Blade (New Line Blade Franchise Character)
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Eric Brooks is a
superhero A superhero or superheroine is a fictional character who typically possesses ''superpowers'' or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits the role of the hero, typically using their ...
primarily portrayed by
Wesley Snipes Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor and martial artist. In a film career spanning more than thirty years, Snipes has appeared in a variety of genres, such as numerous thrillers, dramatic feature films, and comedies, th ...
in the
New Line Cinema New Line Productions, Inc., Trade name, doing business as New Line Cinema, is an American film production, film and television production company that is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, a division of the Major film studios, ...
''Blade'' franchise—based on the
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
character of the same name—commonly known by his alias, Blade. Brooks is depicted as a
dhampir In Balkan folklore, a dhampir () is a mythical creature that is the result of a union between a vampire and a human. This union was usually between male vampires and female humans, with stories of female vampires mating with male humans being rar ...
with
superhuman The term superhuman refers to humans, humanoids or other beings with abilities and other qualities that exceed those naturally found in humans. These qualities may be acquired through natural ability, self-actualization or technological aids. ...
abilities after his mother was bitten by a vampire while giving birth to him. Brooks is trained as a
vampire hunter A vampire hunter or vampire slayer is a fictional occupation in folklore and fiction which specializes in finding vampires, and sometimes other supernatural creatures. A vampire hunter is usually described as having extensive knowledge of vampir ...
by
Abraham Whistler Abraham Whistler is a fictional character appearing in the Blade (franchise), ''Blade'' film and Blade (TV series), television series. Developing the 1998 film ''Blade (1998 film), Blade'', screenwriter David S. Goyer created the character, and n ...
and dedicates himself to protecting humanity. A variation of the film's storyline was integrated into '' Spider-Man: The Animated Series'' by
John Semper John Semper Jr. (born August 14) is an American screenwriter, producer and story editor with numerous credits in animation for television. He is best known for being both producer and head writer on the television series '' Spider-Man: The Animat ...
in 1995 ahead of the first ''
Blade A blade is the Sharpness (cutting), sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they a ...
'' (1998) film, and Blade's redesigned costume and powers were integrated into comics in 1999.''Gambit'' (1999) #4. Marvel Comics.'' Peter Parker: Spider-Man'' (1999) #8. Marvel Comics. Snipes reprised his role in two further
sequel A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music, or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...
films, ''
Blade II ''Blade II'' is a 2002 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Blade, directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by David S. Goyer. The sequel to ''Blade'' (1998), it is the second installment in the ''Blade'' franchise. T ...
'' (2002) and '' Blade: Trinity'' (2004), as well as in ''
Deadpool & Wolverine ''Deadpool & Wolverine'' is a 2024 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Deadpool and Wolverine (character), Wolverine. Produced by Marvel Studios, Maximum Effort, and 21 Laps Entertainment, and distributed ...
'' (2024), which incorporated his iteration of the character into the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
(MCU) franchise through the
multiverse The multiverse is the hypothetical set of all universes. Together, these universes are presumed to comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describ ...
. The character also appeared in '' Blade: The Series'' (2006), portrayed by
Sticky Fingaz Kirk Jones (born November 3, 1973), better known by his stage name Sticky Fingaz, is an American rapper, record producer and actor best known as a member of multi-platinum hardcore rap group Onyx. Sticky Fingaz was discovered by Jam Master Ja ...
. Snipes' portrayal of the character received significant critical praise, described as the "quintessential
black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
superhero efore
Black Panther A black panther is the Melanism, melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical Rosette (zoology), rosettes are al ...
", with the first film starring him receiving a
cult following A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The latter is often called a cult classic. A film, boo ...
and beginning Marvel's film success, setting the stage for further comic book film adaptations. Snipes' portrayal of the character won him the
Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...
for "longest career as a live action Marvel character" in 2024 with his reprisal of the role in ''Deadpool & Wolverine''. In 2015, New Line Cinema producers were in talks to have Snipes reprise the role in a crossover with the ''Underworld'' film series, but ultimately the concept never came to fruition. In 2019,
Mahershala Ali Mahershala Ali ( ; born Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore on February 16, 1974) is an American actor. He has received multiple accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Fi ...
was announced to be cast as
Blade A blade is the Sharpness (cutting), sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they a ...
in a planned reboot for the MCU.


