It sounds like the upcoming Marvel reboot of Blade is now back on track, with reports revealing that the project will be much darker than anything else in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Blade is now set to be helmed by Lovecraft Country and White Boy Rick director Yann Demange and will be penned by When They See Us writer Michael Starrbury, with the intention to create something far gloomier and more horrific than the rest of the hugely popular franchise.

Alongside the changes behind-the-scenes, Deadline reports that the hiring of Yann Demange and Michael Starrbury has zeroed in “on the writer and director who could deliver the tone” that Marvel Studios “wanted to achieve.” Adding that the Blade reboot “probably won’t be as dark as the previous Blade pics,” insiders have said that “Marvel is looking to go with a darker tone on this film than other MCU projects have been in the past.”

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These sentiments are echoed in The Hollywood Reporter, which says in its report that “the new intent is for Blade to dark and gritty in tone, falling on the edgier side of Marvel fare and maybe even find common shading with the fondly-remembered Blade movies made in the early 2000s by New Line.” Which should at least reassure Marvel fans that the MCU’s introduction of the vampire hunter will not shy away from the violence and darkness at the character’s core.

Oscar Winner Mahershala Ali Will Lead Marvel’s Blade Reboot

     20th Century Fox

Moonlight star and Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali is still on board to lead the Blade reboot in the title role as Blade, the vampire slayer. The actor has reportedly been “very frustrated” with the making of the Marvel outing, with insider Jeff Sneider stating 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.” As far as we are aware, likes of Da 5 Bloods star Delroy Lindo and Old and Krypton star Aaron Pierre are also still set to star in the Marvel movie.

Born a half-human/half-vampire, “Daywalker” Eric Brooks (Ali) has honed his abilities to hunt down the undead who have long terrorized mankind. A human-vampire hybrid since his tragic birth, Blade has spent his long life seeking to rid the world of vampires like the one that killed his mother. Over the years, he has mastered his own style of fighting monsters of all kinds.

It has been hotly rumored that Blade will also introduce Blade’s daughter, Fallon Grey, alongside Ali’s Daywalker. There have been reports circulating for some time that 14-year-old actress Milan Ray, who is best known for her roles in The Wonder Years and Modern Love, has been cast in the Marvel movie, with many speculating that she will portray Fallon Grey, a character who will play a major role in the MCU going forward.

Blade is expected to go into production in Atlanta in 2023, with the project sticking to a release date of September 6, 2024.