MCU Alum Exposes Marvel’s Real Approach To Directors: “Your Name Might Not Matter”
Jeff Dodge (he/him), a published author and graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena. Fun Fact: he’s been to every single Idol Live! Tour.
After spending years trying to get Blade off the ground, former Marvel Cinematic Universe star Mahershala Ali and director Bassam Tariq revealed how Marvel Studios treats its directors.
Blade has always been the one Marvel project that got away in the MCU. Ali had been attached to star in the titular role ever since the studio officially announced the film back in 2019. Tariq signed on to direct, and a release date was set.
Production kept getting delayed, and Tariq walked away, with Yann Demange replacing him. After more delays, Blade was left without a director and a lead star, and the film is essentially dead at this point.
In recent months, Ali and Tariq have been opening up about their frustrations with Marvel over its handling of Blade, and now they've revealed what the studio thinks of the directors who step into the MCU franchise.
During an interview with EW, Tariq admitted that "in the Marvel world...they say this to you very kindly. They're like, 'Look, this is a Marvel film directed by a person. They crop into shots, they do a lot of things, and that's fine, right?"
Ali bluntly added, "Your name might not matter," seemingly insinuating that the filmmakers are not a priority on these movies.
Bassam Tariq: “It’s so funny, in the Marvel world…they say this to you very kindly, they’re like, ‘Look, this is a Marvel film directed by a person. They crop into shots, they do a lot of things, and that’s fine, right?”
Mahershala Ali: “Your name might not matter.”
However, Tariq did give shout-outs to Daniel Destin Cretton, who directed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Spider-Man: Brand New Day and co-created Wonder Man, and Black Panther's Ryan Coogler for the work that they've done in the MCU.
He added that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige instilled in him the power of "think[ing] big and be[ing] ambitious." With Blade, Tariq tried his best to create a story worth telling "with whatever we were handed," but it ultimately wasn't meant to be.
Bassam Tariq: "[Kevin Feige taught him how to] think big and be ambitious. [That] is what we did with whatever we were handed. We tried our best to give the best that we can and also respect audiences because I think that’s something that [Marvel] really thinks a lot about.”
The training that Ali underwent to prepare for Blade didn't go to waste, though. He was eventually hired by Tariq to star in their new action thriller Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, which is now in theaters and has already earned overwhelmingly positive reviews, with a 97% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.
It's unclear what the future holds for Blade or whether the character will ever get his own film in the MCU, but Ali has moved on and is now looking for projects that are unique and purposeful, and that don't retread existing material.
Blade first appeared on the big screen in 1998 with the first of three movies that starred Wesley Snipes in the title role; he returned for Blade II in 2002 and Blade: Trinity in 2004 to finish out the trilogy, and then made an appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine 20 years later.
As for Ali, even though Blade never materialized, he has still been a part of some major Marvel films, most notably voicing Aaron Davis/Prowler in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. After Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, he'll voice a character in Laika's next film Wildwood in October.
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