Blade (1998 film)

In 1967, a pregnant woman is attacked by a vampire, causing her to go into premature labor. Doctors are able to save her baby, but the woman dies.

Thirty years later, the child has become the vampire hunter Blade, who is known as the daywalker, a human-vampire hybrid that possesses the supernatural abilities of the vampires without any of their weaknesses, except for the requirement to consume human blood. Blade raids a rave club in Los Angeles owned by the vampire Deacon Frost. Police take one of the vampires to the hospital, where he kills Dr. Curtis Webb and feeds on hematologist Karen Jenson, and escapes. Blade takes Karen to a safe house where she is treated by his old friend Abraham Whistler. Whistler explains that he and Blade have been waging a secret war against vampires using weapons based on their elemental weaknesses, such as sunlight, silver, and garlic. As Karen is now "marked" by the bite of a vampire, both he and Blade tell her to leave the city.

At a meeting of the council of pure-blood vampire elders, Frost, the leader of a faction of younger vampires, is rebuked for trying to incite war between vampires and humans. As Frost and his kind are not natural-born vampires, they are considered socially inferior. Meanwhile, returning to her apartment, Karen is attacked by police officer Krieger, who is a familiar, a human loyal to vampires. Blade subdues Krieger and uses information from him to locate an archive that contains pages from the "vampire bible".

Krieger informs Frost of what happened, and Frost kills Krieger. Frost also has one of the elders executed and strips the others of their authority, in response to the earlier disrespect shown to him at the council of vampires. Meanwhile, Blade comes upon Pearl, a morbidly obese vampire, and tortures him with a UV light into revealing that Frost wants to command a ritual where he would use 12 pure-blood vampires to awaken the "blood god" La Magra, and Blade's blood is the key.

Later, at the hideout, Blade injects himself with a special serum that suppresses his urge to drink blood. However, the serum is beginning to lose its effectiveness due to overuse. While experimenting with the anticoagulant EDTA as a possible replacement, Karen discovers that it explodes when combined with vampire blood. She manages to synthesize a vaccine that can cure the infected but learns that it will not work on Blade. Karen is confident that she can cure Blade's bloodthirst but it would take her years of treating it.

After Blade rejects Frost's offer for a truce, Frost and his men attack the hideout where they infect Whistler and abduct Karen. When Blade returns, he helps Whistler commit suicide. When Blade attempts to rescue Karen from Frost's penthouse, he is shocked to find his still-alive mother, who reveals that she came back the night she was attacked and was brought in by Frost, who appears and reveals himself as the vampire who bit her. Blade is then subdued and taken to the Temple of Eternal Night, where Frost plans to perform the summoning ritual for La Magra. Karen is thrown into a pit to be devoured by Webb, who has transformed into a decomposing zombie-like creature. Karen injures Webb and escapes. Blade is drained of his blood, but Karen allows him to drink from her, enabling him to recover. Frost completes the ritual and obtains the powers of La Magra. Blade confronts Frost after killing all of his minions, including his mother, but initially finds him too powerful to defeat. Blade injects Frost with all of the syringes of EDTA, and the overdose causes his body to inflate and explode, finally killing him.

Karen offers to help Blade cure himself; instead, he asks her to create an improved version of the serum so he can continue his crusade against vampires. In a brief epilogue, Blade confronts a vampire in Moscow.

