The Marvel Studios Panel in Hall H at San Diego Comi-Con was full of surprises galore. Natalie Portman is returning to the role of Jane Foster, as well as Jane’s run as Thor. Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff will not only have her series, WandaVision, but she will also appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The REAL Mandarin is coming in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Taskmaster and Red Guardian will both appear in Black Widow. Baron Zemo returns, and with the iconic purple mask! Kevin Feige even teased the Fantastic Four and the X-Men joining the MCU in Phase 5! But, the biggest surprise, one that Marvel somehow kept 100% a secret from everyone, came at the end of the panel. Feige called out Academy Award Winning actor, Mahershala Ali, and announced that he is playing Blade in the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
While Blade has been rumored for some time, just about everyone thought it would be Wesley Snipes returning to the role (mainly because he wouldn’t stop talking about it). And, whose not to say we won’t get a cameo from Snipes? Who knows. But, Ali is definitely a great choice for the role. And he asked for this role! Feige confirmed that Ali approached him about playing the Daywalker! Kevin put it quite simply, according to THR:
“When Mahershala calls, you answer.”
The only downside that could possibly come of this is that the film will most likely be PG-13. All the MCU films have been at this rating, and it isn’t likely that they’ll change that. However, if any movie was going to be their first R rated film, this would be it. And, the language could still stay at the level it is now, it would get the harsh rating from the violence that is synonymous with the character and his previous films. Regardless, fans should be excited for whatever comes to the theaters during Phase 5 of the MCU, which Feige confirmed in an interview with Collider.
Are you ready for Blade to join the MCU? Let us know in the comments below!