Join me, if you will, in an informal survey of the Non-Disney Marvel Comic Book Movie landscape:
- Three original trilogy X-Men films: Out of all three, only the Nightcrawler invades the White House scene was truly necessary viewing.
- As of this writing, two “X-Men in the past” films have been released: I quite liked First Class, aside from Darwin dying a punk’s death. I can adapt to anything, but this one thing. I’m also the only brother in the film and I get killed? Also, the only woman of color joins the baddies? Riiigghhhttt. The film would have been much better served if it was Magneto: Nazi Hunter. I’d pay to see that over and over. Have some fears around
- Two Wolverine films: They both sucked.
- Three Fantastic Four films (including a reboot): They all sucked
- Three films of the original Spider-Man trilogy: Only the second film was any good.
- Three Amazing Spider-Man films: Ugh. The less said…
- Daredevil: No.
- Elektra: Hell no.
- Deadpool: Aside from a couple of scenes that skewed borderline racist, the film was an enormous breath of fresh superhero film air. It was so fun and gleefully violent, and self-aware in a good way. It set a standard. Not sure what kind of standard, but it sure as hell set one.
But real talk: Isn’t it about to for a Blade reboot?
For the record, the first Blade film paved the way for the X-franchise. This obscure (anti) hero’s cinematic success loosened studio purse strings and allowed for the celluloid adventures of those merry mutants.
The first Blade film is also a classic. From the opening scene, the Daywalker’s world and his place in it was firmly established. He was the badass that all other superhero badasses copy.
Blade II, aside from some horrible CGI sequences was a revelation. Not in terms of storytelling, but in peeling back another layer of the Blade-verse. A vampire kink club? That was astonishing.
We should not ever speak of Blade III. One of the worst things about this film, Ryan Reynolds, is responsible for one of the best superhero interpretations on film. Go figure.
Unlike the rest of the Non-Disney Marvel movies, Blade and his world have a whole lot to say. There are plenty of secrets to uncover and discover. From the first film, who was that brother that Blade trusted to make his serum? They seemed to be really close. Who else did that man support? There was a profoundly pan-African context there to be explored. If you tied African mythology, legend, folklore, and spirituality to the Blade narrative, oh the places we could go.
There were some attempts to keep the world of Blade afloat. There was the television program Blade: The Series. While it wasn’t the best show, there was some really great ideas in there that deserve to be expanded upon.
In the comic world, Blade has been hit or miss, as of late. There was David F. Walker’s Blade versus Howard the Duck.
He was ill-used in Marvel Comic’s “Civil War” arc, and him masquerading as Ronin in The Mighty Avengers was a poor use of a very cool character.
I know some of you are asking yourselves: Why Blade? What does this character have, that say, any other B-level Marvel character doesn’t?
Blade has two good movies under his belt. There is an entire universe to explore. What is Blade’s connection to Brother Voodoo? A character that is sorely underutilized. What if Blade shifted from being just a vampire hunter into being the Non Diseny Marvel cineverse’s John Constantine? He could tackle more occult and supernatural threats that tie into the larger MCU — especially since Marvel reacquired the character.
There is a rumor that the next Blade incarnation will be his daughter. We haven’t had enough of Blade, yet, for him to be usurped by his offspring. If they get equal (well-written) screen time, then I’m all in. But if they try and pull some Blade III pass the torch to lesser characters B.S. , I’ll make it my life’s mission that the film earns less than a dollar.
Hey Marvel, if you do decide to reboot the Blade franchise, I’ve already written the treatment for a new trilogy. Have your people speak with my people.