When fans debate the origins of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the conversation usually starts with Iron Man in 2008. But thanks to the multiverse madness of Deadpool & Wolverine, the true beginning of the MCU might actually be a decade earlier—with Wesley Snipes' vampire-slaying Blade.
Released in 1998, Blade starred Snipes as Eric Brooks, a half-vampire "Daywalker" who hunts the undead. At a time when Marvel was struggling financially and nowhere near the powerhouse it is today, the film was a surprise hit, grossing $131.2 million on a $45 million budget. It proved that Marvel characters could draw audiences, paving the way for the X-Men and Spider-Man franchises—and eventually the MCU itself.
A Dark, Stylish Superhero Origin
Director Stephen Norrington crafted a film that was more horror-infused action than typical comic book fare, drawing from The Crow and Hong Kong cinema. Snipes' Blade was a charismatic, leather-clad antihero who took on vampire elder Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff) in a bloody, stylish war. The movie wasn't marketed as a Marvel property—the brand wasn't strong enough—but its success changed everything.
That box office triumph laid the groundwork for the superhero boom of the 2000s. Two years later, X-Men hit theaters, followed by Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy. Without Blade, the MCU might never have been born.
How 'Deadpool & Wolverine' Made 'Blade' MCU Canon
In Deadpool & Wolverine, Snipes reprised his role as Blade, appearing alongside other abandoned Marvel characters like Elektra (Jennifer Garner), Gambit (Channing Tatum), and X-23 (Dafne Keen) in the Void. During the film, Snipes' character declares, "There's only one Blade... and there's only ever gonna be one Blade," implying this is the same Blade from the 1998 film. That line retroactively adds the entire Blade trilogy to the MCU timeline, making the original the earliest MCU movie—even before Howard the Duck (1986), which has no direct continuity with later films.
Ryan Reynolds himself acknowledged the significance, posting on social media: "There is no Fox Marvel Universe or MCU without Blade first creating a market. He's Marvel Daddy." It's a fitting tribute to a film that often gets overlooked in discussions of Marvel's cinematic legacy.
While Mahershala Ali's long-gestating Blade reboot remains in development limbo, Snipes' return in Deadpool & Wolverine cements his version as the foundational piece of the MCU. For fans who grew up with the Daywalker, it's a welcome acknowledgment of the film that started it all.
For more on Marvel's expanding universe, check out our coverage of Paramount Games Studio's new Marvel 1943 title and Marvel's Serpent Society in Magic: The Gathering.