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• Wesley Snipes as Eric Brooks / Blade: A half-vampire "daywalker" (a Dhampir) who hunts vampires. Blade is highly skilled in martial arts and always equips himself with vampire-killing weapons.
• Stephen Dorff as Deacon Frost: An upstart vampire with great ambitions and influence. He emerges as Blade's primary enemy and also wants to conquer the human race.
• Kris Kristofferson as Abraham Whistler: Blade's mentor, father figure and weaponsmith
• N'Bushe Wright as Dr. Karen Jenson: A hematologist who is bitten by a vampire. She stays with Blade to remain safe while she finds a cure for herself and eventually becomes his partner in fighting Deacon Frost's party.
• Donal Logue as Quinn: A cocky minion of Frost's, capable of surviving wounds that kill lesser vampires.
• Udo Kier as Gitano Dragonetti: A vampire elder.
• Arly Jover as "Mercury": A fleet-footed vampire and one of Frost's multiple lovers.{{cite web |title=Arly Jover Interview - Mercury from Blade |url=http://www.comicmonsters.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=939 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516102213/http://www.comicmonsters.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=939 |archive-date=16 May 2012 |website=ComicMonsters.com}}
• Traci Lords as Racquel: A seductive vampire who leads a man to the blood rave.
• Kevin Patrick Walls as Officer Krieger: A "familiar", or human servant, of Frost's.
• Tim Guinee as Dr. Curtis Webb: Karen's ex-boyfriend, who is killed by Quinn and later becomes a zombie-like creature, instead of a vampire (like most people bitten by a vampire would).
• Sanaa Lathan as Vanessa Brooks: Blade's mother, who has become a vampire.
• Eric Edwards as Pearl: a morbidly obese vampire.{{cite web |date=2008-07-17 |author=The Big Bad Wolf |title=Eric Edwards Interview - Pearl from Blade |url=http://www.comicmonsters.com/features-934-Eric_Edwards_Interview_-_Pearl_from_BLADE.html |website=ComicMonsters.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409200117/http://www.comicmonsters.com/features-934-Eric_Edwards_Interview_-_Pearl_from_BLADE.html |archive-date=2009-04-09 |url-status=dead}}

The character Blade was created in 1973 for Marvel Comics by the writer Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan as a supporting character in the 1970s comic The Tomb of Dracula. The comic Blade used teakwood knives and was much more the everyman in his behavior and attitude. Though courageous and brave, he displayed flaws as well, such as an inability to get along with certain other supporting cast members and a hatred of vampires that bordered on fanaticism.

The character was not originally a "daywalker" but a human being immune to being turned into a vampire. Lacking the superhuman speed and strength of his undead quarry, he relied solely on his wits and skill until he was bitten by the character Morbius as seen in Peter Parker: Spider-Man #8, first published in August 1999. The film portrayal of Blade was updated for a 1990s audience and the comics character was subsequently modified to match. Goyer replaced the daggers Blade used in the comics with a sword and gave him a more samurai-like aesthetic. The film's version of Deacon Frost also differs greatly from his comic counterpart. He was older with white hair and literally a church deacon, but the film retains Frost's upstart ambitions.{{cite web |date=1 March 2004 |last=Otto |first=Jeff |title=An Interview with David S. Goyer |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/03/01/an-interview-with-david-s-goyer |website=IGN }}

When New World Pictures bought the rights to Marvel Comics, they were set to make a Mexico-set western starring Richard Roundtree as the vampire hunter. Marvel Studios then started to develop the film in early 1992, when rapper LL Cool J was interested in playing the lead role.{{cite news|author=Staff|url=https://variety.com/1992/film/news/marvel-characters-holding-attraction-for-filmmakers-101955/|date=1992-12-08|title=Marvel characters holding attraction for filmmakers|work=Variety |access-date=2024-10-12 |archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305034341/https://variety.com/1992/film/news/marvel-characters-holding-attraction-for-filmmakers-101955/|url-status=live}} Blade was eventually set up at New Line Cinema, with David S. Goyer writing the script. When Goyer heard a film was in development he went in to pitch with director Ernest Dickerson. David Fincher was also attached to the project and even worked on the script with Goyer.{{Cite web |date=December 8, 2004 |first=Brian |last=B |url=https://movieweb.com/director-david-goyer-talks-blade-trinity-and-batman-begins/ |title=Director David Goyer talks Blade: Trinity and Batman Begins! |website=MovieWeb}} New Line Cinema originally wanted to do Blade as "something that was almost a spoof" before the writer convinced them otherwise. At one point, the studio even asked if Blade could be white.{{cite magazine |date=July 16, 2018 |author=Leah Greenblatt |title='Blade' oral history: Wesley Snipes and the cast look back at a modern cult classic |url=https://ew.com/comic-con/2018/07/16/blade-oral-history-wesley-snipes/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=November 24, 2020 |archive-date=May 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514114748/https://ew.com/movies/2018/07/16/blade-oral-history-wesley-snipes/ |url-status=live}} Goyer wanted to take the character seriously, and ground them in a sense of reality with vampirism as a biological disease.{{cite web |author=Desmond Pfeiffer |url=https://archive.org/details/cinefantastique_1970-2002/Cinefantastique%20Vol%2029%20No%206-7%20%28Nov%201997%29/page/n6/mode/1up |title=Cinefantastique Magazine: 1970-2002 : Cinefantastique |date= November 25, 1970|access-date=2022-08-04}} He even pitched a trilogy of movies "almost Wagnerian in scope". He also wanted to demystify the vampires and treat them as serious villains with a greater sense of realism instead of the doomed romantic characters shown in Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire. Goyer's early drafts predated but took a similar post-modern approach as the films From Dusk till Dawn and Vampire in Brooklyn.

