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| 54% (93 reviews)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1083484-blade/ | title=Blade | work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] | publisher= [[Fandango Media]] |access-date=December 4, 2009}}</ref>
| 54% (93 reviews)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1083484-blade/ | title=Blade | work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] | publisher= [[Fandango Media]] |access-date=December 4, 2009}}</ref>
| 45 (23 reviews)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.metacritic.com/video/titles/blade1 | title=Blade (1998) | work=[[Metacritic]] | publisher=CNET Networks, Inc | access-date=December 4, 2009}}</ref>
| 45 (23 reviews)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.metacritic.com/video/titles/blade1 | title=Blade (1998) | work=[[Metacritic]] | publisher=CNET Networks, Inc | access-date=December 4, 2009}}</ref>
| A-<ref name="Bcs">{{cite web | url= https://cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ | title= CinemaScore | work= [[CinemaScore]] | access-date= November 18, 2018 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ | archive-date= December 20, 2018 | dead-url= yes }}</ref>
| A-<ref name="Bcs">{{cite web | url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/Ymxh | title= CinemaScore | work= [[CinemaScore]] | access-date= August 8, 2019 }}</ref>
|-
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| ''Blade II''
| ''Blade II''

Revision as of 17:10, 9 August 2019

Blade Trilogy
The Blade Trilogy DVD box set
Directed byStephen Norrington (Blade)
Guillermo del Toro (Blade II)
David S. Goyer (Blade: Trinity)
Written byDavid S. Goyer
StarringWesley Snipes
Music byMark Isham (Blade)
Marco Beltrami (Blade II)
Ramin Djawadi (Blade: Trinity)
Distributed byNew Line Cinema
Release date
1998–2004
Running time
350 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$164 million[1]
Box office$415 million

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 (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 and was a supporting character in the 1970s comic Tomb of Dracula. In the comic, Blade's mother was bitten by a vampire while she was in labor with Blade.

Films

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.

Television series

Blade (2006)

Main article: Blade (TV series)

In 2006, Spike TV aired a thirteen-episode series set after the events of Blade: Trinity, with Sticky Fingaz portrayed as Blade, replacing Snipes.

Cast and characters

Character Films TV series
Blade Blade II Blade: Trinity Blade
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
Michael Morbius Stephen Norrington
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
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
Avi Arad 		David S. Goyer Mark Isham Theo van de Sande Paul Rubell
Blade II Guillermo del Toro Peter Frankfurt
Wesley Snipes
Patrick Palmer
Avi Arad 		Marco Beltrami Gabriel Beristain Peter Amundson
Blade: Trinity David S. Goyer Peter Frankfurt
Wesley Snipes
David S. Goyer
Lynn Harris
Avi Arad 		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 [2][3]
Blade II March 22, 2002 $82,348,319 $72,661,713 $155,010,032 #558 $54 million [4]
Blade: Trinity December 8, 2004 $52,411,906 $76,493,460 $128,905,366 #1,036 $65 million [5]
Total $204,847,943 $210,250,985 $415,098,928 $164 million

Critical and public response

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore
Blade 54% (93 reviews)[6] 45 (23 reviews)[7] A-[8]
Blade II 57% (146 reviews)[9] 52 (28 reviews)[10] B+[8]
Blade: Trinity 25% (165 reviews)[11] 38 (30 reviews)[12] B+[8]
Blade: The Series 50% (18 reviews)[13] 49 (15 reviews)[14] —

Soundtracks

Year Title Chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
U.S. U.S. R&B
1998 Blade
  • Released: August 25, 1998
  • Label: TVT
 36 28
2002 Blade II
  • Released: March 19, 2002
  • Label: Virgin
 26 23
2004 Blade: Trinity
  • Released: November 23, 2004
  • Label: New Line
 – 68

Reboot

See also: List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films § Blade

By August 2012, the film rights to Blade had reverted to Marvel Studios.[15] In May 2013, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Marvel had a working script for Blade.[16] In July 2015, Wesley Snipes, who played Blade in three films before the character's rights reverted to Marvel, stated that he had discussions with Marvel to reprise the role.[17][18][19] In 2016, Underworld actress Kate Beckinsale stated that Marvel was doing something with Blade, after she was asked about a crossover between both franchises.[20]

In July 20, 2019 at the San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios announced that it would be rebooting the character and integrating Blade into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Mahershala Ali being cast as the title character.[21] Kevin Feige confirmed that Blade is not part of Phase Four. [22]

References

  1. ^ https://www.the-numbers.com/movies/franchise/Blade
  2. ^ "Blade (1998)". Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, LLC. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  3. ^ "Blade Production Budget". The-Numbers. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  4. ^ "Blade II (2002)". Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, LLC. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  5. ^ "Blade: Trinity (2004)". Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, LLC. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  6. ^ "Blade". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  7. ^ "Blade (1998)". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  8. ^ a b c "CinemaScore". CinemaScore. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  9. ^ "Blade II". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  10. ^ "Blade II (2002)". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  11. ^ "Blade: Trinity". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  12. ^ "Blade: Trinity (2004)". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  13. ^ https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/blade_the_series/s01
  14. ^ https://www.metacritic.com/tv/blade
  15. ^ 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. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ Kit, Borys; Bond, Paul (May 7, 2013). "Marvel Cliffhanger: Robert Downey Jr.'s $50 Million Sequel Showdown". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 18, 2014. Retrieved May 8, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ The Player: Wesley Snipes, Philip Winchester Interview – Comic-Con 2015. YouTube. July 10, 2015.
  18. ^ Snipes "In Talks" With Marvel About Blade Reboot – IGN News. YouTube. July 10, 2015.
  19. ^ Patten, Dominic (July 9, 2015). "Comic-Con: Wesley Snipes On 'Blade' Marvel Talks, 'The Player' & Spike Lee". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 10, 2015. Retrieved July 11, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ Jayson, Jay (October 7, 2016). "Marvel Is Doing Something With Blade According To Kate Beckinsale". ComicBook.com.
  21. ^ Galuppo, Mia (July 20, 2019). "Mahershala Ali to Star in 'Blade' Reboot for Marvel". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  22. ^ "Blade Is Officially An MCU Phase 5 Movie". ScreenRant. July 21, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
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