Marvel Studios’ upcoming Blade movie starring Mahershala Ali welcomes True Detective writer Nic Pizzolatto into the club. The vampire thriller franchise is set to commence production sometime towards the end of May in Atlanta, with Yann Demange tapped to helm the project.

Nic Pizzolatto Blade
Nic Pizzolatto

The original script was penned by Emmy-nominated writer Michael Starrbury, while Pizzolatto will make the necessary adjustments and revisions to the draft. Created by Marv Wolfman and illustrated by artist Gene Colan in 1973, Blade made his debut in The Tomb of Dracula No. 10.

Marvel Studios’ Blade Reboot Finds New Writer After Several Delays
Nic Pizzolatto started his career as a novelist and short story writer before shifting to screenwriting. He is famously known for his work on True Detective, a popular HBO crime series, while his other movie credits include The Magnificent Seven and The Guilty. Meanwhile, Ali starred in the show’s third season, which means a reunion will be happening soon.

It was at 2019’s Comic-Con event when Marvel Studios announced the long-overdue reboot of the Blade franchise, together with the revelation of Ali’s casting. Wesley Snipes originally portrayed the character between 1998 and 2006.

The project experienced several delays over the past years, with its original director Bassam Tariq departing shortly after the fall of 2022. It also took a long time to find the perfect cast, as revealed by entertainment insider Jeff Sneider on The Hot Mic podcast, saying:

“Blade got a new director in November. Here we are, five months later, still no update on casting… See where I’m going with this stuff? Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali, two-time Oscar winner, these people want things done a certain way, right? And they carry the weight to get their way, and that sometimes causes delays.”

The highly-anticipated Marvel film has suffered from long delays and postponements due to constant staff changes. Stacy Osei-Kuffour was initially introduced to helm the movie’s script but was later replaced by Beau DeMayo. Now, with Starrbury working alongside Pizzolatto, fans would expect that things will go smoothly with the production from now on.

Will The New Blade Movie Feature R-Rated Scenes?

Wesley Snipes Blade
Wesley Snipes in Blade (1998)
As Marvel introduces its darkest film feature in the MCU, fans are hoping it will keep the R-rating. However, in February 2021, Kevin Feige revealed during a panel interview at the Television Critics Association that Blade might not be as dark as it ought to be (via Deadline):

“I think we target everything we’re doing for kids and adults, so I think your question is more adult or R-rated.”

This was after Feige mentioned that other than Deadpool, Marvel Studios might stick to the PG-13 rating. This would definitely disappoint a lot of fans who are craving bloodlust action. Nevertheless, the rebooted movie will still be on everyone’s must-watch films list.

It will be the writers’ job to properly bring the story to life the way it delighted fans back in 1998. The franchise gained a cult following despite mixed reviews from critics. Whether the studio decides to reintroduce Blade’s origin story or skip it and get right into the heart of the plot, the franchise is still a hot topic for Marvel fans.