Concept and creation

The character
Blade A blade is the Sharpness (cutting), sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they a ...
made his first appearance as a
supporting character A supporting character is a character in a narrative that is not the focus of the primary storyline, but is important to the plot/protagonist, and appears or is mentioned in the story enough to be more than just a minor character or a cameo a ...
in ''
The Tomb of Dracula ''The Tomb of Dracula'' is an American horror comic book series published by Marvel Comics from April 1972 to August 1979. The 70-issue series featured a group of vampire hunters who fought Count Dracula and other supernatural menaces. On rare ...
'' #10 (July
1973 Events January * January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...
), written by
Marv Wolfman Marvin Arthur Wolfman (born May 13, 1946) is an American comic book and novelization writer. He worked on Marvel Comics's ''The Tomb of Dracula'', for which he and artist Gene Colan created the vampire-slayer Blade (character), Blade, and DC Comi ...
with art by
Gene Colan Eugene Jules Colan (; September 1, 1926 – June 23, 2011)Eugene Colan
at the Social Security Death Index via ...
, his first solo story coming in the black-and-white horror-comics magazine '' Vampire Tales'' #8 (December
1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; ...
), and his first solo series (in color), ''Blade the Vampire Hunter'', being published from July 1994 to April 1995 across ten issues, written by
Ian Edginton Ian Edginton is a British comic book writer, known for his work on such titles as ''X-Force'', '' Scarlet Traces'', '' H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds'' and ''Leviathan''. Career Ian Edginton is known for his steampunk/alternate history work ...
and
Terry Kavanagh Terrence "Terry" Kavanagh ( ) is an American comic book editor and writer. Career Kavanagh was a Marvel Comics editor from 1985 to 1997. Titles he edited during that time included ''Marvel Comics Presents'' and ''Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L ...
, with art by Doug Wheatley. When
New World Pictures New World Pictures (also known as New World Entertainment, New World Communications Group, Inc., and New World International) was an American independent production, distribution, and (in its final years as an autonomous entity) multimedia com ...
bought the rights to
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
, they were set to make a
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
-set western starring
Richard Roundtree Richard Arnold Roundtree (July 9, 1942 – October 24, 2023) was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of private detective John Shaft in the 1971 film '' Shaft'' and four of its sequels, '' Shaft's Big Score!'' (1972), '' Shaft ...
(who would later portray Blade's father in '' Blade: The Series'') as Blade.
Marvel Studios Marvel Studios, LLC, formerly known as Marvel Films, is an American film and television production company. Marvel Studios is the creator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a media franchise and shared universe of films and television ser ...
then started to develop the film in early as 1992, when rapper/actor
LL Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip ho ...
was interested in playing the lead role. ''Blade'' was eventually set up at
New Line Cinema New Line Productions, Inc., Trade name, doing business as New Line Cinema, is an American film production, film and television production company that is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, a division of the Major film studios, ...
, with
David S. Goyer David Samuel Goyer (born December 22, 1965) is an American filmmaker, novelist, and comic book writer. He is best known for writing the screenplays and stories for several superhero films, including '' Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' (1998), t ...
writing the script. When Goyer heard a film was in development he went in to pitch director
Ernest Dickerson Ernest Roscoe Dickerson (born June 25, 1951) is an American director, cinematographer, and screenwriter of film, television, and music videos. As a cinematographer, Dickerson is known for his frequent collaborations with Spike Lee ever since they ...
. New Line originally wanted to do ''Blade'' as "something that was almost a spoof" before the writer convinced them otherwise. Goyer wanted to take the character seriously and pitched a trilogy of movies "almost
Wagnerian Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most ...
in scope", saying that "I'm going to pitch you the ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' of black vampire films", wanting to demystify vampires and treat them as serious villains with a greater sense of realism instead of the doomed romantic characters shown in
Anne Rice Anne Rice (born Howard Allen Frances O'Brien; October 4, 1941 – December 11, 2021) was an American author of Gothic fiction, erotic literature, and Bible fiction. She is best known for writing ''The Vampire Chronicles''. She later adapted t ...
's ''
Interview with the Vampire ''Interview with the Vampire'' is a gothic horror and vampire novel by American author Anne Rice, published in 1976. It was her debut novel. Based on a short story Rice wrote around 1968, the novel centers on vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac ...
''. Goyer's drafts early draft took a "post-modern approach" he compared to the films ''
From Dusk till Dawn ''From Dusk till Dawn'' is a 1996 American action horror film directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Quentin Tarantino from a concept and story by Robert Kurtzman. Starring Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Tarantino, Ernest Liu, and Juliet ...
'' and '' Vampire in Brooklyn''. Snipes stated that while such a character "isn't going to lend itself to a great deal of emotional depth", there is also "some acting involved in creating the character and making him believable and palatable".


Casting

When Goyer first pitched the idea of doing a ''Blade'' film, New Line Cinemas asked that Blade and his mentor Jamal Afari both be cast as
white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
instead of
black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
, which Goyer rejected. While the role of Afari was redeveloped as
Abraham Whistler Abraham Whistler is a fictional character appearing in the Blade (franchise), ''Blade'' film and Blade (TV series), television series. Developing the 1998 film ''Blade (1998 film), Blade'', screenwriter David S. Goyer created the character, and n ...
, portrayed by
white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
actor
Kris Kristofferson Kristoffer Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 – September 28, 2024) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was a pioneering figure in the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, moving away from the polished Nashville sound and toward a m ...
, New Line head Mike DeLuca then suggested
Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor, producer, and director. Known for his dramatic roles Denzel Washington on screen and stage, on stage and screen, Washington has received List of awards and nominations ...
,
Wesley Snipes Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor and martial artist. In a film career spanning more than thirty years, Snipes has appeared in a variety of genres, such as numerous thrillers, dramatic feature films, and comedies, th ...
, and
Laurence Fishburne Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American actor. Throughout his career, he has gained recognition for his roles on stage and screen as militant and authoritative characters. List of awards and nominations received by Laur ...
for the role of Blade; of these three, only Snipes was seriously considered, and had the film's finalized script sent to, as opposed to Washington or Fishburne, who were sent earlier drafts. Having failed to get a ''Black Panther'' film starring him into production, Snipes signed on to star as Blade in 1996, the film releasing in 1998, before signing on to reprise his role in ''
Blade II ''Blade II'' is a 2002 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Blade, directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by David S. Goyer. The sequel to ''Blade'' (1998), it is the second installment in the ''Blade'' franchise. T ...
'' (2002) and '' Blade: Trinity'' (2004); in the first film, a young Blade is portrayed by André Hyde-Braithwaite. Kirk "Sticky Fingaz" Jones signed to star as Blade in '' Blade: The Series'', replacing Snipes following '' Blade: Trinity'', with Jon Kent Ethridge portraying a young Blade.