After failing to get a Black Panther film into production,{{cite web |date=January 30, 2018 |author=Ryan Parker |author2=Aaron Couch |title=Wesley Snipes Reveals Untold Story Behind His 'Black Panther' Film |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-wesley-snipes-reveals-untold-story-behind-90s-film-1078868 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=February 23, 2019 |archive-date=January 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130185406/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-wesley-snipes-reveals-untold-story-behind-90s-film-1078868 |url-status=live}} in 1996, Wesley Snipes signed on to star as Blade.{{cite news |author=Gary Levin |url=https://variety.com/1996/scene/vpage/perelman-takes-marvel-to-bankruptcy-court-1117436186/ |title=Perelman takes Marvel to bankruptcy court |work=Variety |date=1996-12-29 |access-date=2014-10-12 |archive-date=March 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200303134112/https://variety.com/1996/scene/vpage/perelman-takes-marvel-to-bankruptcy-court-1117436186/ |url-status=live}} Snipes also produced through his company Amen Ra Films, and worked with the writers to invest the story with elements of classic tragedy - ”like Lear, like Hamlet"- to heighten the characters' emotional drama.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-aug-19-ca-14361-story.html|title= Blade to Snipes' Heat |last=Harrison |first=Eric |date=August 19, 1998 |work=Los Angeles Times }}

When Goyer first pitched the idea of doing a Blade film, Michael De Luca, head of New Line Cinema, suggested Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, and Laurence Fishburne, but to Goyer, Snipes was always the perfect choice for Blade. The finalized script was sent to Snipes and no other actor was seriously considered.

Patrick McGoohan was the first choice to play Whistler, as Stephen Norrington was a fan of The Prisoner (1967). Jon Voight was also considered for the role.{{cite magazine |author=Dale Kutzera |title=LONE WOLF VAMPIRE SLAYER |url=https://archive.org/details/cinefantastique_1970-2002/Cinefantastique%20Vol%2029%20No%2010%20%28Feb%201998%29/page/n26/mode/1up |website=Cinefantastique Magazine |page=27 |via=Internet Archive |date=1998 |quote=the only three people we were thinking about for Whistler were Patrick Mac-goohan, Jon Voight, and Kris Kristofferson.}}{{cite web |date=March 19, 2002 |author=Rob Allstetter |url=http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0203/19/bladeindex.htm |title=Comics Continuum |publisher=Comics Continuum |access-date=2019-01-08 |archive-date=2012-07-23 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120723143748/http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0203/19/bladeindex.htm|url-status=live |quote=Initially, with Whistler, we were thinking Patrick McGoohan, and then we started thinking Jon Voigt and then Kris Kristofferson}}

