Delroy Lindo Says Marvel Was ‘Really Interested’ In His Input For the ‘Blade’ Reboot Until the Film ‘Went Off the Rails’

Delroy Lindo was happy to help Marvel with its long-awaited “Blade” remake until it all went wrong.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Lindo, who was once attached to the Marvel reboot, discussed the problems weighing down the development of the long-delayed vampire flick.

“When Marvel came to me, they seemed to be really interested in my input,” Lindo said. “And in the various conversations I had with producers, the writer, the director at the time, it was all leading into being very inclusive. It was really exciting conceptually, but it was also exciting in terms of the character that was going to form. And then, for whatever reason, it just went off the rails.”

He went on to relate the role he would’ve played in “Blade” to the character he played in Ryan Coogler’s recent take on the action-horror genre, “Sinners.”

“I’m not saying that it would’ve been an out-and-out Garvey-ite,” he added. “Not that, but just in terms of how this man’s philosophy, his ethos, and what was driving him. He was a character who had, very similar to ‘Sinners,’ created a community, a Black community. He was a character who was the head of this community.”

After it was announced in 2019, “Blade” was slated to premiere on Nov. 7, 2025. However, in October 2024, the film was removed from Marvel’s release calendar altogether. Despite the exit of two directors and several screenwriters attached to the project, Marvel CEO Kevin Feige said at D23 Brazil 2024 that he remains “committed” to the project.

“We love the character,” Feige said at the time. “We love Mahershala’s take on him. And rest assured: whenever we change direction with a project, or are still figuring out how it fits into our schedule, we let the audience know. You’re all up to date on what’s happening. But I can tell you that the character will indeed make it to the MCU.”