Back before Robert Downey, Jr set the bar for iconic superhero film performances, Wesley Snipes had already been there and done that. The star of the popular “Blade” film series, Snipes was doing comic book action films at a time when people were still recoiling from “Batman & Robin.” But some might argue, if it wasn’t for Snipes and “Blade,” we might not have Marvel Studios and the recent comic book film domination.
So, when it was announced earlier this year that Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali is rebooting “Blade” for Marvel Studios, fans were wondering how Snipes feels about this news. For many, the hope was that Kevin Feige and the rest of the people at Marvel would just hire Snipes to be some sort of Old Man Blade for a new film and add the original series to the MCU canon. However, that doesn’t appear to be the case, and Snipes is okay with that.
READ MORE: Kevin Feige Says Phase 5, Which Includes ‘Blade,’ Is Already Set & Ready To Be Revealed
“People are very, very sneaky,” said Snipes (via AP). “They try to make it about the actors. It’s not about me and [Ali]. I’m happy for him to be considered. I’m happy for them to be looking at him.”
He continued, “Flattery… what do they say? Imitation is the best form of flattery. It’s something that he has acknowledged that he wanted to do and his family wanted him to do it, so I’m appreciative of getting the love that I’ve created something that others want to carry on and maybe put their own stamp on it.”
READ MORE: James Wan Pitched ‘Blade’ Reboot To Marvel Studios But Is Fuzzy On The Details
Of course, the big expectation now is that Snipes will have some sort of role in “Blade.” I mean, you have to somehow honor the actor that basically helped kickstart the comic book film genre years before “Spider-Man” and “X-Men,” right? We’ll have to see what happens. Obviously, having the original vampire hunter in a film with a new Blade might be confusing, but Marvel Studios has never been afraid to add Easter Eggs in the films, so who knows?
Marvel Studios hasn’t announced an official release date for “Blade,” but it is part of the upcoming Phase 5, which is likely going to start in 2022.
‘IMITATION IS THE BEST FORM OF FLATTERY’: @WesleySnipes shares his thoughts on Oscar winner #MahershalaAli taking over as #Blade pic.twitter.com/Mh9lspD3UJ
— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) September 30, 2019
