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Marvel Studios Blade director Bassam Tariq has left the film just two months shy of production beginning in Atlanta, according to Variety. The film was announced back at Marvel’s 2019 Comic-Con presentation where Mahershala Ali had been revealed to play the comic book vampire slayer.
Though he will no longer be in the director’s chair, sources reported that Tariq will remain attached to the project as an executive producer. The filmmaker was first confirmed to helm the movie back in summer 2021. Marvel made a statement to The Hollywood Reporter citing scheduling conflicts as the reason behind Tariq’s departure.
“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,” the statement read. “We appreciate Bassam’s talent and all the work he’s done getting Blade to where it is.”
The new Blade’s script was written by Stacy Osei-Kuffour who had worked previously as a writer and story editor on HBO’s critically-acclaimed Watchmen TV series. No confirmed details on the story have yet to be revealed. Joining Ali are actors Aaron Pierre (Krypton) and Delroy Lindo (Da Five Bloods) in undisclosed roles.
“It’s been an honor working with the wonderful folks at Marvel,” Tariq said in a statement of his own. “We were able to put together a killer cast and crew. Eager to see where the next director takes the film.”
Blade was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan for the Marvel Universe’s Dracula to have the ultimate nemesis. He is a half-mortal, half-immortal who hunts vampires in order to avenge his mother, who was killed by a vampire as she gave birth to him. Actor Wesley Snipes previously played the character in a trilogy released from 1998-2004.
