What Could Have Been: Blade

Taking a look at how Blade was almost very different and also how it saved Marvel and inspired the MCU.
⏱️TIMESTAMPS⏱️
0:00 Intro
0:28 Marvel’s Early Movie Attempts
1:57 The Comic Bubble Bursts
3:37 David Goyer
4:41 Deacon Frost
5:12 Whistler
5:41 Wesley Snipes
6:13 David Fincher
6:52 Stephen Norrington
8:03 Alternate Ending
8:40 Stan Lee Cameo
8:49 Morbius Cameo
9:03 Blade's Legacy
9:49 MCU
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#blade #marvel #mcu

[@classicsonicthewild6051]

Fun Fact: Guillermo Del Toro And Neil Gaiman Pitched A Doctor Strange Movie Back In 2007, But Marvel Passed On The Project Because Doctor Strange Was Considered A Low-Priority Character At The Time

[@bobgarlen]

Apparently, it was going to be set in or around the 1920s.

[@moochietheassclown9656]

This would be a good one.

[@patrickbossio8044]

Very cool what if! Even if Marvel picked it up my hunch is Del Toro would’ve dropped out before production.

[@rushapa]

Need a series of all of Guillermo's cancelled projects 😢

[@heybrowhatup]

Marvel made the right call on that one.

[@Omar-wq9dz]

Blade is definitely the catalyst, then X-Men and Spider-Man would help solidify that

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

Blade saved marvel and opened the door for more gritty superhero films but Spider-Man’s enormous success opened the flood gates.

[@adamkalb1]

@@Bulletsandblockbusters I should try doing a whole...trilogy review of all three of these pre-Cinematic Universe Marvel blockbusters made at the turn of the century, when visual effects/action choreography were much more advanced than they were a decade earlier in The Incredible Hulk Returns from 1988 and Captain America from 1990. It will be a very interesting multi-movie discussion: Blade from 1998, X-Men from 2000 and Spider-Man from 2002. So, what are your thoughts on Fantastic Four from 2005? I know it can not top Batman Begins from the same year, but do you still think Fantastic Four from 2005 and Rise of the Silver Surfer from 2007 are good or at least half-decent Marvel superhero films?

[@R1ch4d8]

It also helped that Blade came out in an era where vampire media and "action heroes" were still a big thing. Cos you had stuff like Buffy, Angel, Interview With the Vampire and From Dusk Till Dawn, and Blade combined all that with 90s blockbuster martial arts action.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

100% this is not discussed enough. Vampires were huge at the time.

[@R1ch4d8]

@@Bulletsandblockbusters Yeah cos being a Marvel product was pretty much the least important thing that Blade was marketed on. It was sold the same way a Stallone action movie was sold, or like Passenger 57 or Bad Boys, except here it was combined with a supernatural gothic style.

[@Wasupde]

@@R1ch4d8who cares it was successful regardless and it’s still marvel regardless of vampires being popular then a lot of vampires flooped too

[@R1ch4d8]

@@Wasupde Cos cultural context matters. Vampires and action movies were largely popular and Marvel films were the opposite of popular. You don't need to look for an argument in everything. "Flooped" lol, that just sounds fun.

[@jt6924]

People don’t give Blade enough credit. His films are the equivalent of what Smallville is to CW DC shows.

[@DefaultProphet]

Except good

[@vihaan1311]

Smallville is good on its own@@DefaultProphet

[@DefaultProphet]

@@vihaan1311 is it tho

[@bensneb360]

Blade has a very underrated soundtrack, whenever that techno kicks in, you can’t help it get pumped

[@Rezzanine]

Thanks for this. Blade is so often overlooked nowadays, so I'm glad you're reminding everyone of it significance.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

You bet!

[@peterramirez001]

I remember seeing this for the first time and being in awe of what I saw. A film that still holds up to this day. And the casting of Snipes was brilliant.

