Blade: Report claims Mahershala Ali unhappy with film; features two lackluster action sequences

Mahershala Ali is reportedly unhappy with the pre-production of Marvel's new Blade reboot.

"I’m told that the current Blade script is roughly 90 pages and features exactly TWO (lackluster) action sequences. Mahershala said to be very frustrated with the process. Feige said to be spread too thin," reported industry insider Jeff Sneider.

The news comes just after Marvel's announcement that Bassam Tariq would no longer direct. The movie is set to film in just over a month, with a planned production date set for November 2022 in Atlanta, ahead of its current release date of November 3, 2023.

"Due to continued shifts in our production schedule, Bassam is no longer moving forward as director of Blade but will remain an executive producer on the film," The studio told The Hollywood Reporter. "We appreciate Bassam’s talent and all the work he’s done getting Blade to where it is."

"It’s been an honor working with the wonderful folks at Marvel," Tariq continued in his own statement. "We were able to put together a killer cast and crew. Eager to see where the next director takes the film."

Blade is still scheduled for a fall 2023 release. For more on that and the Multiverse Saga, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows on their way.

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ based in New York City. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.