With Black Panther positioned to make $200 million in its opening weekend, King T’Challa and the fierce warriors of Wakanda are poised to not only take over the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but the world as we know it. During the course of covering Black Panther and celebrating that it is the first black superhero-fronted film in the MCU, many online have asked us a question over and over and over again: What about Blade?
It’s a great question. What about Blade?  That’s right, some two decades before Black Panther, one of Marvel’s black superheroes graced the big screen, leaving a bloody trail of vampires in his wake. He was the R-rated superhero before Deadpool. He was the Daywalker. He was Wesley Freakin’ Snipes. Blade was Marvel’s original black superhero on the big screen, netting a trilogy of movies (even if we would like to forget about Blade: Trinity).
Allow us to assure you that no one, absolutely no one forgot about Blade. Though the Daywalker may currently be in repose, waiting in the wings to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Markeia McCarty looked back at the legacy of Blade and how it paved the way for not only black superheroes, but all of modern superhero cinema as we know it. So consider this a heartfelt “thank you,” Blade, from the bottom of our hearts. We’ll think fondly of you while we head to our second, third, and fourth screenings of Black Panther this weekend, and brainstorm ways for you two to team up in the sequel.
What did Blade mean to you? How would you like to see Blade return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Let us know in the comments below.
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Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of books about Star Wars and the Avengers. Follow him on Twitter (@DanCasey).