Characterization and redesign

As created by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan in 1973, the original
comic book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
version of Blade used teakwood knives and was much more the everyman in his behavior and attitude, wearing red/green clothing and sporting a short afro-style haircut. Although cunning and brave, he displayed flaws as well, such as an inability to get along with certain other supporting cast members and a hatred of vampires that bordered on fanaticism. The character was not originally a "daywalker" but a human being immune to being turned into a vampire. Lacking the superhuman speed and strength of his undead quarry, he relied solely on his wits and skill. Prior to the film's development, Wolfman and Colan had partially revamped the comics character in 1991 with a dark leather jacket, short hair, and more violent tendencies. The 1998 film updated the leather jacket into a body-length coat and added
sunglasses Sunglasses or sun glasses (informally called shades or sunnies; more names Sunglasses#Other names, below) are a form of Eye protection, protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damagin ...
, a new haircut, and an enhanced dhampir powerset. The comics character was subsequently modified to match, wearing the new outfit and being bitten by the character
Morbius Morbius (born Michael Morbius, also known as Morgan Michaels, Morbius the Living Vampire and Nikos Michaels) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and originally designed by pen ...
to similarly make him a
dhampir In Balkan folklore, a dhampir () is a mythical creature that is the result of a union between a vampire and a human. This union was usually between male vampires and female humans, with stories of female vampires mating with male humans being rar ...
like his film counterpart. Relishing the "challenge fstepping back into Blade's shoes" for ''
Blade II ''Blade II'' is a 2002 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Blade, directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by David S. Goyer. The sequel to ''Blade'' (1998), it is the second installment in the ''Blade'' franchise. T ...
'', Snipes stated: "I love playing this role. It's fun as an actor to test your skills at doing a sequel, to see if you can recreate something that you did", with Peter Frankfurt adding that "Wesley is Blade; so much of the character was invented by Wesley and his instincts are so spot on. He takes his fighting, his weapons and attitude very seriously. He's incredibly focused, but he's also very cool and fun", and
Guillermo del Toro Guillermo del Toro Gómez (; born 9 October 1964) is a Mexican filmmaker, author, and artist. His work has been characterized by a strong connection to fairy tales, Gothic fiction, gothicism and horror fiction, horror often blending the genres ...
saying that "Wesley knows Blade better than David Goyer, better than me, better than anyone else involved in the franchise, hat heinstinctively knows what the character would and wouldn't do, and every time he twists something around, something better would come out". However, with ''Blade: Trinity'', Snipes was unhappy with both Goyer's script and original choice of director; when Goyer was selected to replace the director, Snipes additionally protested, reportedly causing difficulty during filming, including frequently refusing to shoot scenes and forcing Goyer to use
stand-in A stand-in, sometimes a lighting double, for film and television is a person who substitutes for the actor before filming, for technical purposes such as lighting and camera setup. Stand-ins are helpful in the initial processes of film and tele ...
s and computer effects to add his character to scenes. Goyer described making the film as "the most personally and professionally difficult and painful thing I've ever been through". Co-star
Patton Oswalt Patton Peter Oswalt (born January 27, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. His acting roles include Spence Olchin in the sitcom ''The King of Queens'' (1998–2007) and narrating the sitcom '' The Goldbergs'' (2013–2023) as adult ...
alleged that Snipes would spend much of his time smoking marijuana in his trailer, becoming violent with Goyer after accusing him of racism, and refusing to directly interact with Goyer or his co-stars outside of filming, instead communicating with them through his assistant or the use of notes. Snipes also allegedly referred to co-star
Ryan Reynolds Ryan Rodney Reynolds (born October 23, 1976) is a Canadian and American actor, producer and businessman. Known for starring in comedic and superhero films, he was the List of highest-paid film actors, world's second-highest-paid actor in 202 ...
as a " cracker" on one or more occasions. Snipes denied that version of events and said having been promoted to the role of
executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the production of media. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights or royalties). In film ...
on the film, he had the authority to make decisions but that some people had difficulty accepting that. Addressing Blade's characterization after being cast to replace Snipes in '' Blade: The Series'', Fingaz commented that he was not out to make people forget about the ''Blade'' films, saying that "I think it's more my own direction, but I have to incorporate some of what nipesdid, hich iswhat people are familiar with, and you don't want to change it up drastically. You might want to change the seasoning a little bit, but you want the same meat". Goyer commented on Blade's characterisation in the series as being written as "'' Wiseguy'' with
vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead humanoid creatures that often visited loved ones and c ...
s", following him after "realiz ngat the beginning of the pilot that he's not making much headway, just sort of hacking and slashing, that he needs to know more about ampire society'sinner workings".


