Marvel's reboot of Blade in the MCU will be titled The Blade, missing a perfect opportunity to use the other most well-known term the title character is addressed as. Mahershala Ali will assume Wesley Snipes's Blade mantle in the MCU's reboot, and while Marvel fans are enthralled at the legendary vampire hunter joining the franchise, the success of the previous Blade movies give it a lot to live up to. Meanwhile, the Blade reboot's title has emerged as a rather perplexing choice.
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The MCU reboot carrying the title of The Blade is odd considering that Blade's name is not known to have a "the" prefix. What makes the chosen title of The Blade even weirder is that, with Marvel's apparent desire to affix a "the" to Blade's name in the title, they missed the opportunity to use Blade's mythical term of reference in the vampire world as "The Daywalker." Blade's history and his origin story make working his Daywalker nickname into the title of a Blade movie a perfect choice on multiple levels.
With Blade being a feared legend in the vampire world in the MCU, The Daywalker as a title would carry the aura of foreboding mystery and terror that the character strikes into the heart of the bloodsucking creatures, as he's immune to the threat of daylight and other weaknesses that they fear. Like The Dark Knight or Man of Steel, The Daywalker, or even a modified version like Blade: The Daywalker, would also connote a story that takes its hero into new territory that deconstructs him and his mission. With Blade's Daywalker moniker being a title choice so well-tailored for the reboot, why Marvel instead elected to name the film The Blade is a topic worth digging into.
Why The MCU Called The Movie The Blade
The simplest reason for Marvel going with The Blade as the movie's title lies in differentiating it from the Wesley Snipes Blade movies with a title that makes both in-person and online discussions about them easier. Simply titling the movie Blade again creates an obvious potential for confusion with the previous film series, and it is a practice that many reboots and legacy sequels continue to bizarrely follow.
Going a little further, The Blade might not strictly be referring to Blade himself. The character's name as a vampire hunter derives from his use of his famed sword. This weapon could have more significance to the reboot's story than has already been stated publicly, and it could be what the title of The Blade means to signify. Ali's voice cameo in Eternals also teased a connection between Blade and Dane Whitman (Kit Harrington), coming specifically as he opens the box containing the Ebony Blade, which he wields as Black Knight. Within the context of the MCU, Blade's own sword might have a similar fantastical origin and connection to the Ebony Blade.
Whatever the in-story reasoning, The Daywalker has long been out in the open, just waiting to be the title of a Blade movie. Why Marvel titled the character's long-awaited return to cinema screens The Blade is sure to be clarified, but it remains a regrettable missed opportunity that The Daywalker continues to be overlooked.