Blade was produced on a budget of $45 million{{cite news | last = Allstetter | first= Rob | date = August 1997 | title = Special Report: Blood on the Big Screen | work = Wizard | issue = 72 | pages = 122–3}} and principal photography commenced on February 5, 1997,{{cite news |author=Michael Fleming |title=Hughes Bros. Turn out 'Pimp' |url=https://variety.com/1997/voices/columns/hughes-bros-turn-out-pimp-1117432945/ |work=Variety |date=1997-01-27 |access-date=2014-10-12 |archive-date=September 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909074011/https://variety.com/1997/voices/columns/hughes-bros-turn-out-pimp-1117432945/ |url-status=live}} in large part done in Los Angeles, with some scenes being shot in Death Valley. All sets were constructed, and all on-set filming occurred, in what was formerly the Redken Shampoo factory in Canoga Park.{{cite news |author=Bashirah Muttalib |title=As more pics shoot in Calif., coffers swell |url=https://variety.com/1998/voices/columns/as-more-pics-shoot-in-calif-coffers-swell-1117481188/ |work=Variety |date=8 October 1998 |access-date=1 April 2020 |archive-date=April 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414132304/http://variety.com/1998/voices/columns/as-more-pics-shoot-in-calif-coffers-swell-1117481188/ |url-status=live}} The effects for the film were done by Flat Earth Productions.{{cite news |author=Marc Graser |title=Flat Earth founder forms new company |url=https://variety.com/2001/digital/news/flat-earth-founder-forms-new-company-1117853484/ |work=Variety |date=1 October 2001 |access-date=1 April 2020 |archive-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170309163820/http://variety.com/2001/digital/news/flat-earth-founder-forms-new-company-1117853484/ |url-status=live}}

The first cut of the film was 140 minutes long. It had a disastrous test screening with audiences. Heavy edits and re-shoots were implemented which delayed the release date for more than half a year. The most significant change was the addition of the final sword fight between Blade and Deacon Frost, which did not exist in the original cut. In the original ending, Frost turned into La Magra and became a large swirling mass of blood instead of keeping his form. This was scrapped because the filmmakers could not get the special effects to look right. It can be seen as a special feature on the DVD. Stan Lee originally had a cameo that was ultimately cut from the film. He played one of the cops that came into the blood club during the aftermath and discover Quinn's body on fire. The scene where Karen and Deacon are talking about the cure for vampirism initially ran slightly longer and answered the question of how the vampires would feed if everybody was turned into a vampire. They would keep some humans alive in giant blood bags to harvest them. The bags can still be seen in a doorway during the scene, and later played an integral part of the plot in Blade: Trinity.{{cite web |date=April 30, 1998 |url=http://www.aintitcool.com/node/928 |title=BLADE test screenings |author=staff |work=Ain't It Cool News |access-date=February 15, 2015 |archive-date=February 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216002309/http://www.aintitcool.com/node/928 |url-status=live}}

Marvel was not going to give Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan credit for the characters they had created, but Goyer insisted. He asked New Line and they accepted, but representatives of Marv Wolfman said only he should get credit, and not Gene Colan. Goyer insisted that both be credited.

{{main|Blade (soundtrack)}}

A soundtrack containing hip hop music was released on August 25, 1998, by TVT Records and Epic Records. It peaked at #36 on the Billboard 200 and #28 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The British techno band The Prodigy was approached to do the soundtrack and score to the film but had to turn down the offer due to other commitments.

Blade premiered on August 19, 1998 at New York's Sony Theaters Lincoln Square, with another screening at Los Angeles' Grauman's Chinese Theatre the following day before opening wide on August 21.{{cite web |date=24 August 1998 |last1=Torres |first1=Vanessa |last2=Diuguid |first2=Carol |title='Blade' cuts a fine preem |url=https://variety.com/1998/scene/vpage/blade-cuts-a-fine-preem-1117479758/ |website=Variety }} The film was banned from showing in Malaysia, widely considered to have the most controlling censors in Southeast Asia.{{cite news |author=Don Groves |title=Ryan under attack |url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/ryan-under-attack-1117488131/ |work=Variety |date=5 November 1998 |access-date=13 December 2008 |archive-date=June 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607035847/https://variety.com/1998/film/news/ryan-under-attack-1117488131/ |url-status=live}}

Blade was first released on DVD and VHS on December 1, 1998 by New Line Home Entertainment.