Abandoned crossover and the Marvel Cinematic Universe

In October 2016, ''Underworld'' film series star
Kate Beckinsale Kathrin Romany Beckinsale (born 26 July 1973) is an English actress. The only child of actors Richard Beckinsale and Judy Loe, she debuted in the series premiere of the 1975 daytime drama ''Couples.'' In 1993, she made her theatrical film deb ...
confirmed that a crossover film between ''Underworld'' and ''Blade'' had been discussed as a sequel to ''Blade: Trinity'', with both her and Snipes returning, but was declined because
Marvel Studios Marvel Studios, LLC, formerly known as Marvel Films, is an American film and television production company. Marvel Studios is the creator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a media franchise and shared universe of films and television ser ...
had plans to introduce the character into the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
(MCU). In May 2013, Marvel had a working script for a ''Blade'' film. Snipes said in July 2015 that he hoped to reprise the role in any future film and had been in discussions with Marvel Studios about doing so, in an adaptation of the unpublished ''Blade the Hunter'', following Blade and his teenaged daughter Fallon Grey. At the 2019
San Diego Comic-Con San Diego Comic-Con is a comic book convention and multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California, at the San Diego Convention Center. Founded in 1970, originally showcasing primarily comic books and science fiction/fant ...
held in July, Marvel Studios announced a ''Blade'' reboot set in the MCU, with
Mahershala Ali Mahershala Ali ( ; born Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore on February 16, 1974) is an American actor. He has received multiple accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Fi ...
cast as the
title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify their generation, official position, military rank, professional or academic qualification, or nobility. In some languages, titles may be ins ...
character, after he had personally pitched a ''Blade'' film starring himself to
Kevin Feige Kevin Feige ( ; born June 2, 1973) is an American film and television producer. He has been the president of Marvel Studios and the primary producer of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) franchise since 2007. The films he has produced have a co ...
.
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
writer
Daniel Kibblesmith Daniel Jordan Kibblesmith (born October 9, 1983) is an American writer and comedian who has written for television, comic books, and websites. As a writer for ''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'' he is a five-time Emmy nominee. Early life Kibb ...
confirmed that his one-shot
comic book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
''The Darkhold: Blade'' #1 (released in October
2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
), illustrated by Federico Sabbatini, Rico Renzi, and Clayton Cowles, follows Snipes' version of the character; presented as a vision given to the Blade of
Earth-616 In the fictional Multiverse (Marvel Comics), Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 is the primary continuity (fiction), continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place. Origins of the term The designation "Earth-616" has its origins in ...
by the titular
Darkhold The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features. Places Certain places fe ...
, the narrative follows Snipes' Blade after an
alternate ending An alternate ending (or alternative ending) is an ending of a story that was considered, or even written or produced, but ultimately discarded in favour of another resolution. Generally, alternative endings are considered to have no bearing on t ...
to the first film where he fails to stop
Deacon Frost Deacon Frost is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He appears in ''The Tomb of Dracula'', and is an enemy of Blade. In the comics, Deacon Frost was depicted as a tall, white-haired, late middle-age ...
from using La Magra to make vampires the dominant species on Earth.


Fictional character biography


Early life

In 1967, the pregnant human Vanessa Brooks is attacked by the vampire
Deacon Frost Deacon Frost is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He appears in ''The Tomb of Dracula'', and is an enemy of Blade. In the comics, Deacon Frost was depicted as a tall, white-haired, late middle-age ...
and she goes into
premature labor Preterm birth, also known as premature birth, is the Childbirth, birth of a baby at fewer than 37 weeks Gestational age (obstetrics), gestational age, as opposed to full-term delivery at approximately 40 weeks. Extreme preterm is less than 28 ...
. The doctors are able to save her baby, Eric Brooks, but Vanessa dies. Brooks possesses an
eidetic memory Eidetic memory ( ), also known as photographic memory and total recall, is the ability to recall an image from memory with high precision—at least for a brief period of time—after seeing it only onceThe terms ''eidetic memory'' and ''photogr ...
; he remembers every moment of his life, beginning with his birth. Thirteen years later, Brooks lives on the streets and preys on other homeless people to fulfill his need for
human blood Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood is compo ...
. He meets vampire hunter
Abraham Whistler Abraham Whistler is a fictional character appearing in the Blade (franchise), ''Blade'' film and Blade (TV series), television series. Developing the 1998 film ''Blade (1998 film), Blade'', screenwriter David S. Goyer created the character, and n ...
, who becomes Brooks' mentor. Realizing Brooks' is a human-vampire hybrid who possesses the enhanced abilities of vampires without the weaknesses to
sunlight Sunlight is the portion of the electromagnetic radiation which is emitted by the Sun (i.e. solar radiation) and received by the Earth, in particular the visible spectrum, visible light perceptible to the human eye as well as invisible infrare ...
,
silver Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...
and
garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...
, Whistler trains Brooks in
martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defence; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; ...
and the use of various weapons. He also develops a serum to replace Brooks' need to consume blood.


