Mahershala Ali, set to star in the MCU Blade reboot, avoided discussing his Marvel appearances during a recent interview, leaving fans uncertain about the reboot’s status. Despite being the only Phase 5 project announced at the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con not yet released, Ali’s silence comes as excitement builds for upcoming MCU projects like The Fantastic Four: First Steps, scheduled for July 25, 2025.
Ali Declines to Discuss His Marvel Cinematic Universe Roles
During a rapid-fire segment in Vogue’s Off the Cuff with his Jurassic World Rebirth co-stars Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey, Ali shied away from naming his Marvel movies. When Bailey attempted to test their MCU knowledge, Ali laughed and responded,
“Leave me out of it. That’s a Scarlett question.”
—Mahershala Ali
The conversation shifted to Johansson’s extensive role in the MCU as Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, who debuted in Iron Man 2 (2010) and recently concluded her MCU journey with the 2021 Black Widow film. Before Ali deflected, Bailey hinted at anticipation for a future project, saying,
“Well, there’s one that we’re very excited about,”
—Jonathan Bailey
It was likely a reference to the Blade reboot. Johansson encouraged Ali to share more about his Marvel involvement, but Ali avoided the topic by turning the question back to her, who recalled her first film was the 1994 comedy-drama North.
Ali’s Limited MCU Participation and Eagerness to Play Blade
To date, Ali has not appeared in person as Eric Brooks, also known as Blade, in any MCU project. His only Marvel involvement was an uncredited voice cameo as Blade in Eternals (2021). Before that, he played Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes in the first season of the Netflix series Luke Cage, released in 2016.
At the New York premiere of Jurassic World Rebirth last month, Ali expressed his readiness to fully portray Blade in the MCU going forward.
What This Means for the MCU and Blade Fans
The quiet around Mahershala Ali’s Marvel MCU appearances contributes to ongoing speculation about the Blade reboot’s release timeline. While fans await clearer updates, Ali’s reluctance to engage in detailed MCU discussions suggests that official announcements may be forthcoming. Given the MCU’s ambitious Phase 6 slate, including The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the Blade reboot remains a highly anticipated, though presently unresolved, component of Marvel’s future.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Did Mahershala Ali quit?
A. Mahershala Ali is still involved with the MCU’s Blade movie and has not exited the project.
