The Marvel Cinematic Universe is slowly expanding into the horror genre. After the success of Werewolf By Night (2022), Marvel is preparing for another monster to take to the big screen with the Daywalker, Blade. Having made a vocal appearance at the end of The Eternals (2021), Blade is already set to have a strong debut with his film, and audiences everywhere are clamoring for Mahershala Ali’s portrayal of the trademark anti-hero. While many will miss Wesley Snipes for his portrayal in previous iterations, the new generation of Marvel fans that have been enraptured by the MCU are clamoring for this new film. And with Disney softening its stance on R-rated content, there are hopes that we may see a true horror film when Blade (2023) makes its debut.
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A key component to crafting an excellent horror film is to feature a director with a vision for the kinds of horror that will make audiences squirm as well as hang on the edge of their seats with anticipation. Here, we will be looking at arguments for why Jordan Peele would be the best choice to take the director’s chair and helm the ship of the MCU’s next great cinematic monster. We will briefly break down key characteristics that Jordan Peele brings to his work, as well as citing his most prominent projects, and speculating on what he could do if given control over the direction of this vampire-slaying cinematic film.
Vision for Horror
Universal Pictures
Jordan Peele originally got his start in the world of film and television as an actor and writer for the sketch comedy Key & Peele. Jordan Peele would then wow audiences with his directorial debut film Get Out (2017). Featuring intense horror moments that work both in the plain sense and the allegorical, Jordan Peele would leave a strong impression and continue that momentum with films like Us (2019) & Nope (2022). He would also briefly return to television with the reintroduction of The Twilight Zone, bringing even more psychologically terrifying nightmares to Paramount Plus subscribers.
While audiences are clamoring to see Blade slash vampires to bits, these monsters need to leave as strong an impression as possible. The villains from Peele’s directorial resume all have memorable moments and personas that help them stand out amongst the pack of film’s greatest monsters. With horror fans speaking at length about the aliens featured in Nope (2022), one can only imagine how Peele will adapt the blood-sucking terrors of the night in Blade (2023).
Fresh Perspective
While the Blade franchise had been entrusted to more experienced directors in previous iterations, Jordan Peele has only been directing for approximately five years. Peele’s fresh perspective on horror has spoken to many new generations of horror fans. While the character of Blade has a history of almost 50 years in the comics to pull from, Jordan Peele could easily put his perspective into the history, creating new stories while still respecting what has come before. Featuring Blade in new takes on the origin story and his battles against Dracula would make for a thrilling theater experience.
Representation
While well-established directors have helmed previous takes on Blade, Jordan Peele is inherently able to sympathize with the lived experiences of Blade as a man of color. Blade grew up in a time of civil rights movements sweeping America, and as such, he would often face threats, both living and undead. Growing up after the death of his mother, Blade would have to find his way in the world, being shunned by humanity, both for this ethnicity and because of his status as a Daywalker. Jordan Peele can bring a sharp focus to this, as his experience with Get Out (2017) shows the director does not shy away from displaying the extreme lows people of color face, whether in the past or the modern day.
Well-Rounded Director
Peele has worked extensively to expand his skillset in the short time he’s been in the director’s chair. Often taking on other roles such as writing and producing, Peele has an analytical and creative mind that has helped him adapt to different settings and tones throughout the various projects he’s worked on.
With Blade (2023), Jordan Peele could provide a strong focus on the quiet, chilling moments and the intense, action-packed fight sequences. We’ve already seen that Jordan Peele has an eye for the romantic and familial bonds often seen in his characters, meaning that we could perhaps see a love interest for Blade, such as Safron, a London showgirl that catches Blade’s attention. With all of these skills on Peele’s resume, it would be intriguing to see the young director take a turn at bringing another Marvel anti-hero to life.
