Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has candidly expressed his feelings over the studio’s troubled Blade reboot, admitting he feels like a “gigantic loser and failure” for failing to get the film off the ground with Mahershala Ali.
Speaking to host Joshua Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the 53-year-old film executive opened up about the long-delayed Marvel Cinematic Universe project.
When asked in jest how much time he had spent in therapy discussing the stalled vampire-hunter movie, Feige jokingly asked if they should launch into a therapy session, before offering an unusually honest assessment of where the project stands.
Feige admitted that while he was thrilled to bring original Blade actor Wesley Snipes back for a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, his failure to bring Ali’s version to the big screen continues to weigh on him.
“I’m feeling very excited that we got Wesley back for a time in Deadpool & Wolverine and like a gigantic loser and failure that we didn’t get off the ground with Mahershala,” Feige confessed.
The frank admission highlights rare public accountability from the head of the world’s highest-grossing film franchise regarding one of its most notoriously delayed announcements.
The Blade reboot was first revealed to massive fanfare during Marvel’s San Diego Comic-Con presentation back in 2019, when two-time Oscar winner Ali, now 52, made a surprise appearance on stage wearing a custom Blade cap.
The character was previously brought to life by 63-year-old Snipes across a popular film trilogy, comprising 1998’s Blade, 2002’s Blade II, and 2004’s Blade: Trinity, before Snipes made his surprise return in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, marking his first turn as the daywalker in two decades.
However, Ali’s reboot was repeatedly derailed by behind-the-scenes troubles, enduring multiple release date pushbacks, a revolving door of directors and screenwriters, and extensive story redevelopments.
Disney ultimately removed the movie from its theatrical release calendar in autumn 2024.
For his part, Ali has remained eager to step into the role despite the prolonged delays.
Speaking to Variety in June 2025, the actor urged fans to tell Marvel he was still ready to go.
Feige addressed the situation while on the promotional trail for Marvel’s upcoming blockbuster slate, including Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which arrives in cinemas on 31 July, followed by Avengers: Doomsday five months later on 18 December.
