Blade searching for third new director as Yann Demange departs

'Blade' is searching for another new director, after Yann Demange departed the movie.

The French-Algerian filmmaker is said to have withdrawn from the project "a while ago" in what was an "entirely amicable" exit, and it makes him the second director to depart the motion picture after he had previously replaced Bassam Tariq.

According to The Wrap, Eric Pearson - who co-wrote 'The Fantastic Four' - is now working on the script for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) blockbuster, after Michael Starrbury, Nic Pizzolatto and Michael Green had penned on previous drafts.

'Blade' has been stuck in development purgatory since it was first announced in 2019, but Mahershala Ali is still expected to portray the half-human vampire hunter.

Tariq previously exited the movie due to changes in the "production schedule".

A Marvel statement read: "Due to continued shifts in our production schedule, Bassam is no longer moving forward as director of 'Blade' but will remain an executive producer on the film.

"We appreciate Bassam's talent and all the work he's done getting 'Blade' to where it is."

Ali is said to have had a hand in picking Demange as the new director.

The movie was then delayed due to the Hollywood writers' strike in May 2023, and it is yet to go into production.

While Marvel still has a November 7, 2025, release date in line for the motion picture, the studio isn't expected to rush the movie.

Plot details are yet to have been revealed, but it was previously said the plan was for the film to be dark and gritty in tone and have similarities to the trilogy that saw Wesley Snipes play the human-vampire hybrid character between 1998 and 2004.