More than two decades after he last donned the black leather trench coat and silver stakes, Wesley Snipes is still being asked the same question: Would you ever come back as Blade? His answer has never been a flat no. In recent interviews, convention appearances, and social-media exchanges throughout 2025 and early 2026, Snipes has consistently left the possibility alive—sometimes with a playful wink, sometimes with genuine warmth toward the franchise he helped launch into the mainstream. While Marvel Studios pushes forward with Mahershala Ali as the new face of the Daywalker in an upcoming reboot, Snipes remains one of the few original stars who refuses to close the book on his era. And the internet—along with a growing number of longtime fans—has taken notice.

Snipes first brought Blade to life in 1998, in a film that arrived at exactly the right moment. Comic-book movies were still finding their footing; most were campy or low-budget. Blade changed the conversation overnight. It was dark, stylish, violent, and unapologetically R-rated. Snipes played the half-vampire, half-human hunter with a cold intensity that made the character feel dangerous rather than cartoonish. The film grossed over $131 million worldwide on a $45 million budget and spawned two sequels—Blade II (2002) and Blade: Trinity (2004)—cementing the character as Marvel’s first successful cinematic superhero. For many fans in their thirties and forties today, Snipes is Blade. No reboot talk can fully erase that.

When Marvel announced in 2019 that Mahershala Ali would headline a new Blade film, the reaction was mixed. Ali’s casting was widely praised—he’s a two-time Oscar winner with undeniable screen presence—but a vocal segment of the fandom immediately asked: “What about Wesley?” Snipes responded publicly with class. In a 2019 Instagram post, he wrote: “Congrats to Mahershala Ali on being chosen to play Blade. I’m honored to have carried the torch this long and excited to see where you take it. The Daywalker legacy continues.” He has repeated similar sentiments in multiple interviews since, always supportive, never bitter.

Yet he has also been candid about the challenges facing any new Blade film. During a 2024 appearance on a popular podcast, Snipes joked that studios are “still looking for the secret sauce” that made the original trilogy work. He pointed out that Blade’s success wasn’t just about the character—it was about tone, music, attitude, and a willingness to embrace the darker corners of the vampire mythos. “They’ve got to find that balance between horror and action, between cool and scary,” he said. “It’s harder than people think.” The comment was lighthearted, but it landed with weight. Fans interpreted it as gentle advice from someone who had already solved the puzzle once.

Snipes has never slammed the door on returning. In a 2025 convention Q&A, when asked directly if he would consider a cameo or multiverse appearance, he laughed and replied: “Never say never. I still love the character. If the story’s right and the timing’s right, I’m not against it.” He has echoed that sentiment several times since, most recently in a January 2026 interview where he said: “Blade isn’t done with me, and I’m not done with Blade. The Daywalker doesn’t retire—he just waits for the next nightfall.”

That line has become something of a rallying cry among fans. Online forums, Reddit threads, and X discussions are filled with speculation about how Snipes could return without undermining Ali’s version. Popular theories include:

A multiverse cameo in which Snipes’s Blade appears as a variant from another timeline.
A post-credits scene in Ali’s film where the two Daywalkers cross paths.
A legacy sequel in which Ali’s Blade seeks out Snipes’s older, grizzled version for guidance or backup.
An animated project or limited series that features both actors voicing different versions of the character.

Snipes himself has fueled the fire by staying active in the conversation. He frequently reposts fan art of himself as Blade, shares clips from the original films, and engages with comments that praise his performance. In December 2025, when a viral edit juxtaposed his iconic “Some motherfuckers always trying to ice skate uphill” line with Ali’s more grounded, brooding style, Snipes simply dropped a laughing emoji and the caption: “Both flavors taste good.”

The current status of the Mahershala Ali Blade film adds another layer of intrigue. Originally slated for 2023, then delayed multiple times, the project has undergone significant changes behind the scenes. Directors have come and gone (Bassam Tariq, Yann Demange, both departed), writers have been replaced, and the tone has reportedly shifted from horror-heavy to more action-oriented. As of February 2026, the film remains in active development with no confirmed release date, though Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has repeatedly said it is still a priority.

In that vacuum, Snipes’s openness has kept the conversation alive. Fans argue that his version of Blade—grounded in 1990s urban culture, hip-hop soundtrack energy, and unapologetic attitude—offers something the current MCU landscape lacks. Ali’s Blade, by contrast, is expected to lean into psychological depth and modern horror aesthetics. The two approaches could coexist, especially in a franchise built around multiversal storytelling.

Marvel has not ruled out the possibility. In late 2025, Feige mentioned in an interview that the studio is “always open to legacy characters returning in interesting ways,” citing examples like Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine. While he didn’t name Blade specifically, the comment was widely interpreted as leaving the door cracked for Snipes.

For now, Snipes continues to live his life outside the spotlight—running his production company, mentoring young actors, and occasionally popping up at comic cons where he’s greeted like royalty. But every time he speaks about Blade, the same message comes through: he’s proud of what he built, he respects what’s coming next, and he’s not opposed to stepping back into the darkness if the opportunity feels right.

Daywalkers don’t retire. They wait for the sun to set.

And right now, the sun is very low on the horizon.