The Next "Blade" Movie...

[BDOUBLEO]

I'd love to see Snipes as Blade, again, but is that even realistic? The man is pushing 60, after all.

Snipes is 49 and will be 50 July 31st. He keeps himself in pretty good shape so I wouldn't mind him coming back if it's the future story that was the original script for Blade 3.

 

[Captain Marvel]

Whoops. I was under the impression he was 55 or 56.

 

[henzINNIT]

I disagree. For one, I don't know if you would call Blade the Series a rebranding. It was pretty much a continuation of the Wesley Snipes Blade character, without Wesley. It wasn't necessarily a fresh take on the material. If anything, Blade got pushed to the side for Krista and Marcus. He wasn't even the star of his own TV show.

I love Wesley Snipes, but the idea that he and only he can play Blade severely limits the viability of the character. It's a restriction that doesn't apply to almost any other character, so why should it apply to him? We've seen multiple Batmans, Supermans, Bruce Banners, James Bonds, Jim Kirks, etc., etc. No, whatever Blade project comes out needs people with vision and committment like Goyer and Snipes had at the beginning of the franchise, and a fresh, updated take on the material wouldn't be bad. Blade needs to drop the boxcut. That was about the only improvement the series had over the movies. Though by the time another Blade movie hits the streets the boxcut will probably be back in style.

Blade isn't a character of Batman or Superman's calibre. Among the general audience, Blade is as much a creation of Snipes' as it is Marvel.

 

[Captain Marvel]

Blade isn't a character of Batman or Superman's calibre. Among the general audience, Blade is as much a creation of Snipes' as it is Marvel.

That's a fair statement, as Snipes and co. certainly created a lot of the elements which we now take for granted when we think of the character of Blade. The whole Daywalker thing originated there, and wasn't from the comics. And I'm going to once again comment on how awesome I think the look which they created for Blade is. The hair/mustache (as opposed to the boring bald/goatee look from the series, which has become standard fare nowadays), tattoo's, and outfit (I love the inside red lining of his coat) completely work for Blade, as does the crazy awesome martial arts. Snipes' portrayal of Blade was also fantastic.

And let's not forget Whistler, who Goyer created for the movie. And did the tech aspect exist in the comics prior to that? All I remember of Blade beforehand was that he ran around with a katana (which has also become pretty boring given how common it's become), a bunch of stakes, and some other stuff. Did he ever have specialized guns designed for killing vampires, though? He certainly never had a booby-trapped sword, before.

But yeah, when they made those movies, they did a hell of a job adding to the character. So much so that when I think of the quintessential Blade, I don't think of that goof with the green shirt and yellow glasses from his early days in the comics. I think of Snipes' portrayal. That's not to say that another actor couldn't do a job as good or even better than Snipes, but it's going to be hard to top something which Snipes himself had a hand in creating. And if you deviate from what Snipes helped create then you get away from what most would consider the definitive version of Blade. Personally speaking, I know I'd like to see a continuation of Snipes' version of Blade, even if it's without Snipes. As far as I'm concerned, I consider the look of his Blade as definitive as the look of Spider-Man's classic red-and-blue costume.

 

[steelio2006]

i actually liked Blade: The Series for what it was. what sucked is the way they ended the show on a cliffhanger.

 

[DarKush]

The fact is Blade is a character with a now 30 plus year history, good or bad, in the comics. It doesn't matter much what the general audience thinks about who created him, if they think much about Blade at all. Outside of forums like these I doubt there are many people who are die hard Wesley as Blade only fans out there. I think the property is as viable as another other comic property Marvel has. Actually more viable than most, since the character has some popularity, largely credited to Snipes and Goyer to be fair, and can ride the continuing vampire wave before it crests. With good casting, a good trailer, and other promotional materials, I think that could sway fans to give any new Blade a shot.

Marketing and other efforts by Marvel can educate the audience on Blade's pre-movie publishing history, to show he has a legacy bigger than Snipes or Goyer. I don't want to take away what either man did for the character. Those films elevated Blade in a way that the comics hadn't, and still have not, but that doesn't mean the character should just be put on the shelf and nothing new attempted with him. Snipes created a definitive take, but that doesn't preclude that someone else can come in and do the same thing or something differently with him.