The film was released on Blu-ray on June 19, 2012.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Blade-Blu-ray/30384/ |title=Blade Blu-ray |access-date=2024-07-28 |via=www.blu-ray.com}}

The film was released in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on December 1, 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.mediaplaynews.com/blade-coming-to-4k-dec-1/ |title='Blade' Coming to 4K Dec. 1 |website=mediaplaynews.com |date=12 October 2020 |access-date=13 April 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126052231/https://www.mediaplaynews.com/blade-coming-to-4k-dec-1/ |archive-date=26 January 2021}} The remastered 4K release differs from earlier versions by using a widescreen 2.39:1 format.{{YouTube|JG8R85oAQhM|BLADE Opening 4K Remastered - Bloodbath}}{{YouTube|O2Y3FFFIvRI|Blade / 4K Trailer / Warner Bros. Entertainment}}

Marv Wolfman unsuccessfully sued Marvel and New Line Cinema for $35 million after the release of the film, claiming he was not bound by a work for hire contract when he created the character in 1972.{{cite news |date=August 21, 1998 |author=Marla Matzer |title=Blade Suit Seeks Slice of the Action for Its Creator |newspaper= Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-aug-21-fi-15075-story.html }} He, along with artist Gene Colan, received a "based on characters created by" credit in this film.{{cite web | url = http://archives.tcj.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=238&Itemid=48 | title = Wolfman loses Blade lawsuit against Marvel |url-status= dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224224934/http://archives.tcj.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=238&Itemid=48 |archive-date=February 24, 2012 | website= The Comics Journal |access-date= February 20, 2020}} Three extras in the blood rave scene sued the studios and effects company Reel Creations Inc. claiming the stage blood caused permanent blemishes to their skin.{{Cite web |date=1998-04-19 |author=ANN W. O’NEILL | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-apr-19-me-40895-story.html |title=With Special Effects, It's a Real (or Fake) Blood Bath |work=Los Angeles Times }}

In North America, Blade dislodged Saving Private Ryan, which led the previous four weeks in the box office, to finish at number one with $17.1 million across 2,322 screens.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-aug-25-ca-16176-story.html |title=Snipes Helps Power Blade to No.1 |last=Welkos |first=Robert W.|work=Los Angeles Times|date=August 25, 1998}} The film would top the box office for two weekends until it was overtaken by There's Something About Mary.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111352494/mary-shows-its-something-reaching/ |title='Mary' shows it's something reaching No. 1 after 8 weeks |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023145427/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111352494/mary-shows-its-something-reaching/ |date=September 10, 1998 |access-date=October 23, 2022 |archive-date=October 23, 2022 |page=2 |publisher=The Star Press |via=Newspapers.com |url-status=live}} {{Open access}} The film also opened in number one in both Spain, with $1.5 million (US) in 200 theaters, and Australia, with $1 million from 132 cinemas.{{cite news |author=Don Groves |title=Germans embrace Ryan at the B.O. |url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/germans-embrace-ryan-at-the-b-o-1117481371/ |work=Variety |date=13 October 1998 |access-date=13 December 2008 |archive-date=June 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607043942/https://variety.com/1998/film/news/germans-embrace-ryan-at-the-b-o-1117481371/ |url-status=live}} In the Flemish Region of Belgium, the film earned $323,000 from 20 cinemas, and the Netherlands earned the film $246,000 from 44 cinemas.{{cite news |author=Don Groves |title=Antz swarming o'seas |url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/antz-swarming-o-seas-1117488039/ |work=Variety |date=3 November 1998 |access-date=13 December 2008 |archive-date=June 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608040157/https://variety.com/1998/film/news/antz-swarming-o-seas-1117488039/ |url-status=live}} France made $1.9 million in five days from 241 cinemas, but the film was less successful in Hong Kong (with $182,000 from 22 cinemas) and South Africa ($159,000 from 64 cinemas). The United Kingdom was more successful, taking in $5.7 million over 10 days,{{cite news |author=Don Groves |title=Antz, Exorcist impressive o'seas |url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/antz-exorcist-impressive-o-seas-1117488220/ |work=Variety |date=9 November 1998 |access-date=13 December 2008 |archive-date=June 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607012449/https://variety.com/1998/film/news/antz-exorcist-impressive-o-seas-1117488220/ |url-status=live}} as was Brazil, making $855,000 in four days from 133 cinemas.{{cite news |author=Don Groves |title=Mary, Whisperer top $100 mil mark o'seas |url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/mary-whisperer-top-100-mil-mark-o-seas-1117488803/ |work=Variety |date=24 November 1998 |access-date=13 December 2008 |archive-date=June 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607035841/https://variety.com/1998/film/news/mary-whisperer-top-100-mil-mark-o-seas-1117488803/ |url-status=live}} Blade remained atop the North American box office in its second weekend, earning $11.1 million.[https://www-latimes-com/archives/la-xpm-1998-aug-31-ca-18102-story.html ‘Blade’ Still a Cut Above as Ticket Sales Heat Up ] Blade finished its box office run with $70 million domestically and $61 million worldwide for a total of $131.2 million.{{mojo title|blade|Blade}}

