Blade

Wesley Snipes returned as Blade for the first time in 20 years in Deadpool & Wolverine. Furthermore, Blade became the central character in one of the biggest Marvel Comics events of the year: Bloodhunt.

20 years after the Blade trilogy concluded, Wesley Snipes returned as the character in Deadpool & Wolverine. It was an unexpected and unforgettable moment that brought the entirety of Marvel’s cinematic vision full circle. In 1998, Blade took theaters by storm, assuming the No. 1 spot at the box office. Snipes took on the starring role and proceeded to guide Marvel through a questionable time in their history as a film-producing company. To see Marvel actively honor the contributions of the actors who made what they’ve since created possible was as great of a fan service moment as you’ll find in 2024. One could easily argue that no one was as deserving of the opportunity as Snipes. During the same year, Marvel Comics made Blade a central figure in its Avengers, self-titled series, and Blood Hunt storylines.

In many ways, the Blade trilogy opened the door for Tobey Maguire’s legendary run as Spider-Man. It proved that Marvel could produce a comic book movie that fit the tone of the modern film industry and society at large—and the rest is history. As Marvel Studios continues to honor the Fox and Sony-era actors and characters who made the modern MCU possible, a massive void would’ve been left had they not incorporated Snipes’ Blade into their universe. The actor, character, and franchise that arguably kickstarted Marvel’s modern run are finally official members of the MCU — in an epic way.