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''[[Marvel: Ultimate Alliance]]'' – Blade appears as an unlockable and a playable character.
''[[Marvel: Ultimate Alliance]]'' – Blade appears as an unlockable and a playable character.

==See also==
* [[Blade (upcoming film)|''Blade'' (upcoming film)]], reboot by Marvel Studios


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 04:09, 17 November 2021

Blade
The Blade Trilogy DVD box set
Directed by
Written byDavid S. Goyer
Based on
StarringWesley Snipes
Music by
Distributed byNew Line Cinema
Release date
1998–2006
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$164 million[1]
Box office$417 million[1]

Blade is a film and television franchise based on the fictional Marvel Comics superhero of the same name, portrayed by Wesley Snipes in the film series and Sticky Fingaz on the television series. The films were written by David S. Goyer (who directed the third film and also served as a co-writer for the TV series in the first two and last episodes), based on the comics by Marv Wolfman, and Gene Colan. The three films were directed by Stephen Norrington, Guillermo del Toro and Goyer respectively, and distributed by New Line Cinema.

The character was created in 1973 for Marvel Comics by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan as a supporting character in the 1970s comic The Tomb of Dracula. In the comic, Blade's mother was bitten by a vampire while she was in labor with Blade.

Films

Film U.S. release date Director(s) Screenwriter(s) Producer(s)
Blade August 21, 1998 Stephen Norrington David S. Goyer Peter Frankfurt, Wesley Snipes and Robert Engelma
Blade II March 22, 2002 Guillermo del Toro David S. Goyer Peter Frankfurt, Wesley Snipes and Patrick Palmer
Blade: Trinity December 8, 2004 David S. Goyer David S. Goyer Peter Frankfurt, Wesley Snipes and David S. Goyer

Blade (1998)

Main article: Blade (film)

Blade grows up to become a Vampire Hunter, swearing vengeance on the creatures that killed his mother. He teams up with a man called Whistler, a retired vampire hunter and weapons expert.

Meanwhile, in the urban underworld, a feud is started between "pure-blood" vampires and those who had been human, but were "turned." Blade becomes aware of this and investigates further, uncovering a plot to raise the blood god La Magra, something he must stop at all costs.

Blade II (2002)

Main article: Blade II

A rare mutation has occurred within the vampire community. "Reapers" are vampires so consumed with an insatiable bloodlust that they prey on vampires as well as humans, transforming victims who are unlucky enough to survive into Reapers themselves. Now their quickly expanding population threatens the existence of vampires, and soon there won't be enough humans in the world to satisfy their bloodlust. Blade, Whistler and an armory expert named Scud are curiously summoned by the Shadow Council. The council reluctantly admits that they are in a dire situation and they require Blade's assistance. Blade then tenuously enters into an alliance with The Bloodpack, an elite team of vampires who were trained in all modes of combat to defeat Blade. They'll use their skills instead to help wipe out the Reaper threat. Blade's team and the Bloodpack are the only line of defense which can prevent the Reaper population from wiping out the vampire and human populations.

Blade: Trinity (2004)

Main article: Blade: Trinity

In the final installment of the series, the vampires succeed in framing Blade for the killing of a human (who was in fact a familiar being used as bait). Blade, now in the public's eye and wanted by the FBI, has to join forces with the Nightstalkers, a human clan of vampire hunters. Blade, Hannibal King, and Abigail Whistler go after Danica Talos, who has succeeded in locating and resurrecting Drake, also known as Dracula, the first vampire and by far the most powerful. In order to stop him, Blade has to release a virus that will wipe out all vampires, but being a dhampir, he must face the possibility of also dying as a result.

Unproduced projects

In October 2008, Blade director Stephen Norrington was confirmed to be developing on a prequel trilogy to Blade, featuring Stephen Dorff reprising his role as Deacon Frost.[2][3] However, by August 2012, the film rights to Blade had reverted to Marvel Studios.[4]

In October 2016, star of Underworld film series Kate Beckinsale, stated that a crossover film between the franchises had been discussed as a sequel to Blade: Trinity with Snipes returning, but was declined because Marvel Studios had plans to implement the character into the MCU.[5]

Television

SeriesSeasonEpisodesOriginally releasedCreatorNetwork
First releasedLast released
Blade: The Series113June 28, 2006September 13, 2006David S. GoyerSpike

Blade: The Series (2006)

Main article: Blade: The Series

In 2006, Spike TV aired a thirteen-episode series set after the events of Blade: Trinity, with Sticky Fingaz portraying Blade, replacing Snipes. Goyer (who wrote the scripts for all three of the films and directed the third film) also created the series.

