Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen the most meticulous development of Marvel Studios’ Blade. When Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige welcomed two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali to Hall H’s stage, he “finished off” the presentation by confirming his role as the MCU’s Eric Brooks, the vampire hunter relaunch was revealed with pomp and fanfare at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2019.
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Blade Adds Milan Ray to Mahershala Ali-led Cast Milan Ray Bringing Cancelled Marvel Comics Character to the MCU?
There was little activity on Blade throughout the first half of 2020, but things began to pick up in the second part of that year. Prior to Blade’s appearance in Eternals, Marvel hired Mogul Mowgli director Bassam Tariq to lead the movie. As a result, Kit Harington, who co-starred in Eternals, was speculated to be joining the Blade cast, while Da Five Bloods star Delroy Lindo joined the cast in an official capacity.
With Blade filming set to begin in less than two weeks, a new high-profile person has joined the cast.
Blade Adds Milan Ray to Mahershala Ali-led Cast
Marvel Geekdom has learned that Milan Ray has been signed on to play a significant role in Marvel Studios’ Blade. Disney and Marvel have not confirmed Ray’s position, so we don’t know exactly what he’ll be doing just yet.
Ray, a 14-year-old newcomer to the company, joins Mahershala Ali, Delroy Lindo, and Aaron Pierre (Krypton) in the currently small group.
Milan Ray Bringing Cancelled Marvel Comics Character to the MCU?
Signs point to Milan Ray as Fallon Grey, Blade’s daughter, based on her age. At 16 years old and popular in Oregon, Grey was written as a vampire hunter who discovers her long-lost father and embarks on a monster-hunting expedition with him.
Comic-Con 2015 saw the announcement of a new Marvel comics series, however it would never appear in print due to a lack of funding. Many were outraged that Grey’s narrative will be told by a group composed mostly of white males. That criticism led to the departure of Tim Seeley and Logan Faerber from the project, which ultimately led to Marvel Comics deciding to cancel the run. Marvel Studios’ live-action Blade revival might be the perfect opportunity to bring Fallon Grey to life instead of simply eliminating him from the final cut.
Another piece of proof about Ray’s involvement can be found in a proposal that Mahershala Ali rejected. HBO’s The Last of Us, an adaptation of the popular 2013 video game, was rumoured to have offered the acclaimed actor the lead part in February 2021. A zombie-infested post-apocalyptic world is explored by Joel and Ellie, his surrogate daughter.
The Last of Us’ story may be too similar to what Marvel Studios had planned for Blade to be a factor in Ali’s decision to pass. Vampires and zombies may be two very distinct species, but they share a common ancestor. There are many remarkable similarities between these two projects, especially when you add in a father-daughter connection as the focus of one of them.
The release date for Blade, which goes into production later this year, is unknown at this time.
