Marvel’s ‘Blade’ Reboot Finds Its Director In Bassam Tariq
TheBladereboot set to starMahershala Alias the ass-kicking Daywalker himself has found a director.Bassam Tariq, who helmed the upcoming Riz Ahmed filmMogul Mowgli, is in talks to take on the Marvel movie.Stacy Osei-Kuffouris penning the script, which will resurrect the half-human/half-vampire Blade within the continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Deadline has the scoop that Bassam Tariq is likely to directBlade. Per their report, Marvel Studios presidentKevin Feigeand star Mahershala Ali “have been meeting with dozen[s] of candidates going all the way back to the fall, at one point considering writer-director options,” before deciding to bring in writer Stacy Osei-Kuffour and find a director elsewhere. That director is now all but sure to be Bassam Tariq, a filmmaker who helmed the 2013 documentaryThese Birds Walkand the Riz Ahmed movieMogul Mowgli. If you’ve never heard of that one, don’t worry – it has yet to be released in the U.S. Strand Releasing will distribute the film here in September.
The most recent round of director meetings “started in March and went all the way through June,” with those who made the final cut delivering their “final presentations over that time,” with Tariq’s “vision that ultimately won all parties over.” And now all that’s left is for the director to officially sign on. Well, okay, that’s notallthat’s left – he’ll have to make the movie, too. Obviously.
Blade was created by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan, first appearing in the pages ofThe Tomb of Dracula#10 in 1973. The character leapt to the big screen in 1998 withBladestarringWesley Snipesas the titular character. Snipes returned forBlade IIandBlade Trinity. By all accounts, behind-the-scenes drama plagued that third film. That, coupled with lackluster box office returns, effectively killed the SnipesBladeseries. However, the actor had teased a potential return over the years.
Instead, Marvel is moving ahead with a reboot that will have Oscar winner Mahershala Ali playing the role. Ali’s casting and the surprising news of a newBlademovie wereannounced during the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con. There’s a ton of potential here, and Ali is more than qualified for the role. That said, it’s very hard to imagine a character like Blade within the current MCU continuity. Can you imagine vampires running around in the same world as theAvengersmovies? I can’t! But I’m sure they’ll figure something out.
Having not seen either of Bassam Tariq’s films, I can’t really comment on his work. But in the meantime, here’s a TED Talk the filmmaker delivered six years ago.