Despite the success of the film, Marvel shared only a flat fee of $25,000.{{cite web |date=28 September 2012 |last=Howe |first=Sean |title=The Amazing Merrill Lynch Deal That Made The Avengers Possible |url=https://slate.com/business/2012/09/marvel-comics-and-the-movies-the-business-story-behind-the-avengers.html |website=Slate Magazine |access-date=May 9, 2019 |archive-date=April 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428122228/https://slate.com/business/2012/09/marvel-comics-and-the-movies-the-business-story-behind-the-avengers.html |url-status=live}}

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 58% based on 113 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10. The site's critics consensus states: "Though some may find the plot a bit lacking, Blade{{'}}s action is fierce, plentiful, and appropriately stylish for a comic book adaptation."{{cite web |title= Blade |url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1083484_blade |website= Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=February 25, 2025|archive-date= September 24, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200924011654/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1083484_blade |url-status= live}} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 47 out of 100 based on reviews from 23 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.{{cite web | url= https://metacritic.com/video/titles/blade1 | title= Blade (1998) | work= Metacritic | publisher= CBS Interactive | access-date= February 4, 2019 | archive-date= October 25, 2012 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121025033226/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/blade | url-status= live}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.{{cite web |url= https://cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title= Cinemascore |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date= 2018-12-20 |access-date= 2019-02-04}}

Roger Ebert gave the film three stars out of four, writing: "Blade ... is a movie that relishes high visual style. It uses the extreme camera angles, the bizarre costumes and sets, the exaggerated shadows, the confident cutting between long shots and extreme closeups. It slams ahead in pure visceral imagery".{{cite news |date= August 21, 1998 |author= Roger Ebert |author-link= Roger Ebert |title= Blade |publisher= Chicago Sun-Times |url= https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/blade-1998 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130620104856/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/blade-1998 |archive-date= June 20, 2013 |url-status= live |access-date= May 9, 2019}} James Berardinelli gave the film 2½ stars out of 4, writing: "Blade has the capacity to dazzle, but it also will leave many viewers dissatisfied".{{cite web | author = James Berardinelli | author-link = James Berardinelli | title = Blade - Reelviews Movie Reviews - James Berardinelli | publisher = Reelviews.net | url = http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/b/blade.html | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190509211809/http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/b/blade.html | archive-date = May 9, 2019 | access-date = May 9, 2019}} Berardinelli also wrote: "Blade opens brilliantly, with a series of fast-paced, visually-engaging scenes that display the seedy underbelly of vampire society and introduce the implacable title character in true superhero fashion. For about its first hour, the movie offers violent, visceral, rapid fire entertainment that concentrates as much on developing a distinctive atmosphere as on advancing a minimalist storyline. Unfortunately [...] it keeps going and going, eventually wearing out its welcome".{{cite web |author= James Berardinelli |author-link= James Berardinelli |title= Blade - A Film Review by James Berardinelli, for Playboy Magazine |publisher= Playboy magazine |url= http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/b/blade1.html |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190509212137/http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/b/blade1.html |archive-date= May 9, 2019 |access-date= May 9, 2019}} Dennis Harvey of Variety wrote: "Though slick and diverting in some aspects, increasingly silly pic has trouble meshing disparate elements -- horror, superhero fantasy, straight-up action -- into a workable whole".{{cite web |date=20 August 1998 |author=Dennis Harvey |title=Blade |url=https://variety.com/1998/film/reviews/blade-1200454648 |website=Variety}} John Krewson of The A.V. Club was critical of the story and the dialogue, but praised the "creative cinematography and non-stop, decently choreographed gratuitous violence".{{cite web |date= 2002-10-04 |author= John Krewson |title= Blade |url= https://www.avclub.com/blade-1798196353 |website= The A.V. Club |access-date= February 20, 2020 |archive-date= November 23, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191123162247/https://film.avclub.com/blade-1798196353 |url-status= live}}