[@pepperpeterpiperpickled9805]

Blade had bullet-time and wire-fu before the matrix. Blade also rocked the black coat better imo. Also, Blade is not just in a war, he's a hero. He chooses to save a little girl instead of chasing Frost.

[@charleslennonbaker]

Actually 'bullet time' was invented and first used in the "Lost in Space" movie.

[@pepperpeterpiperpickled9805]

@@charleslennonbaker lost in space had the camera panning in a frozen time, bullet time is people moving at the same or similar speed to bullets. blade had frost dodging bullets/ bullet time first.

[@Anthonycheesman33]

Blade 2 definitely copied matrix though lol.

[@pepperpeterpiperpickled9805]

@@Anthonycheesman33 Id argue that either the matrix copied blade almost as much as it copied 'ghost in a shell' or that the matrix copied blade which copied the matrix (like how family guy copied the simpsons who later copied family guy)

[@DefaultProphet]

Eh he wasn’t happy about it though

[@crossmerc]

Shout out to Men in Black (1997), which never gets mentioned as a Marvel property in these conversations.

[@brigurugi]

I think Spawn from '97 softened the path for Blade to succeed and definitely should be mentioned in the conversation of Comic Book movie saving moves.

[@Wasupde]

But spawn flopped and blade had 2 really good movies.. not the same..

[@brigurugi]

@@Wasupde Spawn did not flop. $87mil on a $40mil budget.

[@EmperorGuyver]

​@@brigurugi It didnt exactly flop but it didnt do well neither. It dropped after the first weekend

[@brigurugi]

@@EmperorGuyver It also did extremely well on home video... I meant that it's mediocre success of an R Rated dark "hero" story paved the way to Blade and to some extent X-Men success and bad character CG(Spawn fighting Malbogia) Raimi's Spidey... 😬

[@oasisg9]

@@brigurugi it was rated pg-13

[@dripfreddyfazbear1246]

Fun Fact: Wesley Snipes Wanted To Play Black Panther Ever Since Marvel Approached Him With The Project In 1992. John Singleton Was Briefly Considered As Director, But The Movie Never Materialized Due To Various Creative Differences. Wesley Snipes Would Later Go On To Play Blade In The Blade Trilogy And While He Always Kept His Interests In A Black Panther Film, It Never Happened Due To Disagreements Over The Script

[@davidjames579]

Was Wesley Snipes ever in mind to play Luke Cage? Singleton was planning a film of this at one point, as was Tarantino.

[@heybrowhatup]

Blade was a game changer and you can argue it also paved the way for the tone of the Nolan Batman films with Goyer writing Batman Begins. Stephen Dorf was a very underrated villain.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

💯

[@pepperpeterpiperpickled9805]

agreed! Frost was a great villain because he was an outsider like blade. frost he didnt fit in with vampire culture, he was deeply insecure about his place in the world so he wants to become a god. and the only time he snaps is when someone calls vampirism an std.

[@pepperpeterpiperpickled9805]

T Shelby, you are wrong

[@NebLleb]

Dorf's performance as Frost is honestly, one of the best love-to-hate characters in cinema. He's such a scumbag and by a certain point, you're actively rooting for him to meet his comeuppance... But he's so enjoyable to watch as he does his wicked deeds and brags about it that you can't help but relish in his delightful evil.

[@pepperpeterpiperpickled9805]

@@NebLleb I think we enjoy watching him because he has a goal and he's taking steps to achieve it.

[@damianstarks3338]

Blade is childhood memories for me

[@Omar-wq9dz]

Speaking of Blade, I’m sure there will eventually be a Bullets & Blockbusters video about the MCU version, if it ever comes out, because of all the behind the scenes stories about delays and creative changes

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

Eventually!

[@paulcastro769]

This Movie is one of the G.O.A.T.s of Comic Book Movies. I had never seen that Morbius scene before. Awesome

[@rushabhgautam1337]

You know it's a good day when Bullets and Blockbusters uploaded a video

[@stsolomon618]

Blade is the foundation of the mcu

[@sethbrundels]

This is why they should bring Snipes back in favor of a recast.

