Blade Director Bassam Tariq Says Reboot Lacked Finished Script
In a new Vulture interview, Bassam Tariq describes a scrapped 1920s setting for Marvel Studios' Blade and explains why he left the project.
Bassam Tariq, the first director attached to Marvel Studios' Blade reboot, said the film did not have a finished script and that he was not allowed to write one, in a new interview with Vulture. Tariq discussed the project's development and his departure, and Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige have not commented on his account, according to Screen Rant.
Tariq said the film was initially envisioned as a period piece set in the 1920s, with an elaborate build that included a horse chase and a speakeasy scene.
Asked about leaving, Tariq said life is too short to make disastrous things. He also said the crew, including production designer Stefania Cella, did phenomenal work, and that the craftspeople's effort broke his heart most.
Tariq expressed sympathy for Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, saying Feige had a lot on his plate and that everything on the project had to be approved by him.
The interview adds detail to a production that has been closely watched since Mahershala Ali was announced in 2019 to play Blade. Tariq departed the reboot in 2022, having been attached as director with principal photography eyed to begin only two months before he exited.
Tariq also said that missing the train after Mogul Mowgli was a fear he had to shed, realizing he is more than just a filmmaker.
Quick answers
Why did Bassam Tariq leave the Blade reboot?
Tariq said he left partly because life is too short to make disastrous things, in a new interview with Vulture.
What was the original setting planned for Marvel's Blade?
Tariq said the film was initially set to take place in the 1920s, with a horse chase and a speakeasy scene.
Did the Blade reboot have a finished script?
Tariq said the team did not have a script and that he was not allowed to write it.