Critics such as A. Asbjørn Jøn have noted not only the important place of Blade in the wider vampire genre, but also possible intertextual links between the Whistler character and a character named Whistler in A Dozen Black Roses (1996) by Nancy A. Collins, as they possess "striking similarities in role, dramatic focus, visual appearance, and sharing the name".{{Cite journal|url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283318599|title = Vampire Evolution|last = Jøn|first = A. Asbjørn|date = 2003|journal = METAphor|access-date = 25 November 2015|page = 23|archive-date = January 12, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210112222202/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283318599_Vampire_Evolution|url-status = live}}

The film was nominated for Best Horror Film and Best Make-up at the Saturn Awards.{{cite magazine|title=Invasion of the Saturn Winners |url=https://www.wired.com/1999/06/invasion-of-the-saturn-winners/ |magazine=Wired |access-date=20 October 2023 |date=June 18, 1999}} Stephen Dorff won Best Villain at the MTV Movie Awards while Wesley Snipes was nominated for Best Fight.{{cite web | url = http://www.mtv.com/ontv/movieawards/1999/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080423094847/http://www.mtv.com/ontv/movieawards/1999/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = April 23, 2008 | title = 1999 MTV Movie Awards | work = MTV Movie Awards | access-date = October 26, 2010}}

{{main|Blade (2000 video game)}}

A video game prequel was published and released by Activision in 2000 for the PlayStation.{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps/adventure/blade/review.html |title=Gamespot.com: Blade for PlayStation |access-date=2009-07-21 |archive-date=July 3, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703094157/http://www.gamespot.com/ps/adventure/blade/review.html |url-status=live}} The game received mixed reviews. On Metacritic it received a weighted average score 51% based on reviews from 11 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.{{cite web |url=https://metacritic.com/game/playstation/blade |title=Blade for PlayStation Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120827084810/https://metacritic.com/game/playstation/blade |archive-date=August 27, 2012 |access-date=May 9, 2019}} A separate game for the Game Boy Color was also released.{{cite magazine |title=Blade |magazine=Nintendo Power |publisher=Nintendo of America |volume=139 |date=December 2000}}{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/gbc/915839-blade/ |title=Blade for Game Boy Color |website=GameRankings |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=May 9, 2019 |archive-date=December 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209015416/https://www.gamerankings.com/gbc/915839-blade/ |url-status=live}}

{{main|Blade II|Blade: Trinity|Blade: The Series}}

The success of the film led to two sequels, Blade II in 2002, Blade Trinity in 2004, as well as a television series.

