Mahershala Ali Explains His Prep Work For Marvel’s Blade

All eyes are on Marvel’s Blade reboot following Mahershala Ali’s recent vocal cameo in Eternals. Although Ali’s casting was announced back in 2019, it wasn’t until this year that the studio finally got around to hiring a screenwriter and a director for the project. And with at least one supporting cast member secured, pre-production seems to be moving at a good pace. Filming isn’t set to begin until next summer, but Ali is facing a lot of pressure by joining the MCU. Fortunately, it sounds like he’s keeping a level head as the development process continues.

While appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Ali discussed how he has been psyching himself up to play the vampire-hunting superhero. Naturally, the role comes with a great deal of expectations following Wesley Snipes’ Blade trilogy. Regardless, Ali isn’t approaching the role any differently from his other big-screen undertakings.

“It is weird, because the anticipation is so great,” said Ali. “My excitement for any role is pretty equal, honestly, because I feel the responsibility is always the same. But, I’ve never walked into a role where the anticipation of it was so great. Where people were already so familiar with the character and have real opinions and points of view and all that. So it feels different, there’s clearly an added layer of pressure, which I will embrace.”

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Ali also confirmed that he is currently bulking up for the role. And while that’s certainly a challenge, it was nothing compared to crafting Blade’s voice for his one line of dialogue in Eternals’ post-credits scene.

“I was losing sleep over this line because, ideally, you want to be talking once you are filming,” added Ali. “And 100% of the time, my first day on any set, on any job, I hate it. Like, I hate how I sound. I don’t believe myself. You’re trying to get comfortable in the character, so to have to talk before you’re even actually filming was challenging. But I’m grateful for it, because it made it feel real, you know? It’s like, ‘okay, now we’re going.’”

Marvel hasn’t announced a release date for Blade.

Are you excited to finally see Ali suit up in the MCU? Let us know in the comment section below!

Recommended Reading: Blade by Marc Guggenheim: The Complete Collection

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