Marvel’s Blade will feature the studio’s first Black female writer
Blade is making a return to the big screen in a reboot that falls under Marvel Studios Phase 4 plans, and the movie will make history for the studio with Stacy Osei-Kuffour penning the script. Osei-Kuffour is the first Black female screenwriter to write a Marvel script.
Osei-Kuffour’s background is as a playwright, but she recently came into the spotlight for her work on the HBO series Watchmen. Her work on the genre-bending series captured Marvel’s attention and they realized that she would be the perfect fit for their reboot of the Blade franchise.
Wesley Snipes made the role famous when he brought Blade to life 20 years ago, but his movies fall outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and so new versions are needed to link to the MCU and other properties.
Oscar winner Mahershala Ali has already been tapped to play Blade in the reboot, adding his name to a long list of award-winning talent that wants to be involved in the MCU.
Marvel’s commitment to diversity is stronger in Phase 4 with Blade, other films
Marvel Studios has been working hard to ensure that there is more representation in the next round of movies. From Osei-Kuffour writing the script for Blade to Nia DaCosta becoming the first Black female director on Captain Marvel 2, and Chloe Zhao directing Eternals, the move to bring diverse women into top positions is very visible and is a step in the right direction.
The upcoming Marvel movies and series are also very reflective of that commitment, with a brilliantly diverse cast for Eternals (including Lauren Ridloff, who will become the first deaf woman to play a superhero) and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
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As Phase 4 continues to roll out over the next few years, there is every reason to believe that more diverse voices will join the Marvel family and that’s a very good thing.