Battle against Deacon Frost

In 1997, Brooks raids a vampire
nightclub A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...
in
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
owned by Deacon Frost. The police unknowingly take one of the wounded vampires, Quinn, to the hospital. Quinn kills Dr. Curtis Webb and feeds on
hematologist Hematology ( spelled haematology in British English) is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to blood. It involves treating diseases that affect the production ...
Karen Jenson to regain his strength. Brooks takes Jenson to a safe house where she is treated by Whistler, who explains that they have been waging a secret war against vampires using weapons based on their weaknesses. As Jenson is now destined to become a vampire herself as a result of the bite, both he and Brooks tell her to leave the city. Jenson returns to her apartment and is attacked by Krieger, a police officer. Brooks subdues Krieger and reveals he is a "
familiar In European folklore of the medieval and early modern periods, familiars (strictly familiar spirits, as "familiar" also meant just "close friend" or companion, and may be seen in the scientific name for dog, ''Canis familiaris'') were believed ...
" (a human loyal to vampires) and uses information from him to locate an archive that contains pages from "The Book of
Erebus In Greek mythology, Erebus (; ), or Erebos, is the personification of darkness. In Hesiod's ''Theogony'', he is the offspring of Chaos, and the father of Aether and Hemera (Day) by Nyx (Night); in other Greek cosmogonies, he is the father of A ...
", the Vampire Nation's
holy book Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They often feature a compilation or discussion of beliefs, ritual practices, moral commandments and ...
. Brooks reveals his origins to Jenson, who is experimenting with the anticoagulant
EDTA Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), also called EDTA acid, is an aminopolycarboxylic acid with the formula . This white, slightly water-soluble solid is widely used to bind to iron (Fe2+/Fe3+) and calcium ions (Ca2+), forming water-solubl ...
and synthesizes a vaccine to cure her infection. Frost and his men attack Whistler's hideout, bite him, and abduct Jenson. When Brooks returns, he reluctantly helps Whistler commit suicide. When Brooks attempts to rescue Jenson from Frost's lair, he finds his mother, who reveals that she became a vampire and was brought in by Frost, who appears and reveals himself as the vampire responsible for Brooks' very existence. Brooks is subdued and taken to the Temple of Eternal Night where Frost plans to drain him of his blood to summon La Magra, an ancient vampire god. Jenson escapes and frees Brooks, allowing him to drink her blood and regain his power. As Frost completes the ritual and obtains the powers of La Magra, Brooks confronts him after killing all of his minions, including his own mother. During their fight, Brooks injects Frost with syringes of EDTA, causing his body to inflate and explode, killing him. Jenson offers to help Brooks cure himself at the cost of his abilities; instead, he asks her to create an improved version of the serum, so he can continue his crusade against vampires. Months later, Blade confronts a vampire in
Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
.


The emergence of the Reapers

Two years later, Brooks searches
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
for Whistler, having discovered that he survived his suicide attempt, turned into a vampire, and has been held prisoner by former followers of Frost. Rescuing Whistler and curing him using a long and arduous method of blood transference, Brooks introduces him to Scud, his new technician. Eli Damaskinos, overlord of the Vampire Nation, sends his minion, Asad, and daughter Nyssa, to strike a temporary truce with Brooks, informing him of a
pandemic A pandemic ( ) is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has a sudden increase in cases and spreads across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals. Widespread endemic (epi ...
that has been turning vampires into "Reapers", primal vampire-like creatures with a ravenous thirst for blood and a highly infectious bite that transforms both human and vampire alike. Brooks reluctantly allies with the Vampire Nation, teaming up with the Bloodpack, an elite group of vampires originally assembled to kill him. One of their members, Reinhardt, particularly hates Brooks, so she implants an explosive on Reinhardt's head to keep him in line. Meanwhile, he grows close with Nyssa, a natural-born vampire and Damaskinos' daughter, who has never killed a human. During a battle with Reapers in a vampire nightclub, Brooks discovers that, like him, they are immune to most vampire weaknesses. The Reaper's leader, Jared Nomak, arrives and holds Nyssa hostage, before attempting to recruit Brooks to his cause citing their mutual hatred of vampires. After several of the Bloodpack are killed, Brooks fights Nomak, who discovers he is immune to his silver weapons. As the sun rises, Nomak retreats and Whistler returns, revealing that he has found the Reaper nest in the sewer. Brooks and the Bloodpack also learn the Reapers are weak to silver piercing the heart, but their hearts are encased in bone. They enter the nest and discover the Reaper horde. Brooks saves Nyssa and uses a
UV light Ultraviolet radiation, also known as simply UV, is electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths of 10–400 nanometers, shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation is present in sunlight and constitutes about 10% of t ...
bomb to kill all of the Reapers except for Nomak. Nyssa is seriously injured until Brooks allows her to drink his blood to survive. The Vampire Nation betrays and captures Brooks, Whistler, and Scud, revealing that the Reapers exist as a result of Damaskinos' efforts to engineer a stronger breed of vampires resistant to their natural weaknesses. Nomak, the first Reaper, is his own son. Scud reveals himself to be one of Damaskinos' familiars but Brooks, who already suspected this, kills him with the explosive that had been detached from Reinhardt's head. After Damaskinos reveals that he plans to harvest Brooks' blood to give himself immunity to sunlight and create a new breed of vampires, Whistler escapes and frees Brooks, who falls into Damaskinos' blood pool, restoring his strength and allowing him to fight his way through Damaskinos' henchmen and kill Reinhardt. After Nyssa betrays her father, furious at him for hiding Nomak's connection as his son, Nomak bites Nyssa, drinking her blood, before engaging Brooks in battle. Brooks defeats Nomak who kills himself with Brooks' sword. Fulfilling Nyssa's wish of dying as a vampire, Brooks takes her outside and embraces her as she turns to ash.


