MarvelBlog News for June 22nd, 2024
This week, we’ve got exceptional news about Deadpool & Wolverine and more about the Blade confusion.
Let’s discuss the good and the bad in MarvelBlog News.
What Mahershala Ali Wants
Photo: Maarten de Boer for Variety
In the storied history of Hollywood, only 45 actors have won multiple Academy Awards for their work.
That’s the line of demarcation for true greatness in this business, and it’s extraordinarily rare.
Photo: Sebastian Nevols / The Guardian
To wit, approximately half the people who could claim this honor are no longer alive.
That leaves roughly 20-25 living actors — I count 23, but I wouldn’t swear by the number – who are understandably in high demand.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Chelsea Lauren/Variety/Shutterstock (10341985al)
Most of these people are older, as you might imagine. In fact, only a handful are under 60, and Mahershala Ali is one of them.
Ali recently turned 50, which leads to a remarkable statement. He has spent ten percent of his life waiting to make Blade for Marvel.
Mahershala Ali. Photo: IMDb
How strange is that? Very! In fact, his lawyer just said:
“That deal was in 2019, and they still haven’t shot it, which is pretty much the craziest thing in my professional experience.”
Photo: Marvel’s Midnight Suns Twitter
We all feel that way. So, the question becomes why Ali remains attached to Blade.
Thanks to The Hollywood Reporter, we now know two things.
Source: Marvel
The first is that Ali perceives this film as his chance to work in a Black Panther kind of role.
Given the loving support shown to Chadwick Boseman during his life and after his death, you can understand the appeal.
However, Ali has clearly grown frustrated with the frequent setbacks on the project.
Most recently, another director left the project, which alarmed Ali because he had specifically requested Yann Demange.
Photo: Marvel Comics
Marvel had reportedly given the actor a list of potential directors. He didn’t like any of them and insisted on Demange.
Now, a new writer is trying to finish the script in time for Blade to film later this year.
How Tenuous Is Blade?
Source: Marvel
As a reminder, Blade’s current release date is November 7th, 2025, which seems…ambitious.
I recently chronicled why Marvel and Ali want this project to happen.
Source: Marvel
The explanation involves a quick follow-up, with Blade joining a supernatural Marvel team called the Midnight Suns.
As one of the central figures on that team, Blade (and Ali) could become integral to the MCU.
Source: Marvel
However, we’re at least six writers in, and nobody has cracked the Blade script yet.
For this reason, we have to wonder how much patience Ali will show with Marvel after five years of failure.
Source: Fraxis Games/ 2K/ Marvel
Comic-Con and other events like the 2024 D23 Expo are coming over the next two months.
So, this situation needs to resolve itself quickly. Otherwise, Marvel, Disney, and/or may decide it’s just not worth the effort.
Source: Marvel
The article notes that Marvel has already spent millions of dollars on Blade thus far, with nothing tangible to show for it.
Morale must be at an all-time low for this project, but the tantalizing proposition of Midnight Suns keeps Blade on the frontburner.
Deadpool & Wolverine Ascendant
Source: @VancityReynolds
Disney owns two of the most important movie properties ever, Pixar and Marvel.
During the pandemic, both entities struggled mightily, which has created overall pressure at Disney.
Source: @VancityReynolds
CEO Bob Iger promised to get his house in order by reducing the quantity of upcoming Disney-owned releases.
Iger wanted each title to have room to breathe because Disney frankly needs hits right now.
Source: Marve/ Fox
Meanwhile, movie tracking has proven wildly unreliable lately, with most films disappointing relative to expectations.
Thus, when Inside Out 2 tracked for a $70-$90 million release, everyone held their breath.
Source: Fox/ Marvel
Thankfully, tracking missed in a good way this time, with the Pixar film exploding to $154 million in opening weekend box office.
Now, everyone at Marvel is breathing a sigh of relief as well, as the fate of the two studios is at least somewhat connected.
Source: Fox/ Marvel
Now that Pixar’s finances are secured in the short term, Disney can turn its attention to Deadpool & Wolverine.
Everyone’s more confident now for two reasons. The first is that tracking for Deadpool 3 is nothing short of incredible.
Source: Marvel/ Fox
Estimates suggest an opening weekend of $200-$239 million, which doesn’t strike me as outlandish. If anything, it’s conservative.
We already have some early ticket sales information for Deadpool & Wolverine, and it’s outstanding, especially for an R-rated movie.
Source: Marvel Studios/ @VancityReynolds
Also, in a shocking turn of events, Deadpool 3 will receive a theatrical release in China…and with minimal cuts.
I should add that American blockbusters haven’t performed well in China lately. So, this may be overblown.
Photo: Fox
Still, Disney will look at the situation as found money for its first Deadpool release.
Marvel Miscellany
Photo: Marvel Studios
Other than the Blade drama and the thunderous headlines surrounding Deadpool 3, it’s been a slow news week.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus did indicate that she has finished filming Thunderbolts. In fact, the entire production has wrapped.
Photo: The Guardian
The beloved Seinfeld/Veep actress also accidentally confirms the casting of Lewis Pullman as Sentry, which the actor had tried to keep secret.
We also learned that Captain America: Brave New World will finish filming this week.
Photo: Vulture
So, Marvel is back on schedule with two of its big three releases next year, while Fantastic Four will begin filming next month.
Those are tighter timeframes than Marvel has used in the past.
Image: Marvel
Including Blade, there is some risk here, although I fully expect a Blade delay.
Iger had previously noted that Marvel would only release three films per year. We have four currently scheduled for 2025.
Marvel’s Hit-Monkey. Photo: Hulu
Blade makes the most sense to fall back to 2026 to give the whole thing time to breathe.
Finally, we have a first look at Hit-Monkey season two. It’s gonna be funny…and violent.
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Featured image: Marvel
