Marvel’s ‘Blade’ dropped from Disney’s 2025 release calendar

Disney has dropped Marvel’s reboot of “Blade,” starring Hollywood actor Mahershala Ali, from the 2025 release calendar.

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The superhero film was scheduled for a release on November 7, 2025, however, Disney will now release “Predator: Badlands,” in its place, according to a report by Variety.

The film has faced several setbacks starting with the departure of director Bassam Tariq which resulted in the release date getting delayed from November 2023 to September 2024.

Director Yann Demange joined the film in June this year, however, Marvel suspended pre-production in 2023 and pushed the movie again to November 2025.

The studio’s decision to delay the release date of ‘Blade’ was widely expected after Disney CEO’s announcement that Marvel will release “a maximum of three” movies a year.

Marvel has added three untitled projects to the schedule for February 18, 2028, May 5, 2028, and November 10, 2028.

Of the four superhero films Disney previously had slated for 2025 — including “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” — “Blade” is the only project that hadn’t started production.

Meanwhile, Marvel added three untitled projects to the schedule for Feb. 18, 2028, May 5, 2028 and Nov. 10, 2028.

Marvel boss Kevin Feige had earlier said that the studio was not trying to rush the film to ensure that it replicates the success of the previous movies.

“I mean, for the last two years as we’ve been trying to crack that movie, the most important thing for us is not rushing it and making sure we are making the right Blade movie,” he said in an interview in July.

‘Blade’ was first announced in 2019 at San Diego Comic-Con, following a meeting between Hollywood actor Mahershala Ali and Feige.

It is to be noted that the titular character of the half-vampire was played by veteran Hollywood actor Wesley Snipes from 1998 to 2004.

Snipes also made a surprise appearance as Blade in the blockbuster film “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which has grossed $1.3 billion globally.