Delroy Lindo has spoken publicly about his departure from Marvel’s long-delayed Blade reboot, describing the production as one that “just went off the rails” following what he described as initially inclusive and collaborative discussions.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly while promoting his role in Sinners, Lindo said he was approached early in the film’s development and encouraged by the conversations he had with the creative team. “When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input,” he said. “In the various conversations I had with producers, the writer, the director at the time, it was all leading into being very inclusive.”
Lindo joined the project in 2021. The role he was expected to play was conceived with influences from historical Black leadership. “I’m not saying that it would’ve been an out-and-out Garvey-ite,” Lindo said, referring to Marcus Garvey. “But just in terms of how this man’s philosophy, his ethos, and what was driving him. He was a character who had, very similar to Sinners, created a community, a Black community. He was a character who was the head of this community.”
The Blade reboot, featuring Mahershala Ali in the lead role, was originally announced in 2019. It was removed from Marvel’s 2025 release schedule after a series of production delays and creative changes. Bassam Tariq was first attached to direct but exited the project. Yann Demange later took over and has since also departed. The script has gone through multiple versions during this period.
The timeline of delays has included external disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the dual writers’ and actors’ strikes that affected production across the industry.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige addressed the film’s status at D23 Brazil in late 2024. “We love the character. We love Mahershala’s take on him,” he said. “Whenever we change direction with a project or are still figuring out how it fits into our schedule, we let the audience know.”
Feige maintained that the character remains part of Marvel’s plans. No new release date has been set, and the film remains in development.
Wesley Snipes, who played Blade in the original film trilogy starting in 1998, appeared in a recent cameo for Deadpool & Wolverine, reintroducing the character to Marvel’s current lineup.
