Latest news with #MahershalaAli
Geek Tyrant
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Kevin Feige on BLADE Delays: 'We Didn't Want to Simply Put a Leather Outfit on Mahershala Ali and Have Him Start Killing Vampires' — GeekTyrant
Marvel Studios' highly anticipated Blade reboot has faced years of delays and multiple creative shake-ups, but according to Kevin Feige, that's all been in service of making sure the film lives up to its potential. The Marvel Studios chief recently opened up about the challenges and why fans are still waiting for Mahershala Ali's debut as the iconic vampire hunter. First things first… Ali is absolutely still committed to the role. Feige confirmed: 'Mahershala is still attached.' The actor signed on to play Blade back in 2019, stepping into the role made famous by Wesley Snipes in the late '90s and early 2000s. For now, Ali remains ready and waiting. As he said last month: 'Call Marvel. I'm ready. Let them know I'm ready.' So why the massive delay? Feige admitted the root cause was Marvel's own push for quantity during the early Disney+ era. 'We had spent 12 years working on the Infinity Saga, saying, 'That's never going to happen to us.' 'We always had more characters that people were asking about than we could possibly make, because we weren't going to make a movie a month — that's crazy. 'Suddenly there's a mandate to make more, and we go, 'Well, we do have more' … But maybe that's what we fell into.' This led to what Feige described as the first time 'quantity trumped quality,' which was previously echoed by Disney CEO Bob Iger. Blade was originally slated for November 2023, but got caught in the middle of this pivot, which forced Marvel to slow down and reassess. 'We didn't want to simply just put a leather outfit on him and have him start killing vampires. It had to be unique,' Feige explained. 'It fell into the time when we started pulling back and saying, 'Only accept insanely great.' And it wasn't 'insanely great' at the time.' Unlike other MCU projects that can start strong and improve during production, Feige said Blade wasn't there yet. 'We didn't feel like, as we often do, you can have a good script and make it a great script through production. We didn't feel confident that we could do that on Blade, and we didn't want to do that to Mahershala and didn't want to do that to us.' Since its announcement, the film has gone through multiple directors and scripts. Bassam Tariq ( Mogul Mowgli ) was initially on board before leaving in 2022, and Yann Demange ( White Boy Rick ) exited in June 2024. Feige revealed the project has had 'three or four' different versions, including two that were period pieces. The latest plan? Keep it modern-day. 'Which is why we could give those costumes back to Ruth, and that's what we're focusing on,' Feige joked, referencing a humorous anecdote about lending unused Blade costumes to Ryan Coogler for his own vampire movie, Sinners . Despite fan speculation that Coogler might swoop in to direct Blade , Feige shot down the rumors, saying: 'He's got Black Panther 3 to focus on,' confirming that the Wakanda sequel is in development, though he offered no timeline. Feige admitted there's a little hindsight regret. He said: 'Only in hindsight, I do. But I don't. Because that's the way we'd announced everything before, like that and had not not delivered.' Between the pandemic, strikes, and even the studio losing major actors like Jonathan Majors, Feige pointed out that Marvel has been hit with a 'tremendous amount of curveballs.' There's still no director attached and no production date, but Feige insists Marvel is committed to getting this one right. And Ali? He's ready whenever the studio is. For now, fans will have to keep waiting for the Daywalker to return, but at least Marvel's priority is making sure it's worth the wait. Source: Variety
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Pitt,' ‘The Studio,' and ‘Adolescence' have taken the lead in this pivotal Emmy category
When it comes to predicting the Emmys, there is one group of bellwether categories worth paying close attention to. Over the past decade, a notable trend has emerged: the winners for Best Drama Series and Best Drama Casting have mirrored each other seven times; Best Comedy Series and Best Comedy Casting eight times; and Best Limited Series and Best Limited/Movie Casting nine times. That's a combined accuracy rate of 80 percent over the most recent 10-year period. With that in mind, our gaze is fixed on the three casting races for the 2025 Emmys, where The Pitt, The Studio, and Adolescence are already making compelling cases as the early front-runners. More from Gold Derby Anne Hathaway reveals first-look photo from 'The Devil