been pushed back to early 2023 after the original director departed.
Bassam Tariq originally signed on to direct the movie but bowed out in late September, forcing Marvel to hunt for another director. The film stars Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali as Blade.
“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,” Marvel said in a statement.
Crew members on the ground at Trilith were notified on Tuesday of the delay, according to Hollywood Reporter, which broke the story. The film is currently scheduled to debut in November 2023, but is has now been pushed back to September 6, 2024.
This film has been a long time coming. Marvel first announced the return of “Blade” in 2019.
Blade is a half-mortal, half-immortal vampire hunter. Wesley Snipes played the character in a successful film trilogy released in 1998, 2002 and 2004.