[@davidjames579]

Goyer also wrote the TV adaptation of Foundation

[@FiendishDr_Wu]

I could’ve done with Morbius coming and Morbing things up. That would’ve been pretty cool honestly.

[@ElectricEliminator5]

Blade was so good i saw it twice in theatres. Once at the local AMC and once at the universal City Walk when I was 14

[@NebLleb]

Blade still holds up, and is more than worthy of the moniker of "the first good movie based on a Marvel property". It takes its source material seriously, whilst at the same time providing a top-tier action film with fantastic performances, set design, set pieces, fight choreography, and writing. Really, the main flaws are Traci Lords' acting as Frost's girlfriend, a climax that will come off as anti-climactic to some (though I felt it was a strong finale, personally), and although the director set out to make a Neo-Western, you don't exactly feel that Western tone as you watch it.

[@mattgilbert7347]

That's not Traci Lords. She's in the opening sequence. Dies at the blood rave. First kill, maybe.

[@bennysunday907]

Wow! Just learned so much from this film. Had no idea that Robert Maizel (not sure if I spelled that right) had the idea for the MCU. Also never knew that Blade was much different in the comics beforehand

[@TurboMintyFresh]

Blade is still a fantastic movie I do forget it came out in the late 1998 as the look of the film feels very 2000s

[@HallowPool193]

Can you do what could have been hellboy III? It sounds interesting and goes well with Halloween. Great job btw looking forward to more Bullets and blockbusters.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

I’ll look into it

[@HallowPool193]

Thanks looking forward to more

[@vandark]

I remember watching blade in spiderman the animated series, then that same day I saw the trailer at the movie theater and was so hyped for the movie that did not disappoint, I like to revisit that trailer from time to time

[@kyresefleming983]

If done properly darker grittier Morbius would have been great inside of the Blade universe.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

💯

[@roderick8167]

Yeah X-Men (2000) and Spider-Man (2002) often get more credit for starting the modern comic book movie boom but without Blade these two movies probably wouldn't have happened or would have taken longer to happen, Blade was the spark of fire that led to the flame of both X-Men and Spider-Man happening which eventually led to the MCU 🔥

[@samanthamarkle6923]

I grew up with the Arad Marvel films! Fun memories! They seem campy by today's Marvel movies, but have their high points!

[@PJKP82]

Hey, Dolph as the Punisher was pretty cool. Take that message to your people!

[@l-wolverine2211]

The more I think about it, the more it made sense. There were some Horrible movies from Marvel before Blade, with Howard the Duck(1986), The Punisher(1989), Captain America(1990), & The Fantastic Four(1994). I guess if Blade wasn’t that successful, Marvel probably would’ve gone Bankrupt at the time.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

💯

[@srami004]

If there is one lesson that ought to be learned from Blade, it is to be authentic. Ensure that the character is about as close to the source material as it can be, or lose the fans support. It's why soo many comic films are unsuccessful. The unwillingness to go there, to be as true as it can be is what's missing.

[@MikeLitoris-is7cg]

Disney Plus cutting parody cameos (Doomcock in SheHulk, Ezra Miller in Echo) to "quiet the noise"

[@michaelwahl7810]

I liked the old Dolph Punisher. Well, i remember liking it. I haven't watch since 94 or so. I remember it was something about yakuza...almost no backstory...just a guy killing tons of people. Good clean fun.

[@ourdivinemouseoverlord3308]

Dude, I liked Howard the Duck.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

Haha guilty pleasure

[@Andrew-po8nt]

Blade is underrated af

[@zacharyburau6657]

I never saw the sequels but I liked the first one, kinda has the vibe of that second Punisher with John Travolta. Good video, two in one weekend? Nice surprise

[@filmclips2023]

Are you going to do what could have been Zack Snyder's Wonder Woman (1854). Gal Gadot's Diana haunting Ares across the world battlefields with group of fighters: Samurai, African tribemen, Native American, British Indian soldier and so on.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

I’ll look into it

[@filmclips2023]

@@BulletsandblockbustersThank you 🙏 #synderverse

[@blakelyhall8191]

"Acting Virtuoso" Dolph 🤣🤣

[@mrmadfunny5507]

This is absolutely amazing keep up the great work can’t wait to see more 🔥!

