BLADE Adds Watchman Writer Stacy Osei-Kuffour
Marvel Studios’ Blade movie is adding head writer Stacy Osei-Kuffour (Watchman, Pen15, Hunters) to the production team.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is set to expand mightily over the next few years. So much so, we are just beginning to get more details about the latest projects coming out of the studio. In a recent news blast from Hollywood Reporter, MarvelBlog learned that one of those projects is the forthcoming Blade reboot, to be written by Osei-Kuffour.
Blade Reboot Has Found Stacy Osei-Kuffour
On February 5th, 2021, Marvel Studios announced it’s hiring Osei-Kuffour as the head writer for Blade, the Vampire Slayer (the feature-length reboot about the vampire-hunting hero, starring Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali as Blade).
Mahershala Ali. Photo: IMDb
Osei-Kuffour is a playwright from Chicago, Illinois, and she has a MFA in play writing from Hunter College in New York, New York. Additionally, she’s a fast-rising screenwriter. Her work on Pen15 earned her an Emmy-nomination for outstanding writing in a comedy series, and her work on the Amazon series Hunters earned her lots of admiration from me.
Stacy Osei-Kuffour attends the premiere Of HBO’s “Watchmen” at The Cinerama Dome on October 14th, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Leon Bennett/WireImage
But it was her time serving as the story editor and head writer on the acclaimed series Watchmen on HBO, that got her noticed by the team at Marvel. With her award winning work on Watchman, it’s safe to assume she knows something about penning a superhero script.
Photo: IMDb
Marvel Studios is increasing its focus on diversity. Therefore, it makes sense to hire Osei-Kuffour as the first Black female writer on any MCU film.
Marvel Studios Searches For Its Writer
At 2019’s San Diego Comic-Con, Ali’s involvement in the Blade movie was revealed, as well as the fact that the studio was even contemplating a reboot after a string of movies in the early 00s (written by David Goyer that starred Wesley Snipes as Blade).
Photo: Marvel/Sony
Marvel Studios told Hollywood Reporter that it spent six months meeting with writers in a meticulous search. Blade actor Ali was also involved in the search for the movie’s writer.
Trying to learn lessons from the Marvel Studios less-than-diverse past, only Black writers were seriously considered for the project, a step forward for the studio. Hopefully, the change in hiring practices by Marvel Boss Kevin Feige demonstrates the studio’s continued commitment to diversity and representation, especially when tackling non-white characters. And hopefully, soon when tackling disabled characters, as well.
Photo: Marvel Studios
Marvel will next move to hiring a director who will work with Osei-Kuffour. Will the studio also hire a Black director. Like, Nia DaCosta, the Captain Marvel 2 director, who is Marvel Studios’ first Black woman director on a feature-length film.
Who would you like to see direct the MCU’s Blade, the Vampire Hunter? Do you hope to see Marvel’s Tomb of Dracula tie-in, as well? Let MarvelBlog know below – just don’t look six feet deep.
2 Responses
[…] few days ago, MarvelBlog announced that Marvel Studios hired Stacy Osei-Kuffour as the head writer for the forthcoming Blade, the […]
[…] far, Stacy Osei-Kuffour (Pen15, Watchmen) has been announced as writer for the movie, with a search for a director currently […]