Removing the characters' fluidity and ability to adapt would be a mistake, and it could cost Marvel, and all of us Blade fans.

I would hope that any new Blade live-action project would acknowledge the contributions of Snipes and Goyer, but not necessarily follow what they did in lockstep. I would rather they make sure that the vamps are cutting edge and the style is modern, sleek, and cool, and Blade is taken seriously as a hero. But other than that, I say, experiment. Take more elements from the comics, with the aethestic sensibilities of the movies, and that would work for me. As much as I liked the scientific explanation for vampirism in the first Blade movie at least, I could see how that could be limiting, and wouldn't mind going back to a supernatural reason for vamps. That way you can bring in all kinds of creatures without it looking silly. I think Buffy, Angel, and Supernatural all have done that to great effect.

 

[DarKush]

I agree with this haven't seen the movie since it came out on DVD back in 04. My favorite out of the 3 is Blade II; I tend to watch it all the time now since it’s been getting a lot of play on cable again recently. As for the topic I just want a good movie with a good actor that can convey the actions scenes realistically. I guess Marvel will need a Whistler replacement since Whistler was created by Goyer for New Line. Marvel will have to worry about getting sued like they did when they included Whistler in the Spider-man cartoon back in the 90s based from Goyer’s script from Blade 1.

The comics already have a potential Whistler replacement. One is Jamal Afari.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamal_Afari

Another is Bible John Carik

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Carik

A third could be Quincy Harker

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quincy_Harker

The comics have a lot of cool elements, with the right tweaking, could serve as good source material for any Blade revival.

 

[Hypestyle]

I'd like to see Danny Glover be Jamal Afari..
Quincy Harker... maybe Peter Fonda..

 

[DarKush]

i actually liked Blade: The Series for what it was. what sucked is the way they ended the show on a cliffhanger.

As much as I've criticized the direction Goyer took Blade's character in, and how he turned it into the Krista show, I still liked Blade the Series. I thought Krista, Marcus, and Chase were all interesting. I had a thing for Chase. She was such a ride or die chick. I thought Shen had the potential to be a good replacement for Whistler and the Aurora project was intriguing. I thought that Charlotte, Steppin' Razor, and the White Prince were all good villains and I liked the return to the vampire politics of the first Blade movie.

The show started out a little shaky, but got better over time and ended on one heck of a cliffhanger that I wish had gotten resolved, if not in a wrap up telefilm, by online blabbing from Goyer, or in a comic.

The show had a lot going for it, despite some major flaws, and I was sad to see it go.

 

[Punisher_MAX]

i actually love the way they made Blade for the movies and thats the only way I can ever imagine him now.

 

[Timstuff]

That's a fair statement, as Snipes and co. certainly created a lot of the elements which we now take for granted when we think of the character of Blade. The whole Daywalker thing originated there, and wasn't from the comics. And I'm going to once again comment on how awesome I think the look which they created for Blade is. The hair/mustache (as opposed to the boring bald/goatee look from the series, which has become standard fare nowadays), tattoo's, and outfit (I love the inside red lining of his coat) completely work for Blade, as does the crazy awesome martial arts. Snipes' portrayal of Blade was also fantastic.

And let's not forget Whistler, who Goyer created for the movie. And did the tech aspect exist in the comics prior to that? All I remember of Blade beforehand was that he ran around with a katana (which has also become pretty boring given how common it's become), a bunch of stakes, and some other stuff. Did he ever have specialized guns designed for killing vampires, though? He certainly never had a booby-trapped sword, before.

But yeah, when they made those movies, they did a hell of a job adding to the character. So much so that when I think of the quintessential Blade, I don't think of that goof with the green shirt and yellow glasses from his early days in the comics. I think of Snipes' portrayal. That's not to say that another actor couldn't do a job as good or even better than Snipes, but it's going to be hard to top something which Snipes himself had a hand in creating. And if you deviate from what Snipes helped create then you get away from what most would consider the definitive version of Blade. Personally speaking, I know I'd like to see a continuation of Snipes' version of Blade, even if it's without Snipes. As far as I'm concerned, I consider the look of his Blade as definitive as the look of Spider-Man's classic red-and-blue costume.