Wears Prada 2': Everything to know about anticipated sequel Marvel's big reset: Mahershala Ali's 'Blade,' recasting 'X-Men' and Tony Stark, and why Miles Morales is MIA in the MCU Best Drama Casting Drama Casting Contender Odds 1. The Pitt 71.2% 2. The White Lotus 19.6% 3. Severance 5.9% 4. The Last of Us 3.3% 5. Slow Horses -- The Pitt ranking in first place for casting should raise a few eyebrows, considering that Severance is the front-runner to win Best Drama Series and also tripled The Pitt's tally in terms of acting nominations. Noah Wyle, Katherine LaNasa, and Shawn Hatosy were the only performer nominees for Season 1 of the medical series. But there's precedent: Homeland received one fewer acting nomination in 2012, and it still was able to win Emmys for series and casting. The category's runner-up is The White Lotus, which notably is a two-time casting winner in 2023 (as a drama series) and 2022 (as a limited series). Unlike the other nominees, The White Lotus revamps its cast every season, which gives it a huge advantage in this contest. Plus, the acting branch went overboard (no Tanya McQuoid pun intended) with their love for Season 3, bestowing nominations upon eight actors: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Sam Rockwell, Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, Aimee Lou Wood, and Scott Glenn. Severance currently places third in casting for its heralded second season, which led the field with 27 total nominations. The series' nine nominated cast members are Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, John Turturro, Patricia Arquette, Jane Alexander, Gwendoline Christie, and Merritt Wever. The Last of Us is next for its Season 2, which began with Joel's shocking death and explored the reverberations on those around him. Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Joe Pantoliano, Jeffrey Wright, Kaitlyn Dever, and Catherine O'Hara were the six individuals recognized by the Television Academy. Lastly, Slow Horses received a casting citation for Season 4 despite only getting in series lead Gary Oldman. Other would-be contenders, notably Jack Lowden and Jonathan Pryce, were strangely snubbed. Best Comedy Casting Comedy Casting Contender Odds 1. The Studio 89.0% 2. Only Murders in the Building 4.5% 3. The Bear 2.7% 4. Hacks 2.4% 5. Shrinking 1.5% The Studio has taken the early lead in the casting race for comedy, and for good reason — it received 10 acting nominations, more than any other TV program this year. The nominees are Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn, Catherine O'Hara, Bryan Cranston, Dave Franco, Ron Howard, Anthony Mackie, Martin Scorsese, and Zoë Kravitz. The Apple TV+ show is the only first-year comedy nominated, which, if recent history is an indication, gives it an additional upper hand: The Bear (2023), Abbott Elementary (2022), Ted Lasso (2021), and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2018) all won casting for their rookie seasons. Only Murders in the Building currently ranks in second for a fourth season that went heavy on special guest stars, including Zach Galifianakis, Eugene Levy, Eva Longoria, and Melissa McCarthy. But those actors were all snubbed, as were lead performers Steve Martin and Selena Gomez. The one piece of good news? Martin Short scored his fourth consecutive bid for Best Comedy Actor. The Bear is the two-time reigning champion in this casting category, and it's hoping to emulate the Veep sweep of 2015-17 by going three-for-three. The cooking dramedy's seven acting nominees for Season 3 are Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Liza Colón-Zayas, Jon Bernthal, Olivia Colman, and Jamie Lee Curtis. In fourth place is Hacks, which has yet to win the casting prize, though it did win Best Comedy Series last year in a huge surprise over The Bear. The following four performers nabbed bids for the fourth season: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Robby Hoffman, and Julianne Nicholson. Finally, there's Shrinking, which entered the casting race for the first time with its second season. Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, Michael Urie, and Jessica Williams each received acting nominations this year for the underrated comedy about quirky therapists. Best Movie/Limited Casting Movie/Limited Casting Contender Odds 1. Adolescence 90.0% 2. