In an interview with Vulture, filmmaker Bassam Tariq discussed his departure from Marvel Studios’ Blade reboot, defending Kevin Feige while expressing sorrow for the creative team left behind, as reported. Tariq, the first of two directors officially attached to the Mahershala Ali-led project, stated that he does not hold the Marvel mastermind responsible for the film’s eventual cancellation.
Bassam Tariq Discusses Canceled Blade Movie
- Director Bassam Tariq admitted he felt like a “failure” following his exit from Marvel’s canceled 1920s-set Blade movie.
- Tariq defended Kevin Feige, calling him a “good dude” who had simply taken on too much.
- The ambitious vampire project, starring Mahershala Ali, was officially scrapped in July of this year after years of development troubles.
Why the 1920s Vampire Vision Collapsed
The filmmaker explained that his involvement ended because studio leadership would not permit him to write the script, leading him to walk away rather than risk making a disastrous film. Despite these grand designs, the Marvel crew lacked all the pieces required to bring the unique vision together. The planned 1920s period piece featured elaborate New Orleans sets designed by production designer Stefania Cella and her team, which included plans for an incredible horse chase starting in a speakeasy where Blade would act drunk. Tariq noted that the writers worked really hard, but all that energy needed to be put into good words on the page, acknowledging that Kevin Feige had a lot on his plate.
Weighing In on Kevin Feige and Marvel’s Burden
However, Tariq pushed back against the online toxicity directed at the producer, describing the Marvel movie producer as “adaptable” and noting that he listens and changes. Tariq acknowledged that given Feige’s massive financial track record for Disney and his incredible films, the studio was entirely right to trust his ultimate authority over a director coming off a $1.2 million indie film like Mogul Mowgli, for which they built a massive set that was the equivalent of roughly 10 Mogul Mowglis.
| Project / Element | Key Detail |
|---|---|
| Project Status | Officially canceled in July of this year after a 2019 announcement |
| Director’s Background | Directed indie feature Mogul Mowgli (2020) on a $1.2M budget |
| Planned Setting | 1920s period piece featuring elaborate New Orleans sets |
| Current Collaborations | Mahershala Ali stars in Tariq’s recent release, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother |
Moving Forward Beyond the MCU
While the Mahershala Ali-led vampire film never made it out of development hell, both men have transitioned to new creative endeavors. Ali stars in Tariq’s latest directorial effort, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, which is out now, following a resume that also includes the 2012 documentary These Birds Walk. Ali noted that despite the disappointment of losing the Marvel gig, the physical preparation provided him with a free year of training that ultimately benefited his subsequent acting work.
The Heartbreak for the Craftspeople
Tariq emphasized that the hardest part of the cancellation was the impact on the crew, explaining that that’s the part that breaks my heart the most, all of the craftsmen and craftswomen that were working on the thing.
