Marvel will soon be looking for a new director for its upcoming vampire movie. Bassam Tariq has had to exit Marvel’s Blade as director due to schedule changes, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
- Marvel released the following statement regarding Tariq’s departure from Blade:
- “Due to continued shifts in our production schedule, Bassam is no longer moving forward as director of Blade but will remain an executive producer on the film. We appreciate Bassam’s talent and all the work he’s done getting Blade to where it is.”
- It’s worth highlighting the fact that Tariq will remain on as an executive producer of the film.
- Tariq released his own statement regarding the situation on his Instagram account:
- Blade was set to begin shooting in November and is currently slated for a November 3, 2023 release.
- The Holylwood Reporter reports that the production schedule for the film has shifted at least once before and that Marvel is already searching for a new director.
- Tariq is best known for directing the rap drama Mogul Mowgli, which he also co-wrote with Riz Ahmed.
More on Blade:
- Marvel announced the upcoming Blade film back in 2019 during San Diego Comic Con.
- Blade follows Marvel’s vampire hunter with a tendency for violence and no tolerance for those who stalk the night.
- The film will star Mahershala Ali, who won an Oscar for his performance in the film Green Book and appeared in the Marvel Netflix series Luke Cage.
- Created as a supporting character by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan, Blade first appeared in “Tomb of Dracula #10″ in 1973, becoming a cult favorite. He is a human-vampire hybrid thanks to his mother being bitten and killed by a blood-sucker during childbirth.
- On top of comic aficionados, Blade has built up a generation of fans who grew up watching the Blade trilogy that starred Wesley Snipes from 1998-2004.