Back in 2023, Stephen Dorff shared some pretty interesting thoughts about Marvel’s upcoming Blade reboot, and let’s just say they weren’t exactly kind. In an interview with The Daily Beast, Dorff got brutally honest about the state of Hollywood, superhero movies, and, of course, the MCU’s latest attempt at reviving the vampire-slaying antihero. And you know what? He was absolutely right. Stephen Dorff’s MCU Blade roast aged like a vampire—it only got stronger and better with time.
Stephen Dorff Mocks Marvel’s PG-13 Blade Reboot
Dorff, who played the bad Deacon Frost in Wesley Snipes’ 1998 original Blade, didn’t pull any punches when talking about the new PG-13-rated version from the MCU that stars Mahershala Ali. He laughed at the very idea of it, quite openly mocking Marvel for apparently not being able to find a director and predicting that the project would end up being a total joke. “How’s that PG Blade movie going for you?” he quipped, taking a shot at the studio for attempting to sanitize a franchise known for its R-rated grit.
It’s a valid concern, to be fair. If Deadpool had been a PG-rated movie, then the very essence of the character would have been lost. The same goes for Blade. The original film was a dark, violent, and unapologetically brutal take on the Marvel antihero. Can a toned-down, family-friendly version really capture that same magic? Dorff doesn’t think so, and many fans seem to agree.
“Nobody’s Remembering Black Adam“
Of course, Dorff didn’t stop at Blade, either. He also targeted the superhero genre in the interview with The Daily Beast, slamming modern comic book movies as “embarrassing” and “trash.” He specifically singled out DC’s Black Adam starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, saying, “Nobody’s remembering Black Adam at the end of the day. I didn’t even see that movie, it looked so bad.”
It’s hard to argue with his point. Even though superhero films still earn millions at the box office, their audience has grown tired, and the genre is suffering from fatigue, formulaic storytelling, and diminishing returns (as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels demonstrate). Like many of us, Dorff looked back nostalgically on the days when superhero films felt novel and different, unique enough that they could be individual works of art. He cited Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy as an example of how far the superhero film can go when it’s done right.
Is The MCU’s Blade Movie A Lost Cause?
Let’s be honest: part of Blade’s success in 1998 was due to its R rating. It leaned toward horror, showed some really gruesome fight scenes, and gave us a protagonist who was not afraid of bloody action. Wesley Snipes remains an iconic Blade for many fans, and for those fans, he is Blade.
For this reason, there is such intense skepticism aimed at Marvel’s new version of the character.
Blade’s reboot in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a nightmare production. Since its initial announcement in 2019, with Mahershala Ali tapped to take over the iconic role, it has suffered from delays, creative differences, and shifting visions. The reboot has zipped through several writers and directors. Stacy Osei-Kuffor and Bassam Tariq were initially attached, but Tariq left in 2022, and Yann Demange took over directing duties. The script has also seen extensive rewrites, with Nic Pizzolatto and Michael Green both taking a stab at it. The pandemic, the 2023 Writers’ Strike, and Marvel’s internal restructuring have only added to the chaos, leading to multiple delays. As it stands, Blade doesn’t have an official release date anymore, and given the project’s troubled history, don’t expect one anytime soon.
Even Deadpool himself (Ryan Reynolds) got in on the joke in Deadpool & Wolverine, where Wesley Snipes’ Blade cameo delivered the line, “There’s only been one Blade. There will only ever be one Blade.” The meta-joke practically writes itself.
Since then, fans have been practically begging Marvel to cancel Mahershala Ali’s Blade movie and bring Wesley Snipes’s Daywalker into the MCU instead.
Will Marvel Prove Stephen Dorff Wrong?
Despite all the turmoil, there’s still hope for the new Blade movie. While the original Wesley Snipes trilogy remains beloved, the MCU has the potential to reintroduce the character to a new generation—if they can get it right. With Mahershala Ali’s acting chops and a fresh vision, there’s a chance Blade could be a standout in the MCU’s ever-expanding universe.
We recently suggested on Facebook that Mahershala Ali be replaced with Jamie Foxx as the new Blade, an idea that was immediately shot down by fans. Many still want to see Ali’s take on the character, and still believe he would be perfect for the reboot. Even Michael B. Jordan, who is currently promoting his own vampire project, Sinners, recently mentioned that he is looking forward to the new Blade movie. “Launching any franchise, it’s tough,” he said in an interview with GQ. “I hope it gets together. I want to see a Blade movie, you know what I’m saying? The Blade franchise was everything.”
Despite the backlash, Marvel is still pushing forward with the reboot. Kevin Feige insists they just want to get it right, but after nearly five years of development hell, you have to wonder if they can raise the film from the grave. Stephen Dorff has already placed his bet. And honestly? He might not be wrong.
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Tell us, do you think Stephen Dorff was right about the MCU’s new Blade movie?