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story 3.8% 3. The Penguin 2.9% 4. Black Mirror 1.8% 5. Dying for Sex 1.5% Can anything beat Adolescence for casting? Bueller? Mere months ago, the five nominated actors — Stephen Graham, Owen Cooper, Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty, and Christine Tremarco — were virtual unknowns, but now they're international superstars due to the success of the Netflix limited series that focuses on a young boy accused of stabbing his female classmate. Their overnight fame is reminiscent of Baby Reindeer last year, and that project walked away with six Emmys including, you guessed it, casting and series. The other four longform productions are in Adolescence's massive shadow, and are just happy to be nominated for the casting prize. Predicted runner-up Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story secured three acting nominations (Cooper Koch, Javier Bardem, and Chloë Sevigny), while third-place contender The Penguin got three (Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, and Deirdre O'Connell), fourth-place hopeful Black Mirror scored one (Rashida Jones), and fifth-place nominee Dying for Sex earned three (Michelle Williams, Rob Delaney, and Jenny Slate). Best of Gold Derby 'Five new life forms from distant planets': Everything to know about 'Alien: Earth' as new trailer drops Everything to know about 'The Pitt' Season 2, including the departure of Tracy Ifeachor's Dr. Collins Everything to know about 'Too Much,' Lena Dunham's Netflix TV show starring Megan Stalter that's kinda, sorta 'based on a true story' Click here to read the full article. Solve the daily Crossword
Gizmodo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Kevin Feige Unveils Some of the MCU's Big Next Moves
The grind never stops at Marvel Studios, and Kevin Feige has gone and revealed some juicy nuggets about what is and isn't to come in the MCU. The longtime producer recently talked to press about Marvel's next moves, and he was naturally asked about Blade. We're now on the six-year anniversary of Mahershala Ali being announced for the role, and he recently told press to pester Marvel about the film's infamously troubled production. To Deadline and other outlets, Feige confirmed that yes, there have been four separate takes of the character in the development process so far: two in the past and two in the modern day. (One would've been set in the Prohibition era, and it was far enough along its background costumes were instead used for Sinners.) The version now being developed has 'landed on modern day' and will see Ali do more than 'put a leather outfit on him and have him start killing vampires.' 'We didn't want to do that to Mahershala and he didn't want to do that to us,' Feige explained to THR. 'You can start and have a good script and make it a great script through production, but we didn't feel confident we could do that on Blade.' Additionally, he confirmed that Ryan Coogler isn't in the running for that project, as he's focused on developing Black Panther 3. Another character fans have been wanting to come to the MCU is one Miles Morales, aka New York's one and only Spider-Man (other Spiders may be available). It sounds like fans should keep on waiting, as Feige said the studio 'has been told to stay away' by Sony, which owns Miles' film rights. The character's animated trilogy is expected to wrap with Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse in June 2027, but until then, any plans to bring him into the fold 'are nowhere' on the MCU's end. Sony, on the other hand, has its own plans for bringing him out of animation. When it comes to long-term plans, Feige told press Marvel's current roadmap stretches to 2032. Naturally, the X-Men are part of those plans, and they'll be recast for their MCU debut, which'll be directed by Thunderbolts' Jake Schreirer. X-fans will get one more chance to see the original Fox actors reprise their roles in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. But the new X-Men will also prepare audiences for bigger MCU characters like Tony Stark and Steve Rogers to be eventually played by newer actors down the line. But don't worry about any of that until Secret Wars, which will end with a 'reset' that brings the X-Men and Fantastic Four into the same universe as the current crop of MCU heroes. Feige stressed to Variety that this isn't a reboot, which he considers 'a scary word that can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Reset, singular timeline—we're thinking along those lines.' 'Secret Wars very, very much sets us up for the future,' Feige teased. 'Avengers: Endgame was about endings, literally, and Secret Wars is about beginnings.' Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
‘Blade' update: Kevin Feige explains delays, says Mahershala Ali's role needs to be 'insanely great'
