Bassam Tariq, the director who was initially attached to Marvel Studios' Mahershala Ali-led Blade film, has spoken about his departure from the project, stating that he felt like a "failure" but does not hold MCU mastermind Kevin Feige responsible.
Tariq's involvement with the vampire film, intended to be set in the 1920s, ended because "they wouldn't let me write the script, and life's too short to make really disastrous things." He explained that despite the creative differences, he has a positive view of Feige, describing him as "adaptable" and someone who "listens and f**king changes." Tariq pointed to the evolution of Spider-Man films as an example of Marvel Studios' willingness to adapt its approach.
"It makes perfect sense" that Feige, who has delivered numerous successful films and generated significant revenue for Disney, would have the final say, Tariq stated. He acknowledged his own relative inexperience, having directed only one feature film, Mogul Mowgli, on a much smaller budget, compared to Feige's extensive track record.
He expressed heartbreak for the craftsmen and craftswomen who worked on the Blade sets, which he described as "incredibly designed" and "beautiful." The film reportedly featured elaborate set pieces, including a horse chase through a speakeasy where Blade would act drunk, but ultimately, the necessary elements for the production were not fully aligned.
Marvel announced its Blade reboot with Mahershala Ali in 2019, but the project faced numerous delays and creative shifts. It was officially canceled in July of this year. Feige has publicly acknowledged the film's failure to launch, calling himself a "gigantic loser and failure" over the situation, an assessment with which Ali reportedly agreed.
Tariq emphasized that he does not support negative sentiment directed at Feige, arguing that the Marvel Studios president has an immense workload. He also noted the challenge of reimagining a character so closely associated with Wesley Snipes' iconic portrayal.
Tariq's latest film, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, stars Mahershala Ali and is currently in theaters. The actor has previously stated his gratitude for the year of training the canceled Blade project provided him for his new role.