Marvel in talks to sign indie filmmaker Bassam Tariq to direct Blade reboot with Mahershala Ali

Tariq is best known for the 2020 Riz Ahmed drama ‘Mogul Mowgli’

Snipes as the half-vampire, half-human vampire hunter Blade (Shutterstock)

Marvel is reportedly in talks to sign indie filmmaker Bassam Tariq to direct the studio’s Blade reboot starring Mahershala Ali.

As reported by Deadline, Tariq – best known for his 2020 drama Mogul Mowgli starring Riz Ahmed – is in discussion to direct the highly anticipated incarnation of Blade.

Green Book star Ali is set to star as the iconic vampire hunter, taking on the role previously portrayed by Wesley Snipes.

Stacy Osei-Kuffour (previously HBO’s Watchmen and Pen15) will write the script with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige producing the film.

Tariq is the sixth person of colour to direct a film for Marvel, joining Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), Chloe Zhao (Eternals), Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) and Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok). Candyman director Nia DaCosta was named as director of the Captain Marvel sequel in August last year.

Plans for a reboot of Blade were announced at the Marvel San Diego Comic-Con in 2019.

The original Blade trilogy ran from 1998 to 2004 and starred Snipes as the legendary comic book character, a vampire hunter who is a human-vampire hybrid himself.

A release date for the film is yet to be announced.