When it comes to new characters awaiting their MCU on-screen debut, there are few names more anticipated than Blade. The iconic vampire hunter will appear in his own self-titled superhero adventure later next year, with Mahershala Ali set to star in the Marvel Studios reboot.
The film is ready to shoot later this year, so the cast and crew are coming together in fast and furious fashion. Director Bassam Tariq will be joined by cinematographer Damian Garcia, both of whom will be working on their very first Marvel Studios project.
Black Panther Costumer Joins Blade
Next Best Pictures’ Will Mavity has shared that Black Panther’s costume designer, Ruth E. Carter, has joined Marvel Studios’ Blade reboot:
Mavity previously reported that Damian Garcia had signed on as the upcoming film’s cinematographer. Very quickly, the overall tone and look of Blade are coming together very fast. With Garcia on as cinematographer, fans can expect new heights of tense action for the MCU, but it is Ruth E. Carter’s inclusion that reveals much more about the direction for the movie.
The costume designer is a known commodity at Marvel Studios, having helped design the iconic costumes of 2018’s Black Panther. The overall look of Wakanda is largely defined by its costuming, creating this unique mixture of traditional African and ultra-modern sci-fi. It’s a design language that is uniquely Wakandan.
In Blade, Carter can do the same with Marvel’s vampire world. The costume designer has also worked on films like Amistad (a period piece that takes place in 1839), and if she were to bring some of that energy to this film, it could make a lot of sense. Touches of early 19th century England and the colonies would fit the look of ancient vampires.
Carter has proven that she is versatile in her work, so surely she and her team will come up with something special for Blade. Mahershala Ali’s blood-sucking epic comes to theaters on November 3, 2023, with filming set to begin this October.