{{Anchor|Future}}

In August 2014, Snipes spoke about his desire to return to the franchise: "I'd be open to it. I think we've got some stones left unturned and there's some latitude left for us to build on and I'd love to get back in the suit again and do some things I've learned how to do now that I didn't know how to do then".{{cite news |date= August 28, 2014 |title= Wesley Snipes back for fourth 'Blade' |url= http://www.torontosun.com/2014/08/28/wesley-snipes-back-for-fourth-blade |newspaper= Toronto Sun |access-date= August 30, 2014 |archive-date= September 9, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160909190036/http://www.torontosun.com/2014/08/28/wesley-snipes-back-for-fourth-blade |url-status= live}}

During their 2019 San Diego Comic-Con presentation, Marvel Studios announced a Blade reboot set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Mahershala Ali starring as Blade.{{cite web |url= https://comicbook.com/marvel/2019/07/20/marvel-studios-blade-sdcc-panel-announce/ |title= Marvel Studios Announces Blade Reboot During SDCC Presentation |author= Charlie ridgely |date= July 20, 2019 |website= ComicBook.com |access-date= 2019-07-20 |archive-date= October 8, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191008034157/https://comicbook.com/marvel/2019/07/20/marvel-studios-blade-sdcc-panel-announce/ |url-status= live}} Some fans of Snipes were disappointed, but Snipes expressed his support for Ali saying he would "do great".{{cite web |date= November 12, 2021 |author=Princess Weekes |url= https://www.themarysue.com/wesley-snipes-shows-support-for-mahershala-ali-as-blade/ |title= Snipes says Mahershala Ali will do great as the new Blade}}{{cite web |date= July 24, 2019 |url= https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/wesley-snipes-responds-to-marvel-rebooting-blade-its-all-good/603-1e968ec6-5582-44c5-8161-ee0867cbba01 |title= Snipes tells Blade fans to chillax and offers his support to Mahershala Ali as the new Blade and says it's all good |access-date= April 22, 2022 |archive-date= April 22, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220422172442/https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/wesley-snipes-responds-to-marvel-rebooting-blade-its-all-good/603-1e968ec6-5582-44c5-8161-ee0867cbba01 |url-status= dead }}

In 2021, Marvel published The Darkhold: Blade one-shot written by Daniel Kibblesmith, presenting an alternate ending to the film, where Deacon Frost succeeded in his plans at using his power attained as avatar of La Magra to turn billions of humans around the world into vampires.{{cite web |date = November 2, 2021 |author=Jon Olsen |url=https://www.cbr.com/blade-marvel-darkhold-movie-what-if/ |title = Blade: The Movie Just Got a Perfect What if Story in Marvel's Darkhold |work=CBR.com}}{{cite web |date = November 7, 2021 |author=SHAUN CORLEY |url=https://screenrant.com/darkhold-blade-1-deacon-frost-la-magra/ |title = Marvel Reveals a World Where Blade Lost in His First Movie |website = Screen Rant}}

In 2024, Snipes reprised his role as Blade in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Deadpool & Wolverine.{{cite web |date=4 August 2024 |last=Zee |first=Michaela |title=Wesley Snipes Breaks Two Guinness World Records After Blade Return in 'Deadpool & Wolverine' |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/wesley-snipes-blade-breaks-two-guinness-world-records-1236094977/ |website=Variety }}

{{Cite news |date=2024-07-24 |author=Caroline Darney |title=The 6 most mind-blowing cameos in Deadpool & Wolverine |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/deadpool-and-wolverine-cameos-mcu-spoilers |access-date=2024-07-25 |newspaper=USA Today }}

{{Portal|Film|Video games}}

• Rise: Blood Hunter
• Vampire Assassin
• Vampire films

{{Reflist}}

{{wikiquote|Blade}}

• [https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/blade/ Official website]
• {{AFI film}}
• {{IMDb title|0120611}}
• {{TCMDb title}}
• [http://marvel.com/movies/movie/10/blade Blade] at Marvel.com
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081220072652/http://www.comicmonsters.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=945 Blade turns Ten. Interviews with the cast members from the movie]

{{Blade}}

{{Marvel comics films}}

{{Stephen Norrington}}

{{David S. Goyer}}

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