Before “Iron Man” and “Thor,” before “Spider-Man” and “X-Men,” there was “Blade.” Starring Wesley Snipes as the titular daywalking half-vampire vampire slayer, the movie debuted in 1998 at a time when Marvel comics had yet to enjoy a successful feature film adaptation. The New Line Cinema production was enough of a hit — grossing $131.2 million worldwide — that Snipes returned for two sequels, establishing the company’s first ever bona fide movie franchise. Had “Blade” bombed, the Marvel Cinematic Universe may never have happened.
So when Marvel Studios announced in 2019 that two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali was going to bring the character to the MCU, it seemed like a total no brainer.
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