Wesley Snipes, known for his legendary portrayal of Blade, has faced significant challenges with Hollywood casting struggles over the years. Despite a major comeback in recent superhero films like Deadpool and Wolverine, he continues to encounter obstacles securing prominent roles in major productions.
The Rise and Fall of Wesley Snipes’ Blade Character
Wesley Snipes first brought the vampire hunter Blade to life in the 1998 film Blade and reprised the role in the sequels Blade II (2002), directed by Guillermo del Toro, and Blade: Trinity (2004). His portrayal earned him two Guinness World Records for the longest career as a live-action Marvel character and the longest gap between appearances as the same character in Marvel films, surpassing both Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine and Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool. Despite this achievement, Snipes’ attempts to continue his Blade legacy met a significant setback when Marvel announced in 2019 that the franchise would be rebooted with Mahershala Ali taking over the role.
Even with this news, Snipes stayed hopeful about returning to his iconic role. He made an unexpected appearance as Blade in a crossover with Deadpool and Wolverine, demonstrating his continued physical readiness and enthusiasm. Addressing speculation about future Blade films, Snipes remarked:
Never say never. Long as I’m healthy and in shape, I can rock with them. Yeah, as far as my predictions on if something like that happened in future, I don’t know. I don’t know. It seems to me if it would’ve happened, it would’ve happened already. But hey, never say never.
—Wesley Snipes
He also acknowledged Mahershala Ali as a fitting choice to carry the Blade mantle forward, signaling respect despite his personal interest in the role.
Post-Blade Career Marked by Movie Failures and Limited Releases
Following his Blade trilogy, Wesley Snipes experienced a significant downturn in his acting career. Many of his subsequent movies received little theatrical attention or went directly to home video. Titles such as 7 Seconds, The Marksman, Chaos, The Detonator, Hard Luck, The Contractor, The Art of War II: Betrayal, Game of Death, Gallowwalkers, Chi-Raq, The Recall, Armed Response, Dolemite Is My Name, Cut Throat City, Coming 2 America, and Back on the Strip had limited commercial success. The only exceptions, Brooklyn’s Finest and The Expendables 3, briefly reignited his visibility but failed to restore his former standing.
Struggles to Reclaim Stardom in Action Films
Snipes sought to reestablish himself as an action star through his role as Doctor Death in The Expendables 3, joining an ensemble cast that included names such as Mel Gibson, Antonio Banderas, Kelsey Grammer, Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, and Jet Li. Despite this powerful lineup, Snipes was overshadowed, and the film did not translate into a meaningful comeback for him. The changing tastes of the 2010s audience—favoring fresh, younger faces in blockbuster superhero roles—further marginalized Snipes, a ’90s veteran whose appeal studios seemed reluctant to bet on anymore.
Following The Expendables 3, Snipes reverted to starring in lower-budget action movies like The Recall and Armed Response, which failed to generate notable attention or revive his career momentum.
On-Set Conflicts with Cast Members
Behind the scenes during Blade: Trinity, tensions marred Wesley Snipes’ relationships with co-stars, most notably Ryan Reynolds, who played Hannibal King. Reynolds recalled a candid moment from the set where his frustration with Snipes was evident:
There’s a moment in the movie where I look up at Jessica and I swear to God, I didn’t even know the cameras were rolling anymore and I say, ‘He hates me, doesn’t he?’ And she’s like, ‘Yeah.’ I’m just saying this about my relationship as Ryan Reynolds to this guy, and it works.
—Ryan Reynolds
Further reports indicated Snipes referred to Reynolds with a racial slur and was generally dismissive of his co-stars. Comedian Patton Oswalt described Snipes’ method acting during Blade: Trinity as extreme, recounting unusual behavior off-camera:
Wesley Snipes was going crazy and he wouldn’t come out of his trailer and you’d walk by his trailer and this wall of pot stench would just like, woah, would kind of push you to the side. He would only answer to the name Blade, you couldn’t call him, and after a while he resorted to just to just give, he would communicate with Post-Its, he would give to the director, and each one he would sign ‘Blade,’
—Patton Oswalt
The actor’s off-screen actions contributed to a reputation that portrayed him as difficult to collaborate with, likely impacting future casting decisions negatively.
