Marvel’s Blade film removed from Disney release schedule and replaced with Predator

While it may seem obvious at this point, as sad as that may be, Marvel’s long-awaiting Blade reboot has officially lost its release date. The film, which will star Oscar winner Mahershala Ali (“Moonlight,” “True Detective”) in the lead role, was scheduled to hit theaters on November 7, 2025. However, this is no longer happening, leaving the project on uncertain ground. There is good news, however, as Disney has chosen to give this release date something that is both deserved and exciting.

Disney has now officially announced the release date of November 7, 2025 for the new “Predator” film “Predator: Badlands” from “Prey” director Dan Trachtenberg, which was previously reserved for “Blade”. This means that unlike “Prey,” which sold directly to Hulu in 2022, this film will be released in theaters. This release strategy was long viewed as a mistake by Disney, as the film received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. Presumably it would have made big box office returns even in the pandemic era. It seems like Disney has no intention of making the same mistake twice.

Meanwhile, “Blade” has been pulled from Disney’s release schedule indefinitely. Earlier this year, Yann Demange (“White Boy Rick”) left the director’s chair, becoming the second director to leave the remake. Ali was first announced as our new Blade during San Diego Comic-Con in 2019. The film has suffered numerous setbacks in the years since that announcement. There are currently three films scheduled to be released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2025, including Captain America: Brave New World in February, Thunderbolts in May, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July.

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to believe that a Blade film starring Ali will ever see the light of day. The development process was so difficult and involved so many changes that Ali reportedly almost walked out of the project at one point. He took a lot of time to make this film without having anything to show for it. When he joined the cast of Jurassic World Rebirth earlier this year, it seemed like he had finally stopped waiting for Marvel to figure the whole thing out.

Meanwhile, audiences got to see the return of Wesley Snipes as Blade in Deadpool & Wolverine. That sparked a lot of love for this version of the character, which helped make Marvel a bankable brand in cinema when the first Blade hit theaters in 1998. Given the success of Deadpool & Wolverine, it might be better to wait a bit before moving forward with the reboot.

As far as “Predator” is concerned, things seem to be heading in the right direction. As previously mentioned, Prey was a huge success, although in some ways it was also a missed opportunity. Trachtenberg now returns as director of “Badlands,” which stars Elle Fanning (“The Great,” “Maleficent”). Plot details are currently under wraps, but the film will not be a sequel to “Prey,” but will take place in a new setting with different characters.

Look for “Predator: Badlands” in theaters November 7, 2025.