[@johnashton4776]

Many people criticize The Punisher a very good movie the budget, yet the influence of Frank outfit was updated in the comics, the daggers on each side if his leg, turns out Boaz Yakin had more unarmed combat also the skull logo, Blade was darker than Punisher yet both movies were phenomenal Blade set a standard for the X-MEN, IRONMAN etc.

[@patrickbossio8044]

Great edit. Keep up the good work brother. Always appreciate the nuggets of info I didn’t previously know that you uncover. :)

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

Thanks! Will do!

[@chartaiwan]

Brilliant video. Should be longer

[@Arkanaax]

Really enjoying the content on this channel. Always fascinating to learn about unrealised projects and alterations depending on who is attached to them. I have a future video request for 'What Could Have Been Alien 3'. With multiple screenwriters and directors attached to the project, it would be interesting to go over some of them, at least those with screenplays that were released publicly. I expect you have a busy schedule of upcoming videos but just a request.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

Thanks! Happy to have aboard. Alien 3 is high on the to do list so stay tuned

[@teddykgb9971]

It's wild to see all this stuff I lived through recapped as a "secret history" or whatever for the kids today

[@daverichards9141]

Top 10 comic film.

[@pepperpeterpiperpickled9805]

great video as always mate

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

Thanks again!

[@tomsegal2605]

This is amazing, I've learn so much about the movie industry. Thank you!

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

My pleasure

[@THEMAX00000]

This guys living on another planet. Nobody cheers for marvel movies anymore, let alone the trailers

[@FRJ54]

Yes the legend returns with another video!

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

:)

[@qhorton6743]

Underrated movie. Just bought it on 4K a few wks ago.

[@regonik]

Blade is easily better than at 80% of phased MCU. And it keeps getting better

[@EggJump]

Blade does not get enough respect. He is my favorite Marvel character, and because of the movies, but now you barely even see him anywhere.

[@optimascrime5235]

It's kind of tragic that Blade helped out the MCU in the long run, then many year's latter when it came time for the MCU to adapt blade the script was so bad that the director quit and we haven't heard much from the movie since and the MCU itself has had more lows then highs recently

[@frankthepug9242]

The fact that Morbius was supposed to appear in a movie not just before Spider-Man, but in the first real Marvel movie, is incredible

[@mattyboyb523]

Wow !!! I never knew this. Thank you. I’ve been wanting to watch the Blade trilogy again anyway so now I have another reason.

[@damenicionscott]

I love blade

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

Same here

[@kevincruise3521]

YES!! Another B&B hit!

[@Sigmacenturion]

That Punisher movie was good though.

[@Anthonycheesman33]

I like blade but x men really was what started it all imo . A lot of people didn’t even know blade was a supehero lol.

[@GameEsthetics]

I never knew there was a Dolph Lundgren Punisher movie Great video as always B&B

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

Thanks!

[@TheDarkwingj]

They should bring Wesley Snipes back for the MCU blade to pass the torch if it gets made

[@gsmusic2009]

Blade was 100 percent ahead of itself it was so well done that the other Blade movies got worse instead of better even Tho Blade 2 was pretty cool but 3 was not good at all!!!

[@joeljuarez2828]

Perhaps you could make a few videos such as the Looney Tunes movies like Space Jam and Looney Tunes: Back in Action, The Road to El Dorado, and The Emperor’s New Groove?