Cast and crew

Cast

Character Original series Television series
Blade Blade II Blade:
Trinity 		Blade:
The Series
1998 2002 2004 2006
Eric Brooks
Blade 		Wesley Snipes Sticky Fingaz
Jon Kent Ethridge
(young)
Abraham Whistler Kris Kristofferson Adrian Glynn McMorran
Deacon Frost Stephen Dorff Mentioned
Dr. Karen Jenson N'Bushe Wright
Quinn Donal Logue
'Mercury' Arly Jover
Vanessa Brooks Sanaa Lathan
Racquel Traci Lords
Gitano Dragonetti Udo Kier
Eli Damaskinos Thomas Kretschmann
Jared Nomak Luke Goss
'Priest' Tony Curran
Nyssa Damaskinos Leonor Varela
Dieter Reinhardt Ron Perlman
Asad Danny John-Jules
'Snowman' Donnie Yen
'Chupa' Matt Schulze
'Scud' Norman Reedus
Dracula / Drake Dominic Purcell
Abigail Whistler Jessica Biel
Hannibal King Ryan Reynolds
Danica Talos Parker Posey
Dr. Edgar Vance John Michael Higgins
Jarko Grimwood Triple H
Asher Talos Callum Keith Rennie
Krista Starr Jill Wagner
Shen Nelson Lee
Marcus Van Sciver Neil Jackson
'Chase' Jessica Gower
FBI Agent Ray Collins Larry Poindexter

Crew

Film Director Producer Writer Composer Cinematographer Editor
Blade Stephen Norrington Peter Frankfurt
Wesley Snipes
Robert Engelman
Andrew J. Horne 		David S. Goyer Mark Isham Theo van de Sande Paul Rubell
Blade II Guillermo del Toro Peter Frankfurt
Wesley Snipes
Patrick Palmer 		Marco Beltrami Gabriel Beristain Peter Amundson
Blade: Trinity David S. Goyer Peter Frankfurt
Wesley Snipes
David S. Goyer
Lynn Harris 		Ramin Djawadi Conrad Smart
Howard E. Smith

Reception

Box office performance

Film Release date Box office gross All time ranking Budget Reference
North America Other territories Worldwide North America
Blade August 21, 1998 $70,087,718 $61,095,812 $131,183,530 #724 $45 million [6][7]
Blade II March 22, 2002 $82,348,319 $72,661,713 $155,010,032 #558 $54 million [8]
Blade: Trinity December 8, 2004 $52,411,906 $76,493,460 $128,905,366 #1,036 $65 million [9]
Total $204,847,943 $210,250,985 $415,098,928 $164 million

Critical and public response

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore
Blade 57% (107 reviews)[10] 46 (24 reviews)[11] A–[12]
Blade II 57% (151 reviews)[13] 52 (28 reviews)[14] B+[12]
Blade: Trinity 25% (168 reviews)[15] 38 (30 reviews)[16] B+[12]
Blade: The Series 50% (18 reviews)[17] 49 (15 reviews)[18] —

Music

Year Title Chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
U.S. U.S. R&B
1998 Blade: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture
  • Released: August 25, 1998
  • Label: TVT
 36 28
2002 Blade II: The Soundtrack
  • Released: March 19, 2002
  • Label: Virgin
 26 23
2004 Blade: Trinity (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
  • Released: November 23, 2004
  • Label: New Line
 – 68

Video games

Blade – Based on Blade. Released in 2000.

Blade II – Based on Blade II. Released in 2002.

Marvel's Midnight Suns - Blade is a playable character. Expected to be released in 2022.

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance – Blade appears as an unlockable and a playable character.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Blade Franchise Box Office History - The Numbers". The Numbers.
  2. ^ "Norrington, Dorff Teaming on Blade Spin-Off". ComingSoon.net. July 7, 2009.
  3. ^ "'BLADE' Spinoff In Development: Will Feature STEPHEN DORFF Reprising DEACON FROST Role". Dietrichthrall.wordpress.com. July 8, 2009. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
  4. ^ Kit, Borys (August 14, 2012). "Fox's Daredevil Rights on Verge of Reverting to Marvel as Ticking Clock Looms (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 15, 2012. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  5. ^ Jayson, Jay (October 7, 2016). "Marvel Is Doing Something With Blade According To Kate Beckinsale". ComicBook.com.
  6. ^ "Blade (1998)". Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, LLC. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  7. ^ "Blade Production Budget". The-Numbers. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  8. ^ "Blade II (2002)". Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, LLC. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  9. ^ "Blade: Trinity (2004)". Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, LLC. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  10. ^ "Blade". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  11. ^ "Blade (1998)". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  12. ^ a b c "Cinemascore". Archived from the original on December 20, 2018.
  13. ^ "Blade II". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  14. ^ "Blade II (2002)". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  15. ^ "Blade: Trinity". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  16. ^ "Blade: Trinity (2004)". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  17. ^ "Blade: The Series: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  18. ^ "Blade". Metacritic. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
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