Marvel Studios has been working on the MCU reboot of Blade for years with Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali attached to play the titular vampire hunter since his casting was announced at San Diego Comic-Con back in 2019.
However, the project has suffered a lot of pushback with director changes, different writers getting hired to pen the screenplay, Ali almost exiting the film according to reports, and multiple release date delays.
Now, the project is back on track as Marvel Studios is eager to move forward with the film and hopefully begin production once the ongoing actors' strike is over. Logan co-writer Michael Green was also recently hired to write the new screenplay.
Given that the film is set in the MCU, fans are wondering whether it will retain the franchise's family-friendly tone or it will be R-rated like the Wesley Snipes-led films and the upcoming Deadpool 3.
Now, we finally have the answer.
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Director Yann Demange Reveals Blade MCU Reboot is R-Rated
In an interview with Deadline, director Yann Demange confirmed that the MCU reboot of Blade is going to be R-rated.
"They gave me the R, which is so important," he said. "We are going to have fun because Mahershala is such a deep actor. I’m excited to show a kind of ruthlessness, a roughness he has, that allows him to walk the earth in a particular way. I love him for that."
The director continued, "He’s got a dignity and integrity, but there is a ferocity there that he usually keeps under the surface. I want to unleash that and put it on the screen."
It is great to hear that the film is going to be R-rated since it is obviously the tone that suits the character and it also just shows that Marvel Studios is now embracing the darker side of the franchise, which is a major step for them since they've been accustomed to the PG-13 tone.
It also comes as it was revealed recently that Echo is going to be the first MCU series that has a TV-MA rating, which is the R-rated equivalent of television.
There is no doubt this is major news regarding the film and the future of the MCU as it gives us an indication that they are now willing to explore the darker territory even further aside from a Deadpool movie and it's interesting to see if it will become more frequent as they do more projects in the future.
Blade is slated for release in theaters on February 14, 2025.
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