[@armandosanchez4830]

The first two were good. The third meh but they should bring him back in secret wars

[@Stablemable2]

The Blade film is boss. I wish Norrington did the sequels.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

Same here

[@O_mega_YT.327]

I have watched all 3 Blade movies except the fourth spinoff one, the first one was amazing but the next two were kind of stale, I did not know that Wesley Snipes was trying to do a black panther movie, that would be a good topic for one of your guys videos.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

💯

[@parkerpshebnisky1051]

I love the first blade!👍👍🦇

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

Me too!

[@luisd7636]

It would be great for Marvel to make movies like Blade in the near future. they can't all be lighthearted comedies.

[@chris.shamblin]

I've always thought the Blade films were criminally under-appreciated. The third film is goofy but fun, and it helped launch two very successful stars with Reynolds and Biel. The first film is one of the most important comic book movies ever made for the reasons mentioned in the video (plus it showcased a Black superhero years before the MCU started doing so), and the second film is legitimately fantastic in virtually every aspect.

[@EnigmaShadow03]

Blade 1 is more goated than any Marvel movie to exist today. Period.

[@johnpittsii7524]

❤ The Blade movie

[@TheDrexLord]

I always find this fact so wierd. Marvel wasnt saved by spidey or the xmen or even the f4, no it was blade, the vampire hunter who nobody knew and needed to be changed so much from the comics in order to be cool

[@obelix703]

Yes, Blade is based on a comic book, but its real strength was that it was accepted primarily as a vampire movie at the time (since most of the filmgoing public didn’t know much about the books).

[@miguelbrymn3426]

I have a feeling the MCU Blade movie will end up getting a "What Could Have Been", with all these production issues going on. It was recently announced that the director quit, and they’re rewriting the script AGAIN.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

💯

[@seanwjones07]

Give Blade its flowers!

[@muchamore321]

just wish you wouldve talked about the alternative ending where the world ends (sounded sick)

[@raymondtillotson6985]

Mad respect to the creators unwilling to change the character's race and respect his history and fans. Wish that mindset prevailed today. Cough Disney cough..

[@smellywolf]

hi can you do tremors i think it would be a good one to review

[@alvincampo5811]

So many what could’ve beens in comic book movie history Tim Burton’s Superman, 2006 Justice League, possible James Cameron Spider-Man just so many opportunities

[@elskeletor3566]

They should of never sold to Disney that was Marvels downfall

[@jahtibacollins9454]

Was Blade Trinity a vast departure from what it could have been? It's so tonally different from the first two with it's humor. I wonder what it could have been.

[@zacharia1446]

“Heroin chic” 😂😂😂

[@saqib7965]

Blade 1 is a classic

[@BrianGriffinW]

Would you be interested in covering Video Game movies?

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

Yup

[@BrianGriffinW]

@@BulletsandblockbustersWhat Could Have Been: Sam Raimi’s The Last Of Us

[@Clarence_Oddbody]

Traci Lords is the Mother of the MCU.

[@viciousvictortee1298]

The one thing left out. Blade made Marvel 4 Thousand Dollars. New Lines fee for the Franchise. That's it 4 Grand.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

I’ve read that but I think there’s more left out. That probably doesn’t include the licensing fee.

[@viciousvictortee1298]

@@Bulletsandblockbusters Yeah the details on that deal do sound "funny".

[@viciousvictortee1298]

@@Bulletsandblockbusters Also how the hell Did New Line Go under. They were the Kings of Risk Takers. Snagging banger franchises for cheap and and pumping out a billion out of shoe string budgets. They had to be cooking books.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

Agreed! Used to love them. Maybe I’ll do a video on it.

[@viciousvictortee1298]

@@Bulletsandblockbusters you should

[@optimascrime5235]

I love George Lucas helping to create Star Wars but him pushing for Howard the Duck to be live action instead of an animated film and for the film turning out the way it did, Not to metion most of the decisions in the Star Wars prequels really makes me question the guy at times

[@davidjames579]

I heard it was Universal who pushed for live action. Lucas and the writers actually thought Howard and his world could only work in animation.

