Wesley Snipes Rumored to Return for 'Blade' Sequel at Marvel

Looks like it may be "open season on all suckheads" once again Wesley Snipes and Blade. Just a few weeks ago Snipes was talking about his desire to suit up as the daywalking vampire killer Blade for a fourth Blade movie, and given how the character is back in Marvel hands after New Line Cinema worked wonders with the original trilogy, fans have been eager for it, too. But while Kevin Feige hasn't exactly expressed an eagerness to bring Blade into the cinematic universe, a new rumor has surfaced saying the movie is in the works. The report comes from the New York Daily News' rumor-mongering section, so take it with the requisite amount of salt...

"Confidenti@l has learned Wesley Snipes is set to reprise his lead role in “Blade,” the 1998 vampire thriller that made more than $130 million and generated two sequels.

Sources close to Snipes tells us the 52-year-old actor’s comeback after being released from prison in April 2013 (after serving two and a half years for tax evasion) is “looking good” and that he’ll make $3 million from this film, plus a cut of the profits. Let’s hope he remembers to pay Uncle Sam this time."

What's interesting is they call it a sequel, but that can't be true unless Marvel has worked something out with New Line who still own the rights to those movies. If this is indeed happening then it's most likely a total reboot of the character, allowing the half-vamp/half-human Blade to be introduced to a whole new audience minus any baggage. Those who loved Snipes' performance, and I am one who believes it was the role he was born to play (that and Nino Brown), will always make that mental connection with the older movies.

So is there any truth to this? Or is it a lot of ice skating uphill? Considering all of the interviews Kevin Feige does somebody is bound to ask him sooner or later.

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Wesley Snipes is Hoping for 'Blade 4'; Talks 'Blade' Influences on 'The Avengers'

Whatever one thinks about Wesley Snipes after all his legal troubles, there's no denying the impact he's had on action movies. That's a large part of the reason Sly Stallone dialed him up to be a part of The Expendables 3, and as something of a Snipes super fan I'm happy to see him back. But I'm even happier that Snipes took time to talk with MTV about the influence his Blade movies have had on today's crop of superhero movies, and also his desire to do Blade 4.

As we know, Marvel regained the rights to Blade some time ago, and there have been some rumblings of bringing the vaunted "Daywalker" back in some fashion. When asked about it, Snipes seemed open to it, and rightly noted just how influential the Blade movies were on The Avengers and literally every other comic book movie we're seeing now.

Snipes: "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. I think we're better at making that kind of a film now. Some of the things we did in the early parts of the franchise were experimental and now they've become customary in a lot of the 'Avengers' films and other comic book adaptations."

Blade pre-dates the first X-men movie by a solid two years and Iron Man by a decade, and the success of it was how they were able to turn a D-list character into a box office champ. That was also during a time when vampires weren't quite the crazy they are now, so at least in my mind the Blade films are some of the most successful of the genre. But if a Blade 4 were going to happen, what would Snipes want to see in it?

Snipes:  "Blade chasing the Twilight kids around? Hey man, there's always a possibility, and I'm open to it. There have been rumors around that we may explore the opportunity, so give me one more shot! I've gotten a little bit better, and I think we can add a little flavor to it."

Let's make that happen, Marvel. 

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