Marvel’s Blade just added another writer to its crew.
Nic Pizzolatto, known for his work as the creator of True Detective, has joined the upcoming MCU film as a writer, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The addition reunites Pizzolatto and Blade star Mahershala Ali, as they worked together on Season 3 of HBO’s acclaimed crime anthology series.
IGN has reached out to Disney and Pizzolatto’s reps for comment.
Pizzolatto will be working off of a script by Michael Starrbury, who previously scored an Emmy nomination for his work on an episode of When They See Us. Pizzolatto has reportedly been working on Blade’s script for a few weeks now.
Blade, which is being directed by Lovecraft Country’s Yann Demange, has gone through a few hiccups so far in the pre-production process. Starrbury and Demange joined the project after Bassam Tariq suddenly departed the movie back in September of 2022 due to creative differences. The move prompted Marvel to hit pause on Blade, with several release dates shifting as a result. Now, THR says that Blade is eyeing a late May start to production in Atlanta, and it’s still currently set for a Sept. 6, 2024 release date.
Alongside Ali, Marvel’s reincarnation of Blade will also feature rising scream queen Mia Goth, whose performances in Ti West’s horror movies Pearl and X were widely acclaimed. Delroy Lindo is also in the cast.
Blade will formally introduce Marvel’s most skilled vampire hunter to the MCU. The character of Blade is a half-mortal, half-immortal being who viciously hunts vampires in order to avenge his mother, who was killed by a vampire as she gave birth to him. The superhero was previously played by Wesley Snipes in the original Blade trilogy from New Line Cinema, which was generally well liked by fans despite a lukewarm critical reception.
All three of Snipes’ films were rated R, making Blade Marvel’s first R-rated hero. Of course, those film’s weren’t a part of the MCU, but hopes are high that the new film can match the original trilogy’s gritty tone. Thankfully, with Demange in the director chair, the movie is said to be a darker affair than the typical MCU movie.
Carson Burton is a freelance news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter at @carsonsburton.
