Comics
Wesley Snipes Teasing Return to ‘Blade’ Role for Marvel
After Blade: Trinity‘s release back in 2004, it felt as if the Blade franchise was over for good. In 2008, franchise star Wesley Snipes went to prison (for three misdemeanor counts of failing to file tax returns) and that would lead most of us to assume that would be the final nail in the coffin. Only, Marvel has since become a force to reckon with and Blade is one of the more popular characters in the massive universe. The idea of Blade returning to the big (or small) screen now feels within the realm of possibility. As for Snipes biting into the role once again, well, the odds are stacked against him. Still, he’s keeping optimistic and allegedly has been working in secret with Marvel for the past few years on something Blade related.
“There are a lot of conversations going around right now and we’re very blessed to have the enthusiasm and interest in something coming from that world again,” Snipes told Vice when asked about another Blade. “We’ve created two projects that fit perfectly into this world and, when people see them, I think they’re only going to have a problem with deciding which one they love the most.
“All the main execs [at Marvel] and my team, we’ve been discussing for the past two years,” he continues. “Everyone’s enthusiastic about it, everybody gets it. But they got a business to run and they gotta square the things that they gotta figure out before they can get to it, I guess. In the meantime, we got a business to run and our own slate of things to do so…
“But the next time you see something in [the Blade universe], mark my words: what we did before is child’s play compared to what we can do now.”
ALSO READ: 20 Years Ago, ‘Blade’ Was Ahead of Its Time as Marvel’s First Big Screen Success Story
Snipes is purposely vague here, but if you want to read into what he’s saying it sounds as if the character of Blade could return in a different project. Without knowing if New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. still own the rights, what if Marvel found a way to work Blade into Sony’s new universe, which begins with Venom and continues with Morbius, starring Jared Leto? Staying within Marvel’s own universe – Blade was often seen next to… Doctor Strange in the “Avengers of the Supernatural”. He’s also been in several crossovers including Civil War, which makes his integration simple. The question is, where do the rights dwell, and can Marvel find a way to work the character into new properties? This is getting interesting and Blade’s return is starting to see the light of day (ha).
Comics
‘Witchblade’ is Getting Resurrected This Summer in New Comic Series from Top Cow and Image Comics
Witchblade, the popular comic series that initially ran from 1995 to 2015 and launched a TV series, is getting resurrected in a new comic series from Top Cow and Image Comics. It’s set to unleash heavy metal, black magic and blood this summer.
Look for the new Witchblade series to launch on July 17, 2024.
In Witchblade #1, “New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini’s life was forever fractured by her father’s murder. Cold, cunning, and hellbent on revenge, Sara now stalks a vicious criminal cabal beneath the city, where an ancient power collides and transforms her into something wild, magnificent, and beyond her darkest imaginings. How will Sara use this ancient power, or will she be consumed by it?”
The series is penned by NYT Best-Selling writer Marguerite Bennett (Animosity, Batwoman, DC Bombshells) and visualized by artist Giuseppe Cafaro (Suicide Squad, Power Rangers, Red Sonja). The creative duo is working with original co-creator Marc Silvestri, who is the CEO of Top Cow Productions Inc. and one of the founders of Image Comics. They are set to reintroduce the series to Witchblade’s enduring fans with “a reimagined origin with contemporary takes on familiar characters and new story arcs that will hook new readers and rekindle the energy and excitement that fueled the 90’s Image Revolution that shaped generations of top creators.”
Bennett said in a statement, “The ability to tell a ferocious story full of monsters, sexuality, vision, and history was irresistible.” She adds, “Our saga is sleek, vicious, ferocious, and has a lot to say about power in the 21st century and will be the first time that we are stopping the roller coaster to let more people on. I’ve loved Witchblade since I was a child, and there is truly no other heroine like Sara with such an iconic legacy and such a rich, brutal relationship to her own body.”
“The Witchblade universe is being modernized to reflect how Marguerite beautifully explores the extreme sides of Sara through memories, her personal thoughts, like desire and hunger, in her solitude and when she is possessed by the Witchblade. So, I had to visually intersect a noir True Detective-like world with a supernatural, horror world that is a fantastic mix between Berserk and Zodiac,” Cafaro stated.
Marc Silvestri notes, “This is brand new mythology around Sara, and I can’t wait for you to fall in love with her and all the twists and turns. Discover Witchblade reimagined this summer, and join us as we bring all the fun of the 90s to the modern age and see how exciting comics can be. I can’t wait for you to read this new series.”
Witchblade#1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 17th, for $4.99 for 48 pages. And it’ll come with multiple cover variants.
-
Cover A: Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
-
Cover B: Giuseppe Cafaro and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
-
Cover C: Blank Sketch Cover
-
Cover D (1/10): Dani and Brad Simpson (Full Color)
-
Cover E (1/25): Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto, Virgin Cover (Full Color)
-
Cover F (1/50): J.Scott Campbell (Full Color)
-
Cover G (1/100): Bill Sienkiewicz. (Full Color)
-
Cover H (1/250): Line art by Marc. Virgin Cover, Inks (B/W)
Witchblade #1 will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.
4 New Horror Movies Releasing This Week Including ‘Late Night with the Devil’ at Home
‘Ready or Not’: Radio Silence Filmmakers Tease the “Absolute Banger” of a Sequel That’s Taking Shape
‘Sting’ Review – Throwback Creature Feature Entertains With an Impressive Practical Monster
“We Built Every Creature” – ‘Alien: Romulus’ Goes Heavy on the Old School Practical Effects!
‘Terrifier 3’: Filming Has Wrapped on Damien Leone’s Christmas Slasher Sequel!
You must be logged in to post a comment.