Marvel's Blade Reboot Got So Close to Actually Happening There Was a Warehouse Full of Costumes That Ultimately Got Worn on Sinners Instead

Marvel's Mahershala Ali-starring Blade reboot got truthful adjacent to going earlier cameras that it had a warehouse afloat of costumes acceptable to go.

But arsenic Marvel's attempts to determination guardant with Blade stalled, the wardrobe items were alternatively sold — and were alternatively worn by inheritance actors successful Ryan Coogler's acclaimed Sinners.

The astonishing detail, revealed by Sinners shaper Sev Ohanian successful an interrogation with ScreenCrush, sheds caller daylight connected the pre-production enactment that went into mounting the MCU's long-awaited and present in-limbo MCU Blade project. And also, perhaps, it suggests conscionable however firmly parked that task is present — with nary request for those costumes for the forseeable future.

"[Costume designer] Ruth Carter was moving connected the Blade movie that ended up not shooting," Ohanian said. "At 1 constituent that movie was going to woody with, and she's talked astir this before, but astatine 1 constituent that movie was going to woody with the past astir the aforesaid epoch arsenic Sinners.

"She happened to person a warehouse afloat of period-appropriate clothes, and it was like, 'Yo, we got to sprout this movie similar tomorrow.' And Marvel was generous capable and benignant capable to fto america fundamentally acquisition it astatine price."

It's been nary concealed that Marvel's Blade plans were — astatine 1 point, astatine slightest — for a play piece. Indeed, Carter antecedently confirmed during an quality connected The John Campea amusement that she had been moving connected costumes for a communicative acceptable successful the 1920s.

Exactly wherefore the task past fell isolated astatine a comparatively precocious signifier has ne'er been publically stated, though it was reported that manager Yann Demange had near the task successful June 2024, and Marvel yet pulled the movie from its merchandise docket past October.

Blade was initially announced astatine San Diego Comic Con successful 2019, and was adjacent teased during the post-credits country of Eternals successful 2021, wherever Ali has a dependable cameo. But Marvel has said precise small astir its plans for the quality since.

"We are committed to Blade," Marvel Studios brag Kevin Feige insisted successful November 2024. "We emotion the character, we emotion Mahershala's instrumentality connected him. And remainder assured: whenever we alteration absorption with a project, oregon are inactive figuring retired however it fits into our schedule, we fto the assemblage know.

"You're each up to day connected what's happening," Feige continued, referencing the task nary longer being connected Marvel's merchandise schedule. "But I tin archer you that the quality volition so marque it to the MCU."

Asked for an update connected the task conscionable past month, Ali seemed arsenic successful the acheronian arsenic everyone else. "Call Marvel," the histrion said. "I’m ready. Let them cognize I'm ready."

Is Marvel ready? For now, the institution is heads down connected getting its adjacent tentpole Avengers films retired the door, aft a drawstring of disappointing container bureau returns and mixed reviews. The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives aboriginal this month, acceptable to present Marvel's archetypal household conscionable successful clip to spot them reprise their roles successful adjacent year's Avengers: Doomsday. The lone different quality with a movie slot close now? Tom Holland's hugely fashionable Spider-Man, who is acceptable to reprise his relation successful 2026's Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Maybe, aft each of that is said and done, Marvel mightiness privation those costumes back?

Image credit: Cindy Ord/WireImage via Getty.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social