Mahershala Ali and Bassam Tariq Bring Their Vision to Life in a New Action Film After Marvel Setbacks

The long-awaited Blade film may be stuck in development limbo, but there’s good news for fans of Mahershala Ali and director Bassam Tariq. The duo has joined forces for an action-packed movie that is set to hit theaters.

Recently, a trailer was released for Tariq’s latest project, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, featuring Ali as a dedicated hitman navigating the streets of Houston to protect his children after the tragic loss of his wife.

The cast also includes John Cho, Giancarlo Esposito, Tramell Tillman from Severance, Abubakr Ali, Tiffany Boone, and Laith Nakli. Cinematography is handled by Katelin Arizmendi, while the score is composed by Son Lux. The film was first announced in February 2025, with filming wrapping up on May 29, 2025—quite a contrast to the ongoing saga of the Blade project that has been in development for over five years.

Blade was first revealed in July 2019, following Ali’s personal push for the character’s return, with Tariq stepping in as director in 2021. The cast expanded to include Delroy Lindo and Aaron Pierce. Initially slated for a November 3, 2023 release, the film faced significant hurdles when writer Beau DeMayo was removed after raising concerns about comments made by Marvel executives. Shortly after, Tariq exited the project amid further delays.

Production was halted to find a new director and screenwriter, leading to Yann Demange and Michael Starrbury joining the team. Nic Pizzolatto was later brought in for additional rewrites, transforming the film into a prohibition-era piece. However, the project was put on hold during the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, and the premise shifted away from its 1920s setting. Costume designer Ruth E. Carter departed to work on another project, taking her designs with her.

After more script revisions and delays, Demange left the film in March 2024. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has indicated that the search for a new director is ongoing, but industry insiders have reported that the standalone Blade movie is effectively dead, with Marvel now focusing on a Midnight Sons film featuring a team of supernatural heroes, including Blade. Meanwhile, Arkane Studios is still working on a Blade game, though its future seems uncertain amid layoffs at Microsoft. For now, Blade fans will have to settle for cameos in What If…? and a less-than-stellar role in Marvel Rivals.

Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is set to hit select theaters on September 25, with a wider release planned for October.