The Marvel Cinematic Universe still has a couple more movies to go as part of its Multiverse Saga, including its long-awaited Blade reboot – but a vampire movie from an MCU star is setting up a problem for it. The Multiverse Saga has brought a wider variety of characters as part of the expansion of the MCU, while also continuing (and, in some cases, concluding) the stories of already established characters. Among the most awaited characters joining the MCU in the upcoming Phase 6 is Blade, with Mahershala Ali playing the famous dhampir.

Blade’s MCU debut was announced in the summer of 2019, along with Ali’s casting, but the project has undergone many changes and delays since then. Blade already had his first MCU appearance in a voice cameo in the mid-credits scene of Eternals, but he has yet to make a proper physical appearance. Blade is now being directed by Yann Demange and is projected for a November 2025 release, right before Avengers 5 – but it might end up clashing with the vampire movie of an MCU star, potentially hurting Blade’s reception.

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Michael B. Jordan & Ryan Coogler’s Vampire Movie Could Be Better Than Blade (& Released Earlier)

Ryan Coogler’s Vampire Movie Looks Quite Promising

Black Panther’s director Ryan Coogler is working on a currently untitled vampire movie, in which he’s reuniting with Black Panther actor Michael B. Jordan. The project was announced in January 2024, and the next month, it was revealed to be a vampire movie. Coogler’s vampire film is projected for a March 2025 release, which, along with its theme, has already raised comparisons to the MCU’s upcoming Blade. What’s known about Coogler’s vampire movie is that it’s a period piece set in the 1930s, and it could be the beginning of a franchise.

As of April 2024, Coogler’s vampire movie had already begun filming, while Blade continues to be in a weird development hell. Blade was originally going to be directed by Bassam Tariq but left in late 2021 due to creative differences, with Yann Demange taking over in 2022, with Michael Starrbury rewriting the script. Blade’s release date has also been changed a couple of times and has been rearranged within the Multiverse Saga, and at the time of writing, it’s scheduled to begin filming in late 2024, with a projected release date of November 2025.

Plot details about the MCU’s Blade are unknown, and his place in this universe is still unclear, aside from his connection to Dane Whitman/Black Knight and his family. Despite plot details about Coogler’s vampire movie being unknown, there are more hints at where it’s going, and it will most likely offer something new and different from Blade, a character who’s already known thanks to the comics and Wesley Snipes’ movies. Coogler’s project is already many steps ahead of Blade, which is good for it but bad for the latter.

Why Ryan Coogler’s Vampire Movie Makes Blade Way More Complicated

Ryan Coogler’s Vampire Movie Won’t Benefit Blade

Both Coogler’s vampire movie and the MCU’s Blade releasing the same year means they will be inevitably compared. Coogler’s film has already drawn comparisons to Blade due to being a modern vampire movie, despite plot and character details being unknown, but if Coogler’s movie meets the high expectations around it or goes beyond that, Blade will have an even more complicated path. The many changes and delays in the production of Blade, along with the many flaws of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, have negatively impacted all upcoming movies, including Blade, making it easier for Coogler’s movie to succeed over it.

Of course, Coogler’s vampire movie and the MCU’s Blade can co-exist and succeed, especially if there are more differences between them than similarities, but the former already has many advantages over the latter, despite Blade being in development for years now. Blade is facing many challenges, and Coogler’s vampire movie is one of the biggest.

Blade (2025)

Marvel Studios’ Blade sees the return of the iconic vampire hunter more than two decades after Wesley Snipes first played the character in live-action. Starring Mahershala Ali as Eric Brooks, the Blade reboot officially introduces vampires to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Eternals’ second post-credits scene teased the Daywalker’s MCU debut. Ali is accompanied by Delroy Lindo and Aaron Pierre in Yann Demange’s 2024 dark superhero movie.

Director

Bassam Tariq

Release Date

November 7, 2025

Cast

Mahershala Ali , Delroy Lindo , Aaron Pierre