According to The Wrap, Yann Demange is no longer directing Blade for Marvel Studios. The report states that the director actually departed the project “a while ago and it was entirely amicable.” He’s the second director to exit Marvel’s Blade movie, as he was tapped to replace original director Bassam Tariq two years ago.

It’s been five years since the project was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con, and it’s been troubled ever since. In addition to the two directors, Blade has also been through its share of writers. Watchmen‘s Stacy Osei-Kuffour wrote the initial script, which was later rewritten by Michael Starrbury (When They See Us), Nic Pizzolatto (True Detective), and Michael Green (Logan). The Wrap states that Eric Pearson (Fantastic Four) is currently working on the new script.

Mahershala Ali is still attached to star in Blade, and he provided what was thought to be an optimistic update last December. “We’re working on it. That’s the best I could tell you,” Ali said. “I’m really encouraged with the direction of the project. I think we’ll be back at it relatively soon.” As frustrating as these delays have been, an insider with knowledge of the situation told The Wrap that Marvel really wants to get Blade right, which is more important than sticking to a release schedule.

Demange had previously teased that the film would be rated R. “They gave me the R, which is so important. … We are going to have fun, because Mahershala is such a deep actor,” Demange said. “I’m excited to show a kind of ruthlessness, a roughness he has, that allows him to walk the earth in a particular way. I love him for that. He’s got a dignity and integrity, but there is a ferocity there that he usually keeps under the surface. I want to unleash that and put it on the screen.” It’s unclear if this will still be the case with the new creative team, but Blade is still slated for a November 7, 2025 release. Any bets on when that will change?

Now that Yann Demange is out, who would you like to see direct Blade?

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