From True Detective to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. THR has reported that Nic Pizzolatto, creator of HBO’s hit crime anthology series, is now working on Marvel’s Blade movie.
Nic Pizzolatto has previously worked with Blade star Mahershala Ali on the third season of True Detective, so this marks something of a reunion for the pair. Sources told THR that Pizzolatto has been working off the existing script by Michael Starrbury (When They See Us) for several weeks now. Ali’s work on the third season of True Detective earned him an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie.
With production on Blade expected to get underway late next month in Atlanta, Marvel must be scrambling to get the script in the best shape they can, particularly if the WGA strike happens. Yann Demange (White Boy Rick) is set to direct Blade for Marvel. In addition to Mahershala Ali, Blade will also star Delroy Lindo and Mia Goth.
The character of Blade was originally created by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan for The Tomb of Dracula #10 in 1973. Blade is a half-mortal, half-immortal who hunts vampires in order to avenge his mother, who was killed by a vampire as she gave birth to him. Bassam Tariq (Mogul Mowgli) was originally attached to direct Blade, but he wound up stepping down last year, leaving Marvel to push pause on pre-production while they searched for a replacement.
Blade isn’t the only big project Nic Pizzolatto has in the works. It was reported earlier this week that he would be writing and executive producing a series adaptation of The Magnificent Seven for Amazon Studios. The official description of the reboot series reads: “In the tradition of the great epics from the golden age of Westerns, an outlaw and his cohorts must unite a disparate band of indelible fighters to defend a settlement of immigrant homesteaders in an open-range war against cattle barons in central Texas, telling an expansive saga of adventure, action, and romance.” Pizzolatto already has experience with The Magnificent Seven, as he co-wrote Antione Fuqua’s big-screen remake in 2016.
