Marvel’s failure to launch its Blade reboot starring Mahershala Ali is easily one of the biggest stains on the company’s reputation. Even Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said he felt “like a gigantic loser and a failure that we didn’t get [Ali’s Blade] off the ground.” And even though Ali has now “moved on” from the project, he says there is one positive thing that came out of it.
Speaking to Deadline at the Toronto International Film Festival, Ali confirmed that he trained for over a year to play the Daywalker, and it was all on Marvel’s dime. That training turned out to be crucial for his role as a devout Muslim assassin—whose weapon of choice is a sword—in director Bassam Tariq’s upcoming film Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother.
“I’m really grateful,” Ali said. “[Marvel] helped pay for [Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother], so thank you. We couldn’t have afforded to—there’s no way we coulda did this film and I got to go train for a year. So at this point, I’m so grateful that they made a wonderful contribution to our film.”
'Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother' star Mahershala Ali reflects on 'Blade' | The Deadline Studio at #TIFF2026 pic.twitter.com/rsSbR63BlG
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) September 13, 2026
It’s a remarkably positive spin on the disappointing situation, but Ali is still firm that he will no longer be involved with Blade, even if Marvel does somehow manage to get the reboot moving again. “I’m done,” he said. “I’m over that.”
In the end, though, Ali might have come out on top with Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. After its premiere at TIFF, the film is certified fresh with 100% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and a rating of 85, indicating “universal acclaim,” on Metacritic. That’s something no Marvel movie has ever achieved—not even the Oscar-winning Black Panther. And while it’s true that it’s still early days for Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, and more reviews as the film approaches its wide release could potentially lower that score, things seem to be looking good for the two-time Oscar-winning Ali.
Want more io9 news? Check out the best movies and TV shows to stream this month and all the upcoming sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books that should be on your radar.
