Mahershala Ali Is Not Returning as Blade in the Upcoming Marvel Project

Marvel fans have been waiting a long time to see Mahershala Ali take on the role of Blade in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But now it looks like his return as the vampire hunter may not be happening anytime soon, at least not in the way people expected.

According to recent reports, Ali will not be voicing Blade in Marvel Zombies, the upcoming animated series for Disney+. Instead, the role has gone to actor Todd Williams, who is stepping in to bring the character to life.

This news comes as a surprise, especially since Blade is one of the most anticipated characters Marvel has lined up for future projects.

Marvel Zombies is an animated spinoff created by Zeb Wells. It’s based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name and continues the storyline from the “What If… Zombies?!” episode of the Disney+ show What If…?. The series takes place in an alternate timeline where heroes and villains are infected with a zombie virus, and the few who survive are left to fight for their lives.

Bryan Andrews is serving as the director and showrunner, while Wells is leading the writing team.

In this version, Blade isn’t just the vampire-slaying “daywalker” fans know from the comics. He has also taken on the mantle of Moon Knight, which adds a new twist to his role in the zombie-infested Marvel world.

Marvel has already confirmed that the series will feature a huge lineup of familiar faces. In August 2025, Paul Rudd, Wyatt Russell, and Tessa Thompson were all announced to be reprising their roles as Scott Lang, U.S. Agent, and Valkyrie. Alongside them, Todd Williams was officially revealed as the new voice of Blade.

For Ali, this wouldn’t have been his first voice role in the MCU. So far, his only appearance as Blade has been a quick voice cameo in the post-credits scene of Eternals. Fans have been waiting for a proper debut, but so far it hasn’t happened.

The real problem is the Blade solo film, which has been in development for years. The movie has faced many delays and changes, with several directors and writers leaving the project. Earlier this year, Marvel even pulled it from the release schedule completely.

Kevin Feige recently said the movie is still in the works, but beyond that he gave no real update. Reports now suggest that Blade is no longer a top priority for Marvel Studios, which has left fans worried about its future.

For now, Mahershala Ali’s live-action debut as Blade is still up in the air, while Todd Williams will take over the animated version in Marvel Zombies.

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