Allegations of Violence Against Director on Set
Snipes’ volatile behavior escalated on the Blade: Trinity set, involving violence towards the film’s director David S. Goyer. Patton Oswalt detailed an incident where Snipes confronted another Black actor over costume choices, which escalated into an attempted physical attack on Goyer:
I remember one day on the set — they let everyone pick their own clothes — there was one Black actor who was also kind of a club kid. And he wore this shirt with the word “Garbage” on it in big, stylish letters. It was his shirt. He [Wesley Snipes] comes on and goes, “There’s only one other Black guy in the movie, and you make him wear a shirt that says ‘Garbage?’ You racist motherf***er! And he tried to strangle the director, David Goyer.
—Patton Oswalt
The aftermath reportedly prompted Goyer to enlist the help of nearby bikers as bodyguards the following day. Wesley Snipes strongly denied these accusations, describing the claims as racially biased:
Let me tell you one thing. If I had tried to strangle David Goyer, you probably wouldn’t be talking to me now. A Black guy with muscles strangling the director of a movie is going to jail, I guarantee you. This is part of the challenges that we as African Americans face here in America — these microaggressions. The presumption that one white guy can make a statement and that statement stands as true! Why would people believe his version is true? Because they are predisposed to believing the Black guy is always the problem.
—Wesley Snipes
This incident compounded the perception of Snipes as a problematic figure, which hindered his professional reputation in Hollywood.
Prison Sentence and Its Impact on His Career
In 2010, Wesley Snipes was sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion, a verdict delivered by U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges in Ocala, Florida. In court, Snipes expressed remorse:
I’m very sorry for my mistakes and errors. I apologize to my family, the court and the community. I’ve asked the court to show me mercy and the opportunity to make things right.
—Wesley Snipes
Reflecting on his time in prison during a 2020 interview with The Guardian, Snipes said:
I came out a clearer person. Clearer on my values, clearer on my purpose, clearer about my relationship with my ancestors and the great god and the great goddess above, and clearer on what I was going to do once I had my freedom back.
—Wesley Snipes
He accepted responsibility for his actions, stating he was not an “innocent bystander,” but the prison sentence inevitably affected his career trajectory and industry standing.
Financial Struggles and Legal Battles Following Incarceration
Snipes’ financial difficulties continued even before his prison term ended. He faced a lawsuit from American Express for an alleged debt nearing $30,000. After completing his sentence, the obligation to settle back taxes persisted. Additionally, the United Talent Agency (UTA) sued Snipes in 2006 for breach of an oral contract, claiming he failed to pay 10 percent commissions on several roles they helped secure, including parts in Chaos, Middle Man, and The Shooter.
Complications extended into financing disputes involving Game of Death, a film starring Snipes. UK-based Perpetual Media Capital accused the National Bank of California of reneging on its co-financing commitment for the project, despite PMC having already invested nearly $7 million to cover various production costs and expecting reimbursement once the bank delivered its portion.
These overlapping financial and contractual troubles compounded negative media coverage and solidified studio hesitance, marking Snipes as a financial risk and further limiting his casting opportunities.
Legacy and Influence Despite Hollywood Setbacks
Wesley Snipes remains a pivotal figure in Hollywood history, recognized as the first Black actor to headline a superhero film prior to the more recent success of Black Panther. His original Blade film is often credited with laying the groundwork for the superhero blockbuster surge that followed years later. Beyond action roles, Snipes showcased notable range through films like To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995) and received praise for his comedic timing in 2021’s Coming 2 America, which reminded audiences of his enduring charm and talent.
While Hollywood’s doors have largely closed to Snipes in recent times, his impact on the industry and contributions to representation remain significant. His story underscores the difficult path faced by many actors navigating controversies and evolving audience preferences in a highly competitive environment.
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