Nightstalkers and the resurrection of Drake

After Brooks is tricked into killing a human familiar by the vampire leader Danica Talos, his existence as Blade is exposed to the public and
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
agents locate and raid his hideout, killing Whistler. Demoralized, Brooks surrenders and is arrested. After familiars embedded in the FBI attempt to hand him over to their vampire masters, Brooks is rescued by
Hannibal King Hannibal King is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared as a supporting character in the title ''The Tomb of Dracula'', issue #25 (Oct. 1974). King was played by Ryan Reynolds in the 2004 film ...
and Abigail Whistler, Whistler's daughter, who invite him to join their band of vampire hunters, the Nightstalkers, which Whistler had secretly founded without Brooks' knowledge. Brooks learns that Danica, an old enemy of King, has revived
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
, the first vampire and a daywalker like Brooks, with the goal of using his powers to cure vampires of their weaknesses. In addition to being equipped by the Nightstalkers with their newly-innovative UV "
Sun dog A sun dog (or sundog) or mock sun, also called a parhelion (plural parhelia) in atmospheric science, is an atmospheric optical phenomenon that consists of a bright spot to one or both sides of the Sun. Two sun dogs often flank the Sun within ...
" ammunition, Brooks learns that they have created an experimental bioweapon known as Daystar, capable of killing vampires at the genetic level and that they believe if they can infect Drake, the virus will kill him and ensure the rest of the species is wiped out, including Brooks. Eager to test Brooks, Drake isolates him from the Nightstalkers and reveals that he believes both modern humans and vampires are inferior and he intends to wipe them from the Earth, also asking Brooks for help. Drake leads Brooks to a vampire compound where he and Abigail find evidence of the vampires' plans for human subjugation, as well as a network of blood farms where brain dead humans are drained for vampire consumption. Brooks deactivates the farm's life support systems and executes the familiar who had been rounding up homeless humans for vampire consumption. Returning to the Nightstalkers' hideout, Abigail and Brooks find everyone dead except for King and a young girl, Zoe, both of whom have been taken captive by Danica's forces. After arriving to Danica's base and freeing them, Brooks enters into combat with Drake; losing, he prepares to kill him with his own sword. After Abigail fires an arrow containing the Daystar virus at him, Drake catches it and drops it to the floor by Brooks, not realizing the danger it poses to him. After Abigail shoots Drake with another arrow, wounding him, Brooks uses the distraction to stab Drake with the Daystar arrow, triggering a chemical reaction that completes the virus, releasing it into the air and killing Danica and the rest of the vampires. As Drake slowly succumbs to the virus, he praises Brooks for fighting honorably, but warns him that he will eventually succumb to his need for blood, calling him the future of the vampires. Using the last of his power, Drake shapeshifts into Brooks. The FBI recover the body, but as they begin the autopsy, it transforms back into the deceased Drake. In a
post-credits scene A post-credits scene (also known as a stinger, end tag, or credit cookie) is a short teaser clip that appears after the closing credits have rolled and sometimes after a production logo of a film, TV show, or video game has run. It is usually ...
, Blade drives his
Dodge Charger The Dodge Charger is a model of automobile marketed by Dodge in various forms over eight generations since 1966. The first Charger was a show car in 1964. A 1965 Charger II concept car resembled the 1966 production version. In the United Sta ...
to places unknown. In the unrated extended edition, Drake's body in the morgue (as Brooks) does not transform back into Drake; instead, "Brooks" awakens and attacks the doctors and FBI agents present, before menacingly approaches a cowering orderly.


Trapped in The Void

At some point prior to 2024, the
Time Variance Authority The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed to ...
(TVA) decides Brooks' universe is on the verge of death. They send him to the Void, a wasteland inhabited by a monster called
Alioth Alioth , also called Epsilon Ursae Majoris, is a star in the northern constellation of Ursa Major. The designation is Latinised from ε Ursae Majoris and abbreviated Epsilon UMa or ε UMa. Despite being designated "ε"&nb ...
, which consumes everything in its path, as well as the ruthless
Cassandra Nova Cassandra Nova Xavier is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. Created by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely, the character first appeared in '' New ...
. While there, he meets Elektra Natchios, Remy LeBeau / Gambit, Johnny Storm / Human Torch, and Laura / X-23. Their team also included Frank Castle / The Punisher, Peter Maximoff / Quicksilver, Matt Murdock / Daredevil and Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto, but all four died fighting Nova. One day, Laura brings Wade Wilson / Deadpool and James "Logan" Howlett / Wolverine to their base. Wilson explains that he believes he can force Nova to send him and Logan back to their home universes, and reveals Nova killed Johnny Storm. Brooks and the others agree to join forces with Wilson and Logan to avenge their respective universes. The team sets out for Nova's base, engaging in a fight with Nova's forces with the objective to remove
Juggernaut A juggernaut (), in current English usage, is a literal or metaphorical force regarded as merciless, destructive, and unstoppable. This English usage originates in the mid-nineteenth century. ''Juggernaut'' is the early rendering in English ...
's helmet, which Wilson and Logan use to neutralize Nova's powers. As Alioth approaches the base, Brooks watches Wilson and Logan jump through a portal back to Wilson's home universe,
Earth-10005 The multiverse is a fictional setting within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise. Based on the setting of the same name from the Marvel Comics, it is a collection of infinitely many alternate realities and dimensions. First e ...
, as he is about to be consumed by Alioth. After saving his universe, Wade asks Hunter B-15 of the TVA to save the others in the Void, leaving Brooks' fate unknown.


