Ryan Gosling's Ghost Rider May Be Blade's Last MCU Hope
I remember the Marvel Studios showcase in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2019 like it was yesterday. I am still riding the excitement of announcements for shows like WandaVision (2020) and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2020), and movies like Black Widow (2021) and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021). Unfortunately, the slate was so jam-packed with exciting projects that not all of them made it to the screen. The Blade feature is the one that still feels like a major thorn in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) side—seven years later.
The road to this movie has been anything but simple. So much so, Wesley Snipes reprised his version of the character in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), and we still haven’t seen Mahershala Ali on screen as Blade. The myriad of changes over the years have unfolded with quite a speed—until around the end of 2024.
The most recent comment came from Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, in conversation with Josh Horowitz in July 2026. Feige said, “I’m feeling very excited that we got Wesley back for a time in Deadpool & Wolverine, and like a gigantic loser and failure that we didn’t get off the ground with Mahershala.” The end of that comment makes me nervous that we may not see Ali’s take on the role in the future. However, the newly announced Ghost Rider (2028) movie is giving me hope that there’s still a chance.
What Happened To The MCU's 'Blade' Movie?
Kevin Feige announced the solo movie as a cherry on top of that jaw-dropping schedule, with Mahershala Ali attached as the titular character. I can still remember Ali coming out with a Blade hat on and being thrilled about the two-time Academy Award winner taking up the mantle. On the press line, Feige said that Ali had been part of the development phase because he wanted to play the character. I knew that the news would trickle out from there. After all, unlike other projects announced, Feige clarified that Blade was only in development at the time.
Cast, including Mia Goth and Aaron Pierre, and crew joined and exited the project over the years. From February 2021 to June 2024, there were six different people attached to pen the Blade script. The last person in the role was Eric Pearson, who joined amid Yann Demange’s exit as director. As for the latter, Demange was the second person intended to direct the movie. The first was Bassam Tariq, who exited amid production delays in September 2022. Those creative changes came shortly after Feige announced at SDCC 2022 that Blade would release on November 2, 2023. However, after Tariq’s departure, that release was kicked back to September 6, 2024. Obviously, that didn’t happen. The project was removed from the MCU’s programming schedule in October 2024. Since then, there haven’t been many concrete, positive updates.
One of the last explanations came from Feige at D23 in November 2024. He expressed Marvel Studios’ commitment to the character and “Mahershala’s take on him.” He added, “And rest assured: whenever we change direction with a project, or are still figuring out how it fits into our schedule, we let the audience know. You’re all up to date on what’s happening. But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU.” So, where is Blade in the MCU in 2026?
Why 'Ghost Rider' Could Be Good For 'Blade' In The MCU
The Blade movie still doesn’t exist. The last we heard (literally) of the character was in Eternals (2021). Ironically, that movie, too, has not received a sequel, and there have been no in-story references to the characters, despite the tag confirming that they would return. Nevertheless, Dane Whitman (Kit Harington) is about to touch the Ebony Blade when he hears someone ask, “Are you sure you’re ready for that, Mr. Whitman?” That someone was Mahershala Ali. I loved that this simple scene was loaded with the intention that the MCU would unite its cosmic and supernatural corners. As a fan of both, I was thrilled to see what would come next.
Little did I know at the time that nothing would—for Ali’s Blade, Harington’s Dane, or any of the other characters in that movie. The MCU has another chance with Ryan Gosling’s Ghost Rider. The project already rhymes with Blade in that it started with the attached star’s passion for the character. The difference is that, at SDCC, Ghost Rider came with a star, a director (Shawn Levy), and a release window (2028). Shortly after, it was reported that Jonathan Tropper, who recently worked with Gosling and Levy on Star Wars: Starfighter (2027), would pen the script. There is a lot of time between now and 2028, but this feels like a more solid foundation.
Maybe the answer is to shelve the Blade solo movie and work on reintroducing the character. The last time he was on screen, being in a scene where he’s never actually on screen, isn’t going to help audiences invest in this character after all these years. There needs to be more, and Ghost Rider could help with that. We still don’t know which version of the character that Gosling is playing, but the comics confirm that the character is supernatural. The non-existent Blade movie would have been the MCU’s first, proper introduction to that side of the universe in its films. Now, Ghost Rider will be that. So, who’s to say Blade can’t make an appearance?
It’s seemingly the most available and logical step to seeing this character, who audiences are rightfully desperate for, on screen. I had hoped that it would still be Mahershala Ali in the role if it happens. But in a recent conversation with GQ, Ali has confirmed that he has moved on from the Blade solo movie and, seemingly, the character altogether. It’s truly disappointing that Marvel couldn’t get this character or this movie rolling in all the time Ali was attached to both.