I agree. Even if Snipes retires from the role, I think Marvel should continue the series with his version of Blade and resist the compulsive urge to reboot. Snipes' version of Blade has actually displaced the comic version, and even if they reboot I doubt that they are going to go back to the pre-movie comics as their source material. It would be a reboot for the sake of rebooting, much like Punisher Warzone was, and I think that's a bad proposition.

 

[samsnee]

Given the "right circumstances", Snipes would do another Blade.

$o anybody have any gue$$e$ on what tho$e cirum$tance$ would be?

 

[DarKush]

I've read reports that Snipes is interested. I don't know how true those reports are, but I believe them. I mean, there's no downside really in revisiting his most famous character and I feel he would at least like to end his run on his terms, unlike he was able to do with Trinity. I think that sense of vindication, not to mention the money and the stab at big screen career resurrection would prove irresistible to him.

It would be interesting to see if Snipes and Goyer could get over their differences and reunite. I wonder what Goyer will be up to after the Batfilms are over? Maybe he has one more great Blade script in him. In fact, I think his Daybreakers-type Blade idea could easily be the fourth Blade film.

 

[DarKush]

i actually love the way they made Blade for the movies and thats the only way I can ever imagine him now.

Until someone can create an equally compelling vision. We all have our attachments, but at the same time I don't know if we should clutch on to something so hard that we refuse to acknowledge that there is a rarely a definitive take on any one character. Characters have to be given the space to adapt to changing times and circumstances.

 

[Timstuff]

Snipes is definitely going to want to come back to the movies swinging, and reprising his most popular and recognizeable role would be the best way to do it. I don't think Marvel would have a hard time getting him on board at all, so it all comes down to whether the puzzle pieces fall in the right place (and if Marvel is willing to write him a good sized check).

 

[Congo Jack]

Here's the full article that was alluded to earlier:

If you've been wondering how The Daywalker has been getting on behind bars, Wesley Snipes has been talking exclusively to IGN from prison.

Asked if he would ever revisit the character of Blade, Snipes said, "It would be nice to fulfill some of the really cool plans we had for Blade, but didn't get the chance to go live with."

Released back in 1998, Blade made superhero movies commercially viable properties for studios again, helping to redefine the summer blockbuster.

"Some people forget or overlook my/our contribution to this current trend," Snipes told us. "The 'Gaming' community knows and the streets give us credits, but the movie world frequently plays us like the 'ugly step child' or the 'kitchen help,' especially when the conversation revolves around the 'boys in tights' or 'the bat'.

"Getting asked this question all the time, my response is: 'Under the right circumstances, with the right team, yes, I'd do another one.' But don't get me wrong, I'm not waiting around for the opportunity. I've got plenty to do, plus an unraveled character in the works who I think will give Blade a helluva run for his money."

Wesley Snipes Talks Blade Return

Wouldn't mind seeing a David Goyer scripted, Antoine Fuqua directed BLADE with Wesley Snipes.

 

[Wesley Dodds]

Blade is a great but tarnished action franchise that needs it's rep relaunched so give it to great but tarnished Directors that need their rep relaunched:
The Wachowskis.

And Erik King as Blade. He was unforgettably badass in Dexter plus he's not a big star so more money can go towards stunts and FX (which is let's face it, the reason people watch these movies!)

 

[DarKush]

Fuqua or the Wachowskis would be interesting picks to helm Blade. Eric King is a name I hadn't considered. I did like him in Dexter. He doesn't immediately strike me as Blade, but who knows.

Of course in addition to more money going to FX they would need a bigger name for the villain I would think to gin up more interest.

From the Snipes interview I'm curious about what his Blade plans were. I wonder if he was intending on bringing in Morbius for more than just a cameo?

 

[Axl Z]

Wesley had got to be Blade again, hopefully Blade 4 will finally get the others out on BluRay here in the uk!