Appearances


Films

Blade is portrayed by
Wesley Snipes Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor and martial artist. In a film career spanning more than thirty years, Snipes has appeared in a variety of genres, such as numerous thrillers, dramatic feature films, and comedies, th ...
in four feature films:
Stephen Norrington Stephen Norrington (born 1964) is an English special effects artist and retired film director known for his work in the horror and action genres. Beginning his career as a sculptor and makeup artist, he worked under Dick Smith (make-up artist), ...
's ''
Blade A blade is the Sharpness (cutting), sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they a ...
'' (1998),
Guillermo del Toro Guillermo del Toro Gómez (; born 9 October 1964) is a Mexican filmmaker, author, and artist. His work has been characterized by a strong connection to fairy tales, Gothic fiction, gothicism and horror fiction, horror often blending the genres ...
's ''
Blade II ''Blade II'' is a 2002 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Blade, directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by David S. Goyer. The sequel to ''Blade'' (1998), it is the second installment in the ''Blade'' franchise. T ...
'' (2002),
David S. Goyer David Samuel Goyer (born December 22, 1965) is an American filmmaker, novelist, and comic book writer. He is best known for writing the screenplays and stories for several superhero films, including '' Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' (1998), t ...
's '' Blade: Trinity'' (2004), and the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
film ''
Deadpool & Wolverine ''Deadpool & Wolverine'' is a 2024 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Deadpool and Wolverine (character), Wolverine. Produced by Marvel Studios, Maximum Effort, and 21 Laps Entertainment, and distributed ...
'' (2024), and by
Sticky Fingaz Kirk Jones (born November 3, 1973), better known by his stage name Sticky Fingaz, is an American rapper, record producer and actor best known as a member of multi-platinum hardcore rap group Onyx. Sticky Fingaz was discovered by Jam Master Ja ...
in the television series '' Blade: The Series'', debuting with the
television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...
'' Blade: House of Chthon'' on June 28, 2006, and concluding with its thirteenth episode, "
Conclave A conclave is a gathering of the College of Cardinals convened to appoint the pope of the Catholic Church. Catholics consider the pope to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and the earthly head of the Catholic Church. Concerns around ...
", on September 13.


Television series


''Blade: House of Chthon''

In ''Blade: House of Chthon'', the two-hour
television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...
pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...
for ''Blade: The Series'', Blade reluctantly joins forces with the ruthless and beautiful
Iraq war The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...
veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in an job, occupation or Craft, field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in the military, armed forces. A topic o ...
Krista Starr, the twin sister of Zack, a familiar murdered by his master Marcus Van Sciver, who apparently plans to develop a vaccine to make those of his kind who survived the Daystar virus indestructible by turning them all into Daywalkers like Blade. Forced to accommodate Krista's need for revenge, Blade also continues to keep his own bloodsucking tendencies in check through daily injections of a new special serum, seeking to counteract the damage left by Drake. After Marcus, smitten with Krista, injects her with his blood to turn her into a vampire, Krista is approached by Blade, who injects her with his own serum and offers her a chance to help him avenge her brother's death and bring down Marcus and the House of Chthon by going undercover in Marcus' organization: Zack is revealed to have been doing a sting operation with Blade. The two form a reluctant partnership.


''Blade: The Series''

Following on from ''Blade: House of Chthon'', the events of ''Blade: The Series'' follow Blade as he hunts various vampires within and without the House of Chthon, reluctantly reconnects with his estranged biological father Robert, and serves as Krista's handler as she works undercover and struggles to deal with her own hunger for blood and growing predatory nature. Ultimately, Blade discovers that Marcus believes in peace between humans and vampires, believing that they can survive without needing to kill, and that the "vaccine" is actually a virus called the Aurora Project that will specifically target the ruling vampire class of "purebloods", leaving "turnbloods" (normal vampires like Marcus and Krista, who were once human) unscathed. With Blade's help, he eventually unleashes his weapon in the
series finale A series finale is the final installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. It may also refer to a final theatrical sequel, the last part of a television miniseries, the last installment of a literary series, ...
, and Blade looks on at a world finally at peace.


Comic book


''The Darkhold: Blade''

In ''The Darkhold: Blade'', a one-shot following an
alternate ending An alternate ending (or alternative ending) is an ending of a story that was considered, or even written or produced, but ultimately discarded in favour of another resolution. Generally, alternative endings are considered to have no bearing on t ...
to ''
Blade A blade is the Sharpness (cutting), sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they a ...
'' (1998), Blade fails to kill Deacon Frost before he succeeds in his plan to use La Magra, creating the "V-Wave", which immediately transforms billions worldwide into vampires (including many of Earth's superhumans), leaving the remainders of humanity divided between vampires and their dwindling food supply. While Blade continues his hunt, becoming known as a "boogeyman" to the vampire underworld, killing vampire and familiar alike, his former vampire ally
Amadeus Cho Amadeus Cho is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by American writer Greg Pak and Canadian artist Takeshi Miyazawa, the character first appeared in '' Amazing Fantasy'' vol. 2 #15 (January 2005). C ...
is kidnapped by a collection of vampiric former Avengers and returned to the custody of his former master Wilson Fisk, the current "undisputed vampire king of New York City" (who now resembles Pearl). After Amadeus' interrogation by Fisk is interrupted by the failed attack of " the Last Avengers", led by Blade, Blade unleashes an aerosolized silver gas attack upon his penthouse, killing the Kingpin, the Avengers and all other vampires within, before succeeding him as "the king of the vampires".


Video games

Snipes' Blade appears in several video games based on the film series: ''
Blade A blade is the Sharpness (cutting), sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they a ...
'', a prequel of the first film published and released by
Activision Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one o ...
in 2000, with a separate game released for the
Game Boy Color The (GBC or CGB) is an 8-bit handheld game console developed by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on October 21, 1998, and to international markets that November. Compared to the original Game Boy, the Game Boy Color features a color TFT scre ...
later that year, voiced by
Redd Pepper Richardson Green (born 23 June 1961), known professionally as Redd Pepper, is a Barbadian-British voice actor. With his unusually deep voice and vocal style similar to that of Don LaFontaine, he is known for his work on movie trailers, as wel ...
, ''
Blade II ''Blade II'' is a 2002 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Blade, directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by David S. Goyer. The sequel to ''Blade'' (1998), it is the second installment in the ''Blade'' franchise. T ...
'', released for the
PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...
and
Xbox Xbox is a video gaming brand that consists of four main home video game console lines, as well as application software, applications (games), the streaming media, streaming service Xbox Cloud Gaming, and online services such as the Xbox networ ...
on September 3, 2002 (unlike the other ''Blade'' video games, it is a narrative sequel to the film of the same name, taking place between the events of ''Blade II'' and '' Blade: Trinity'', in which Blade is voiced by Tom Clarke Hill), and ''Blade: Trinity'', a tie-in Java mobile game starring the character and adapting the film of the same name, developed by Mforma and released in December 2004.