Marvel's 'Blade' movie has faced many delays since it was first announced in 2019, but Mahershala Ali is still set to play the lead role. Marvel Studios head recently explained why the film hasn't moved forward, the team wants to make sure it's truly special and not rushed. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Kevin Feige talks about 'Blade' delays Marvel boss Kevin Feige has finally shared what's going on with the long-delayed 'Blade' movie. Despite multiple setbacks, he confirmed that two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali is still committed to playing the lead role, the vampire hunter made famous by Wesley Snipes in the late '90s and early 2000s. Reason behind the delay Feige said the delays happened because Marvel didn't want to rush into production just to release another movie. 'We didn't want to just throw a leather jacket on Mahershala and have him start killing vampires. It needed to feel special,' Feige explained. 'At that point, we started taking a step back and saying, 'We'll only move forward with something if it feels truly great.' And at that time, it didn't.' He also mentioned a funny side note that costumes made for an earlier version of 'Blade' were given to filmmaker Ryan Coogler for his own vampire-themed project called 'Sinners'. 'Ryan asked if he could use the costumes and we said, 'Sure, go ahead,'' Feige joked. 'He's a good friend.' But the real issue, Feige admitted, was Marvel's attempt to produce more content when launched its streaming platform. This led to Marvel stretching itself too thin. 'We were told to make more stuff. And we tried. But that meant we sometimes picked quantity over quality, and we always said we'd never let that happen.' Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'Blade' was first announced in 2019 and was supposed to release in November 2023. However, it ran into multiple problems. Its first director, Bassam Tariq, left the project in 2022, just two months before filming was to start. A new director, Yann Demange, later joined but also exited in June 2024. Now, there's no director attached to the film, but Ali has made it clear, he's still ready. At a recent red-carpet event, he told Variety, 'Call Marvel. Let them know I'm ready.' Over the years, several writers have worked on 'Blade'. Feige said there were at least three or four versions of the story including two that were set in the past. But now, they've decided the movie will take place in the modern day, which is also why they gave away the old costumes. As for 'Sinners', many fans hoped Coogler would direct Blade, but Feige shut down those rumours. Coogler is busy working on Black Panther 3, which is currently in development, though no release date has been shared yet. Looking back, Feige admitted he has mixed feelings about announcing 'Blade' back in 2019 at San Diego Comic-Con. 'In hindsight, maybe we shouldn't have announced it so early. But that's how we used to do things, announce it and then make it happen.' He added that the last few years have brought many unexpected challenges: the pandemic, Hollywood strikes, the loss of key actors, changing fan reactions, and problems like losing their main Kang actor, Jonathan Majors. 'We've had a lot of curveballs,' Feige said. Still, he made it clear that Marvel wants to get 'Blade' right and they won't move forward until they do.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Marvel's big reset: Mahershala Ali's ‘Blade,' recasting ‘X-Men' and Tony Stark, and why Miles Morales is MIA in the MCU
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige offered a rare glimpse into the MCU's evolving strategy, addressing fan concerns and teasing what lies ahead for Marvel's iconic franchises. In a lengthy discussion with journalists ahead of Fantastic Four: First Steps, Feige reflected on the studio's recent struggles with oversaturation, outlined steps being taken to refocus the MCU, and revealed tantalizing updates on several high-profile projects. 'It's traditionally a five-year plan,' he said. 'I think it goes to 2032 right now.' Here are the biggest takeaways: More from Gold Derby 'Greatest spoof of all time': When 'The Golden Girls' took aim at 'Clueless' at the MTV Movie Awards 'Superman' crushes 'Smurfs' and 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' as Warner Bros. extends box-office hot streak Mahershala Ali's still slicing forward Fans have been eagerly anticipating Mahershala Ali's debut as the iconic vampire slayer in Blade, but Feige admitted the production has faced multiple setbacks. Initially announced in 2019, the project stalled due to script challenges and changes in directors. (Wesley Snipes reprised his version of Blade in last year's Deadpool & Wolverine.) Feige confirmed that retooled Blade would now set in the modern day and emphasized Marvel's commitment to delivering an 'insanely great' film rather than rushing a subpar version. While no director is currently attached, Ali