 

[Hypestyle]

ideal candidate- Wesley Snipes
substitute- -----------?

I want Blade to be in Avengers 2. There can be a supernatural foe, vampires teamed up with whoever the other villains are. It would be good to have Blade assert himself onto the team, not taking "no" for an answer ("You've got vampire problems, so i'm a part of this. If you think you're bad enough, kick me out.")

alternately, the scenario can be someone like Fury approaching Blade, while he initially tells them what Wolverine told Charles and Eric (go blank yourselves)... [looking at the team together:] ("what the hell is this, the circus? a robot-man lush, a star-spangled rip van winkle, a renaissance fair groupie and a walking super-steroid.. The chick looks good; she can stay..")

This would be a great way to bring Blade in, test the waters for another solo film. Also, if they can get Wesley Snipes back, he will get to interact again with Sam Jackson, they go way back ("Jungle Fever")..

The action sequences can be stepped up, blade can be given new weapons, especially fighting against some non-vampires he can even wreck some heads..

 

[Matt Mortem]

If and only if they were to include Blade in Avengers 2 (which is pretty much guaranteed not to happen) they would have to give him a solo film first to establish him in the MCU

 

[KenK]

As much as I've criticized the direction Goyer took Blade's character in, and how he turned it into the Krista show, I still liked Blade the Series. I thought Krista, Marcus, and Chase were all interesting. I had a thing for Chase. She was such a ride or die chick. I thought Shen had the potential to be a good replacement for Whistler and the Aurora project was intriguing. I thought that Charlotte, Steppin' Razor, and the White Prince were all good villains and I liked the return to the vampire politics of the first Blade movie.

The show started out a little shaky, but got better over time and ended on one heck of a cliffhanger that I wish had gotten resolved, if not in a wrap up telefilm, by online blabbing from Goyer, or in a comic.

The show had a lot going for it, despite some major flaws, and I was sad to see it go.

I definitely agree. Krista's inclusion in the series didn't bothe me, 'cause we still have a few purely Blade centered episodes that really fleshed out his backstory. And all the characters that were included were very fleshed out, and I too enjoyed that they got back to the politics between the vampires themselves, because I missed the class war aspect in the third film, it was nice to see it come back.

Furthermore, that show may have aired on basic cable, but they filmed it for premium, as I discovered when I bought the series on DVD (boobies and F-bombs galore!!!). Blade actually stakes a naked hooker through a coffee table in one episode!!!

 

[DacoitONE]

Never understood all the hate towards Blade: The Series. I thought it was excellent once I'd slowly adjusted to a new Blade aka Sticky. Was horrible when it just ended after such being such a slow burner, especially seeing that it was on the very brink of turning into something truly great.

 

[KangConquers]

ideal candidate- Wesley Snipes
substitute- -----------?

I want Blade to be in Avengers 2. There can be a supernatural foe, vampires teamed up with whoever the other villains are. It would be good to have Blade assert himself onto the team, not taking "no" for an answer ("You've got vampire problems, so i'm a part of this. If you think you're bad enough, kick me out.")

alternately, the scenario can be someone like Fury approaching Blade, while he initially tells them what Wolverine told Charles and Eric (go blank yourselves)... [looking at the team together:] ("what the hell is this, the circus? a robot-man lush, a star-spangled rip van winkle, a renaissance fair groupie and a walking super-steroid.. The chick looks good; she can stay..")

This would be a great way to bring Blade in, test the waters for another solo film. Also, if they can get Wesley Snipes back, he will get to interact again with Sam Jackson, they go way back ("Jungle Fever")..

The action sequences can be stepped up, blade can be given new weapons, especially fighting against some non-vampires he can even wreck some heads..

God I hope this never comes to fruition. If I had to forgo The Avengers fighting Thanos, Kang or Ultron for them running around fighting generic vampires, I think I'd have an embolism.

 

[rayc1971]

blade trinity was bad very bad! no more snipes he is too old! how about a reboot with idris elba as blade and kurt russell as whistler! my title "blade origins" you have a young teenage blade being trained by whistler than elba plays him at 30 in the second act of the film.get norrington back to direct!