Bassam Tariq in Talks to Direct Mahershala Ali’s BLADE

Fans expressed their excitement on social media as it was reported that Bassam Tariq may be directing Marvel’s Blade. According to Deadline, Tariq has not signed on officially, but they are very close to nearing a deal. If you’ve kept up with the Mahershala Ali reboot, you know Marvel Studios has recently met with several directors. Many are familiar with Tariq for his recent film, Mogul Mowgli, which starred Riz Ahmed as the lead.

Movie fans have been eager for updated news on the film for a while now. At San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, Kevin Feige announced that Mahershala Ali was cast as the title character. The actor was fresh off his second Oscar win for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Green Book. He received his first in the same category back in 2017 for Moonlight, gaining the attention of many.

This is a huge assignment as Blade has always been a fan favorite from the comics to Wesley Snipes on-screen portrayal. The studio is under some pressure to keep up the momentum after the Avengers chapter came to a close. This film will be a part of Marvel’s Phase 4 which includes other titles such as Eternals, Shang-Chi, and Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.

The previous Blade saga ended when Blade Trinity was released 17 years ago. Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Biel starred alongside Snipes in one of their first career blockbusters. It’s safe to say we are in good hands with Tariq and Ali behind the wheel. Feige has delivered great casting and directing choices that span the entire MCU. New additions to the cast should be announced over the coming months as filming begins. Blade is scheduled to release in 2022, but a setback wouldn’t be a surprise due to the pandemic.

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