remains enthusiastic, telling Variety recently, 'I'm ready. Let them know I'm ready.' Despite delays, Blade remains a priority as Marvel refocuses its creative process. Legacy characters like Tony Stark and X-Men mutants will be recast Feige confirmed that following Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027, Marvel plans to introduce fresh faces for legacy characters like the X-Men and, eventually, Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. While the iconic Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen will reprise mutant roles in Avengers: Doomsday, the upcoming X-Men films directed by Jake Schreier will feature an all-new cast. Similarly, Feige likened recasting Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark to other franchises, saying, 'It's hard … but how are they going to ever replace Sean Connery [as James Bond], right?' These recasting decisions align with Secret Wars resetting the MCU's timeline to create new beginnings for future storytelling. Miles Morales won't be joining the MCU anytime soon Despite intense fan demand for a live-action Miles Morales, Feige revealed that Marvel has been asked to 'stay away' from the character pending the completion of Sony's Spider-Verse animated trilogy. With Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse slated for 2027, any live-action integration of Miles into the MCU will be delayed until after Sony concludes its cartoon plans. While disappointing for fans, Feige indicated Marvel's respect for Sony's storytelling autonomy and a willingness to wait for the right moment. While insisting diversity is still important, Feige stated, 'Marvel represents the world outside your window. I've always said it, before DEI and woke became a thing, and after DEI and woke became a thing — are we after? I don't think so.' He pointed to Ms. Marvel and The Marvels star Iman Vellani as 'one of the greatest bits of casting we've ever done,' adding, 'I can't wait to see her somewhere.' Doctor Doom overthrows Kang as MCU's next big villain Jonathan Majors' legal troubles and lukewarm audience reception to his Kang the Conqueror in the underwhelming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania prompted Marvel to pivot toward Doctor Doom as its new central villain. Feige hyped up Downey's portrayal of Doom in Avengers: Doomsday, saying the actor is tapping into Doom's decades-long comic legacy as an undeniable powerhouse. Feige insisted the decision wasn't solely reactionary, stating that Marvel realized Kang lacked the weight of a universe-defining antagonistic presence even before events affecting Majors unfolded. Marvel moves overseas for big productions Feige addressed why the massive Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars productions are relocating overseas to London's Pinewood Studios rather than staying in conventional U.S. hubs (most of the MCU productions had been at Trilith Studios, former Pinewood Atlanta). While generous U.K. subsidies play a role in the move, the decision ultimately comes down to securing stage space amid Hollywood's broad production pressures. While Feige predicted future films would again lean toward U.S.-based production hubs, such as Atlanta and New York, this shift underscores the industry-wide trend of productions running away from Hollywood. Scaling back for quality: Less TV and fewer films Feige openly acknowledged that Marvel's doubling of content since Avengers: Endgame created a problem of "quantity trumping quality." As a solution, the studio plans to streamline production, limiting feature films to three annually and scaling back TV shows to just one live-action series per year. In a notable shift, Marvel TV will return to standalone storytelling, disallowing crossover pressure that requires viewers to follow every project just to stay caught up. It's part of Marvel's effort to make its offerings less intimidating and accessible to casual fans. As Marvel resets its towering franchise, which has earned more than $31 billion worldwide, Feige appears optimistic about returning the MCU to its roots of bold storytelling. By prioritizing focused projects, reducing financial pressure, and leaning into accessibility without alienating diverse characters, Marvel may yet find its footing — and audiences may rediscover their love for its stories. Best of Gold Derby Everything to know about 'The Batman 2': Returning cast, script finalized Tom Cruise movies: 17 greatest films ranked worst to best 'It was wonderful to be on that ride': Christian Slater talks his beloved roles, from cult classics ('Heathers,' 'True Romance') to TV hits ('Mr. Robot,' 'Dexter: Original Sin') Click here to read the full article. Solve the daily Crossword
