It was announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 that Marvel is bringing Blade back to the big screen in the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali taking over the role. We had learned more recently that the hunt for a writer was on, and THR breaks the news tonight that Stacy Osei-Kuffour (“Watchmen”) has landed the job.
THR notes, “Marvel has spent the last six months meeting with writers in what was described as a meticulous search with which Ali was directly involved. Only Black writers were seriously considered, a reflection of Marvel’s focus on diversity and making representation a key factor.”
Osei-Kuffour recently served as story editor and episode writer on HBO’s “Watchmen,” and she has also worked in the writing departments on “PEN15,” “Hunters” and “Run.”
The Wesley Snipes-starring Blade, meanwhile, came to 4K Ultra HD late last year.
The vampire-slaying character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan, introduced in July 1973’s The Tomb of Dracula #10. Snipes played Blade across three films from 1998 through 2004, and he was played by Sticky Fingaz in a short-lived TV series.