Thanos holds nothing in front of the Blade franchise, given how the latter is the reason why the supervillain ever made it to the big screens, to begin with.

Marvel’s Blade trilogy is hailed to be a cult classic. Even though the first Blade film dates back to the ’90s, the Wesley Snipes-led franchise continues to be celebrated by fans to this very date. But besides being a fan favorite, the Blade film series was also a financial victory, ultimately salvaging Marvel Studios from the woeful state of bankruptcy. Simply put, it was the studio’s golden ticket to success.

How the Blade Franchise Came to Marvel’s Rescue 

Before Blade ever made it to the cinemas, Marvel was reeling with detrimental loss by dint of numerous flops like Howard the Duck and 1994’s Fantastic Four which turned out to be so appalling that it had to be axed. Safe to say the studio was practically on its deathbed, waiting for a seemingly inevitable demise. Fortunately enough, however, Blade ended up being Marvel’s guardian angel in disguise, saving it from annihilation.

Directed by Stephen Norrington, the first movie in the Blade franchise opened up to glowing reviews from the audience and a collection of around $131 million at the global box office on a budget of $45 million. Starring Wesley Snipes as the titular hero along with the likes of Kristoffer Kristofferson, Stephen Dorff, and Sanna Lathan, the X-rated vampire classic became the first ever Marvel film to truly triumph.
A still from Blade (1998)
Then came the Guillermo del Toro-helmed sequel, Blade II (2002), which performed even better than its predecessor after bringing home $24 million more than the 1998 movie. And while the third part in the franchise might not have been as fruitful as its counterparts, David S. Goyer’s Blade: Trinity (2004) still managed to make decent numbers at the box office.

Collectively, the Blade franchise amassed a mammoth figure of about $416 million, single-handedly rescuing Marvel Studios from going broke and paving the way for its present-day success.

Fans Hail Blade As Marvel Studio’s Savior 

Wesley Snipes in the Blade Trilogy
Given its history and legacy, the Marvel fandom shares a deep emotional attachment with the legendary superhero franchise. So, when someone pointed fingers at the integrity and success of the Snipes’ trilogy, fans rushed on Twitter to defend its reputation, crowning it as the reason why Marvel was able to build such an epic foundation worth billions in the first place.

 

Blade 1 opening scene is better than entire MCU 🤣

— Daily Chronic (@DailyChronic) April 13, 2023
 

 

 

 

From Snipes’ stellar performance and his gripping portrayal of the gifted Daywalker to the film’s overall tone and storyline, Blade was a booming success through and through. No wonder MCU fans wouldn’t hear a single word against it.

An MCU Blade reboot is currently in the works and is set to release on September 6, 2024.

Binge-watch the Blade trilogy on Netflix!

Source: Twitter