Aaron Pierre brings a fan-favorite superhero to life in the upcoming DC Studios TV series Lanterns, as he portrays John Stewart alongside Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan. But before Pierre joined the DC Universe, he had landed a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He was one of the actors cast in the MCU’s long-delayed Blade reboot, but he’s no longer involved with that project as it attempts to get off the ground. Blade has encountered numerous issues since it was originally announced over six years ago, and now Pierre reflects on the time he was attached to the project.
In a profile for Men’s Health, Pierre discussed Blade and why he didn’t remain onboard. “I remember being cast in Blade and feeling elated. But something I learned during that time was that until you step foot on the set, you haven’t commenced work,” he said. “It just took a different creative direction, and I was no longer a part of it. You have to accept that.”
The MCU’s Blade Reboot is Still Happening (but When Will it Come Out?)
Pierre isn’t the only actor who had to exit Blade due to the prolonged struggles behind the scenes. Earlier this year, Sinners star Delroy Lindo recalled his experience on the troubled project, saying “it just went off the rails” before he left. Despite losing talented cast members and failing to find a suitable script after years of development, Marvel still intends to make Blade a reality. Mia Goth is one actor who’s still attached to the film, claiming that the continued delays are so Kevin Feige and Co. can take the time to get it right.
Blade is currently without a release date, so it remains to be seen when it will premiere (assuming it actually does get off the ground). Based on the way Marvel’s slate is rounding into shape, Blade won’t hit theaters until after Avengers: Secret Wars. There are only two MCU films on the calendar for next year (Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday), and Secret Wars is the lone movie on deck for 2027. There was another 2027 release date being held for an untitled Marvel movie, but Disney recently gave that window to The Simpsons Movie sequel. This means the earliest Blade could premiere is at some point in 2028, which is for the best. Reintroducing such a prominent character to the moviegoing public is something that should happen after Secret Wars resets things. Trying to squeeze Blade in now wouldn’t be ideal, especially since he may not even have a role in Doomsday.
Depending on how things play out, it could be an even longer wait for Blade. In an attempt to get the MCU back on track after a few uneven years, Feige is implementing changes to franchise’s output strategy. This means fewer annual movie and TV show releases. Regarding Blade, Feige has said he only wants projects to get the green light if they are “insanely great,” a bar the reboot hasn’t cleared yet. It seems quality of the script will determine when/if Blade ever gets made. As frustrating as it is that it’s taken this long, it’s better to continue to wait for the right story instead of producing something underwhelming.
By the time Blade finally hits the big screen, Pierre will be well-established in the DCU. James Gunn has confirmed that Lanterns is “really important in setting up things” for the franchise’s future, perhaps teasing an adaptation of the famous “Blackest Night” crossover event. It’s unknown what the future holds for Pierre’s John Stewart, but it sounds like the actor is going to be part of the Green Lantern Corp. for an extended period of time. He’s a very gifted actor, so it’s a shame it didn’t work out with Marvel, but at least he’ll get an opportunity to lend his talents to a standout superhero role. And perhaps Blade can be used as a launchpad for another young actor’s career.