Other works

In comics, the films have been expanded upon in ''Blade: Sins of the Father'' (a prequel to
Blade A blade is the Sharpness (cutting), sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they a ...
), ''Blade 2: Bloodhunt'' (an official comic adaptation of
Blade II ''Blade II'' is a 2002 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Blade, directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by David S. Goyer. The sequel to ''Blade'' (1998), it is the second installment in the ''Blade'' franchise. T ...
), and ''The Darkhold: Blade'' (an alternate ending to
Blade A blade is the Sharpness (cutting), sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they a ...
). Snipes' Blade has also appeared in three segments of the
parody A parody is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satire, satirical or irony, ironic imitation. Often its subject is an Originality, original work or some aspect of it (theme/content, author, style, e ...
series ''
Robot Chicken ''Robot Chicken'' is an American adult animation, adult stop motion, stop-motion animated sketch comedy television series created by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich for Cartoon Network's nighttime programming block Adult Swim. The twelve-minute ...
'', voiced by
Jordan Peele Jordan Haworth Peele (born February 21, 1979) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He is known for his film and television work in the Comedy film, comedy and Horror film, horror genres. He has received List of awards and nominations r ...
. In "Sesame Street Rave", a
parody A parody is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satire, satirical or irony, ironic imitation. Often its subject is an Originality, original work or some aspect of it (theme/content, author, style, e ...
of the opening scene of ''Blade'', Blade rescues Alex from a rave attended by the cast of ''
Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational television, educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation, and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Worksh ...
'', turned into vampires by
Count von Count Count von Count (known simply as the Count) is a Muppet character on the PBS/HBO children's television show ''Sesame Street.'' He is meant to parody Bela Lugosi's vampiric character, Count Dracula. His first appearance on the show was in the 4 ...
, before killing them all. In "Bob Barker's New Gig", a retired
Bob Barker Robert William Barker (December 12, 1923 – August 26, 2023) was an American media personality, game show host, and animal rights advocate. He hosted CBS's '' The Price Is Right'', the longest-running game show in North American television ...
(voiced by Jonathan Lipow) dresses as Snipes' Blade to become a vigilante, spaying and neutering all pets in the city in a parody of ''Blade'', concluding with
Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...
, a
werewolf In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (from Ancient Greek ), is an individual who can shapeshifting, shapeshift into a wolf, or especially in modern film, a Shapeshifting, therianthropic Hybrid beasts in folklore, hybrid wol ...
. In "Blade's Blades", Blade kills two vampires before pinning a third to a wall to give him a sales pitch to buy "Blade's Blades" (a variety of specialised knives) from him as part of a
multi-level marketing Multi-level marketing (MLM), also called network marketing or pyramid selling, is a controversial and sometimes illegal marketing strategy for the sale of products or services in which the revenue of the MLM company is derived from a non-salarie ...
scheme, under the justification that merely being a vampire hunter doesn't pay his bills, before demonstrating his knives' capabilities by using them to block bullets shot by a gun. Impressed, the pinned vampire offers to buy two knives, asking whether or not Blade takes
Discover Discover may refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''Discover'' (album), a Cactus Jack album * ''Discover'' (magazine), an American science magazine * "Discover", a song by Chris Brown from his 2015 album ''Royalty'' Businesses and bran ...
; although insulted, Blade admits that he does, and accepts the payment. In the television series ''
What We Do in the Shadows ''What We Do in the Shadows'' is a 2014 New Zealand mockumentary comedy horror film written and directed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi and the first installment in the ''What We Do in the Shadows'' franchise. The film also stars Cleme ...
'', Snipes recurs as a fictionalised version of himself/Blade known as "Wesley the Daywalker", or "Wesley Sykes", a daywalking vampire and member of the Vampiric Council who portrayed the daywalking vampire hunter Blade in films.


Reception

Snipes' portrayal of the character received significant critical praise, with the first film starring him receiving a
cult following A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The latter is often called a cult classic. A film, boo ...
and the beginning of Marvel's film success, setting the stage for further comic book film adaptations.


See also

*
Blade (Marvel Cinematic Universe) A blade is the Sharpness (cutting), sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they a ...


References


External links

* {{Marvel Cinematic Universe, selected=Cast African-American superheroes American male characters in television Black characters in films Blade (franchise) Characters created by David S. Goyer Fictional capoeira practitioners Fictional characters from New York City Fictional half-vampires Fictional hapkido practitioners Fictional Jeet Kune Do practitioners Fictional karateka Fictional knife-fighters Fictional matricides Fictional swordfighters in films Fictional vampire hunters Fictional vigilantes Fictional wushu practitioners Film characters introduced in 1998 Male characters in film Marvel Cinematic Universe characters Marvel Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds Marvel Comics characters with accelerated healing Marvel Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability Marvel Comics characters with superhuman senses Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength Marvel Comics hybrids Marvel Comics martial artists Marvel Comics television characters Marvel Comics vampires Orphan characters in film Vampire superheroes