[@optimascrime5235]

@davidjames579 I recently heard that and that would have been so much better, I don't hate Geroge Lucas he's not perfect with his idea's but he's still the G.O.A.T

[@davidjames579]

@@optimascrime5235 yeah Universal needed a blockbuster for 1986. So it had to be live action. Simple as that.

[@yahnatanlevi6894]

Marvel and star wars needs to get away from Disney

[@marlonclark-pp9wg]

yeah they're killing them

[@ChristopherLono]

Any plans to tackle the unmade FF & X-Men crossover movie? Is there a story behind that?

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

I haven’t heard of a crossover but there’s def plans to cover FF

[@miguelbrymn3426]

Daredevil and Deadpool were also going to be in it. It would've been based on the Civil War storyline.

[@johnaraya3761]

sorry im late to the party got the coffee boss man lets go lol

[@carolvanaria600]

I would like to see a new NIGHTBREED made. The original was great but didn’t get the attention it deserved.there could be a few movies made with the way they left the ending.Hugh Ross was great as Narcissi’s.Horror and humor is a great mix!All the characters worked really well together.BRING IT BACK!!!

[@Michaelengelmann]

WB keeps making great live action movies then doing a 180°. Christopher Reeves first Superman movies then they went to 💩. Same with Keaton’s first 2 & the DCEU. They botched BvS, SS1, & JL. While also (probably) redoing minor changes to other movies like BoP & WW84. Delayed Black Adam & Flash for years & had multiple writers & directors. When these studios don’t care or are too hands on but they aren’t fans of the characters/universe like their customers then the movies/shows suck so “comic book movies will never be good”

[@KasumiKenshirou]

Aside from the actors, Richard Donner was the only reason the first Superman was any good. Then they fired the guy and the rest of the movies were terrible. The exact same thing with Tim Burton and Batman. The entire DCEU was mishandled. Why the hell was Ezra Miller cast as The Flash? Even if he wasn't a criminal, he was horribly miscast and annoying.

[@Michaelengelmann]

@@KasumiKenshirou nah, I like Miller as Flash & WB ruined the DCEU by not letting the directors make their movies & botching them since 2016, reshoots & delays

[@mttylerdurden9]

I can't believe we almost got a David Fincher BLADE movie!

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

I love what we got but a fincher directed blade is also something I would have loved to have seen

[@davidjames579]

Have you heard how apparently he invited himself to the set after shooting began? Although people were thrilled to have him there, he supposedly spent so long and advising on how to make it, that Stephen Norrington who's quite a quiet English guy couldn't persuade him to leave even though Fincher was supposedly pissing off the crew by doing this. Northington had to ask Wesley Snipes to use his physical presence and Fincher's awareness of Snipes martial arts skills, to advise Fincher to leave and let them all get on with their jobs.

[@YourCRTube]

It is hard to stress enough, how modern Blade was upon release. Little to no vampire clichés, and instead night clubs, blood showers, shotgun that turns vampire to dust, like a video game, helmets for sun protection, bullet time, gun-fu, humanoid enemies (no fantasy creatures), etc, etc.

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

💯

[@phantomfire8228]

4:00

[@meltedcopper9247]

Blade just has to cameo in Deadpool 3.. even if its a post credit with blade just missing the action . He has to appear

[@davidjames579]

He already has in Eternals

[@brodyringuette]

I don't know if you made this already or if you are able to make this video or not: What could've been Zack Snyders Justice League part 2 and 3

[@Bulletsandblockbusters]

Haven’t made it yet but I’ll get to in down the road

[@user-oi1iq6tt4j]

Blade should've been in infinity war at least and also Howard the duck is awesome foh

[@phantomfire8228]

7:10

[@huntercrawford9675]

howard the duck fuckin rocks man

[@mwc2k]

As much as i enjoyed Blade 2, i think i would have enjoyed Morbius being a villian for 2 or maybe 3

[@PeaceKeeper-md2tr]

The Blade Trilogy is the best non MCU Marvel projects