Blade is on his way to the MCU, which will finally introduce vampires to the franchise. A trilogy of Blade movies, made in the late 1990s/early 2000s and starring Wesley Snipes, catapulted the character into the mainstream. After reacquiring the character’s rights, Marvel Studios has struggled to get a reboot off the ground.
Vampires have thus far been absent from the MCU, and fans were excited for the rebooted Blade to bring the undead into the fold. Most speculation about the movie has centered on the potential villain, but Marvel has a handful of friendly vampires that could appear as well, and here are the top seven.
Blade’s Daughter Bloodline Would Make For an Interesting Addition to the MCU
However, Introducing Blade’s Daughter Might Be Too Much, Too Soon
Bloodline holding a sword in a Marvel comic.
Bloodline, the Daughter of Blade
First Appearance:
Created By:
Free Comic Book Day 2022: Avengers/X-Men #1
Danny Lore and Karen S. Darboe
Most fans assume Blade works alone, and the majority of the time he does, but every so often he lets people into his world, such as his daughter Brielle. Born with some of Blade’s vampiric powers, Brielle grew up not knowing her father. As she got older, her abilities began to manifest, and Blade agreed to train her.
While introducing Brielle into the MCU may seem to be too much, too soon, it may be easier than fans think. Rumors circulated that the MCU’s Blade film would be largely set in the 1920s. If Blade has been active for this long, it stands to reason he fathered children, including Brielle, giving the filmmakers an easy way to incorporate her.
The MCU Can Redeem Morbius, the Living Vampire
Morbius is Too Cool of a Character to Be Wasted Like He Was
Morbius, the Living Vampire
First Appearance:
Created By:
The Amazing Spider-Man #101
Roy Thomas and Gil Kane
Morbius was technically the first Marvel vampire, even if he was not a real member of the undead. After injecting himself with an experimental serum designed to cure a fatal disease, Michael Moribus transformed into a “living vampire.” Since then, the cult-favorite character has been both friend and foe to Marvel’s heroes.
Morbius has already made his live-action debut, in 2022’s film of the same name. Starring Jared Leto as Morbius, the film was a box-office and critical disaster. The movie was a disgrace to the character, but adding him to Blade’s MCU debut could finally show mainstream audiences how cool a character Morbius can be.
Hannibal King Was One of Marvel’s First “Heroic” Vampires
Deadpool Actor Ryan Reynolds Brought Hannibal King to Life in Blade: Trinity
Hannibal King panel in Marvel comics looking sinister
Hannibal King
First Appearance:
Created By:
Tomb of Dracula #25
Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan
Tomb of Dracula formally introduced vampires to the Marvel Universe in the early 1970s, including Hannibal King. A private investigator, King, was bitten by Deacon Frost. Now a vampire himself, King took an oath he would not kill innocent people, and collected the blood he needed from other sources. He was one of Marvel’s earliest “heroic” vampires.
Hannibal King appeared in the original Blade trilogy, played by Ryan Reynolds, who would later bring Deadpool to life. Introducing a new version of King in the MCU would be easy, and could help establish a strong supporting cast for the new incarnation of Blade. King’s internal struggles could also make for great drama.
Charles Barnabus Is a Monster Hunter’s Best Friend
Elsa Bloodstone’s Mentor Could Be an Ally of Blade as Well
Charles Barnabus MCU
Charles Barnabus
First Appearance:
Created By:
Bloodstone #1
Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Charles Barnabus, the mentor to monster hunter Elsa Bloodstone, is another heroic Marvel vampire. The executor of Elsa’s father’s estate, Barnabus, helped initiate the young woman into a world of monster hunting. The apple did not fall far from the tree in this case, and Elsa had amply filled her father’s shoes.
As seen in the earliest appearances, Charles Barnabus is a man of means, and this could greatly benefit Blade as well. Barnabus could take the place of Whistler, Blade’s tech guy in the original trilogy. Introducing Barnabus to the MCU should pose no problem either, as Elsa Bloodstone appeared in the Werewolf by Night special.
The Vampire by Night May Is Marvel’s Most Interesting Vampire
Vampire by Night Already Has Ties to the MCU
Vampire By Night cover cropped
Vampire By Night
First Appearance:
Created By:
Amazing Fantasy (Volume Two) #10
Jeff Parker and Federica Manfredi
The Vampire by Night may stand as the most interesting vampire concept in the Marvel Universe. The niece of Jack Russell, the Werewolf, Nina Price was born with the lycanthropic curse that plagues her family. Nina was also attacked by a vampire. In the aftermath, she became a vampire/werewolf hybrid.
While Vampire by Night may not make the best addition to the MCU’s Blade right out of the gate, her debut has already been set up. The MCU introduced her uncle Jack to the mix in 2022, making an appearance by Nina not outside the realm of possibility, but whether she would have her gimmick is unknown.
The Forgiven Are a Team of Heroic Vampires, But is the MCU Ready for Them?
Could the Forgiven Help Blade in the MCU?
The Forgiven Marvel Blade MCU
The Forgiven
First Appearance:
Created By:
Fear Itself: Hulk vs Dracula #1
Victor Gischler and Ryan Stegman
By the time Forgiven made their debut, Marvel already had several heroic vampires, but not an entire team of them. Led by Raizo Kodo, the Forgiven have sworn to walk a different path than most vampires. They work to contain their dark and violent impulses, and channel it into helping others.
A team of noble vampires is a great concept, and the comics have done the team justice. The MCU can do the same for the Forgiven, but introducing them may be tricky. Exploring each member’s backstory could take time, shortchanging this fascinating team. The Forgiven could be introduced as allies of Blade, and eventually spin off into their own film.
Reese and Soldier Have Been a Huge Asset to Moon Knight
Yet with Moon Knight’s MCU Future Uncertain, Reese and Soldier May Have to Wait
Moon Knight 16 Reese Soldier
Reese and Soldier
First Appearance:
Created By:
Reese: Moon Knight (Volume Nine) #1, Soldier: Moon Knight (Volume Two) #2
Jed MacKay and Alessandro Cappuccio
Reese and Soldier are two of Moon Knight’s closest allies, who just happen to be vampires. Moon Knight took both of them in, despite the testy relationship between his patron god Khonshu and the undead. Moon Knight took a chance on Reese and Soldier, and it paid off greatly, as they were both assets to the Midnight Mission.
Moon Knight made his MCU debut earlier this decade, which would seem to set up Reese and Soldier for appearances as well. Yet Moon Knight’s MCU future is in doubt, meaning the Blade reboot may be the perfect opportunity to introduce Reese and Soldier, as well as set up a fight between the vampire hunter and Moon Knight.